A new wellness resource called YOU@Colgate launched in October. The online database provides students with personalized wellness information, opportunities for support, involvement on campus and assistance with setting academic, health and wellness goals during their time at Colgate.

The resource is meant to build a more balanced and engaging college experience, according to Director of Shaw Wellness Katie Griffes. In the past, Colgate utilized the web program Student Health 101, which sent out monthly generic emails to the student body. Griffes said she found the YOU program at a conference last year. 

“We realized that student did not feel like Student Health 101 applied to their lives, so we wanted to share more individualized content,” Griffes said. “Our goal is to create an in-depth resource center for students.”

Junior Ali Altman serves as an ambassador for Shaw Wellness, working closely with both Shaw Wellness Institute staff and the greater Colgate community to increase awareness of wellness resources on campus. Altman is a liaison for the Outdoor Education Program and the Max Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education (COVE). She also works as a Bystander Intervention Facilitator, where she implements active bystander behaviors and strives to ensure safety and inclusivity.

“YOU@Colgate is an awesome digital wellness portal for students,” Altman said. “I don’t think many students are aware of this powerful tool yet, but as an ambassador, I hope to teach students in my liaison groups about how to get the most out of this interface. As someone who is definitely working on finding a way to be the healthiest version of myself, this tool is a great way to start learning about wellness and how to make some important lifestyle changes.”

When creating a YOU profile, students are instructed by the site to enter their Colgate login information. The site itself is organized into three categories: Succeed, Thrive and Matter. Griffes explained that these categories align with the eight dimensions of wellness: social, environmental, physical, emotional, spiritual, occupational, intellectual and financial.

“Succeed looks at students’ academics — their study habits and their career aspirations,” Griffes said. “Matter measures students’ spiritual wellness, helping them find purpose in their relationships and their communities. Finally, Thrive considers students’ mental health, looking at their sleep patterns, physical fitness and emotional wellbeing. This allows students to feel and act in a way that makes them the happiest.”

The YOU portal includes a “Reality Check” for each category, which pertains to an assessment tailoring the platform to each student’s experience. Each student’s account remains confidential and secure, according to Griffes. 

“I encourage students to reach out if they have questions,” Griffes said. “We hope that students can use YOU@Colgate as a confidential, safe and dependable way to link to our world and to our community.”