Jane McGonigal, assistant director of Cooperative Extension, is given instruction on a recumbent exercise bike by Cutter Cramton, assistant director of the Wellness Program, in Helen Newman Hall. Robert Barker/University Photography
Dressed in traditional physical-education grays, with telltale pink badges clipped to their shorts, participants in Cornell's Wellness Program fit right in with perspiring students in the fitness room at Helen Newman Hall
G.S. Ghangas, a plant breeding research associate, stretches in a corner of the room overlooking Beebe Lake. Kim Walton pedals into her 27th minute on one of the aerobic bicycles. And James Mingle, university counsel, adjusts the weights and readies himself for his next set of lifting repetitions. All three agree on the necessity of maintaining good fitness and good health, and that's why they're in the program.
"My job is pretty stressful to me," says Walton. "It really helps to have a place where I can go work out some of that job aggravation. Helen Newman is very accessible and I like what the program has to say."
Begun as an experiment in 1988 with just 58 members, the Wellness Program has grown into a whole web of services, boasts about 500 active members and corresponds with more than 4,000 people a year. The program is open to all Cornell employees, with first-year membership fees assessed according to salary levels.
The Wellness Program recently merged some of its offerings with the Cornell Fitness Center (CFC), which is open to students and staff. The programs share access to newly upgraded fitness centers at Helen Newman, Fitness West and Schoellkopf and Teagle halls and to many aerobics classes around campus.
To enter the Wellness Program, members receive medical screening, including a physical exam with a coronary blood profile and electrocardiogram (EKG) cardiovascular screen and a physical-fitness assessment. They also gain access to the university's gymnasiums, pools and workout centers and the program's fitness uniform service, which also provides a basket and gym padlock.
But the program offers more than just an opportunity to work out. The original holistic Wellness Program, as conceived by Toni McBride, its creator and director, is modeled on six dimensions or categories that make up wellness:
"The Wellness Program is not just a health club, it's a holistic program for all aspects of your life," says McBride.
"Stress management and weight management are the most common initial goals," she says. Though many members may not have anything beyond the fitness dimension in mind when they sign up, the staff makes a concerted effort to maintain a comprehensive feel, introducing new members to other aspects of the program at an orientation session during which members draw up first-year plans and identify goals. Members may decide to participate in the FreshStart smoking cessation program or participate in a weekly massage clinic. Non-members may have been exposed to the March Humor Program -- which returns March 25 -- on the importance of humor in life, also sponsored by the Wellness Program.
For each dimension identified by the program, there are related classes or activities. For the physical aspects there are not only fitness centers, with cardiovascular workout equipment and weight training, but also a number of classes, including yoga, water aerobics and African-style dance aerobics and healthy cooking classes. The intellectual dimension is addressed by valuing and nurturing the mind with mentally challenging activities such as riddles and games in the Humor Program.
"The mind is like a muscle," says McBride. "If you don't use it, you lose it."
The emotional and social dimensions are designed to be both introspective and group-oriented. There are workshops and seminars that deal with interpersonal relationships, such as those with family and friends. There are also programs that emphasize the enjoyment of life, and group workshops focusing on an awareness of our communities.
The final, dimension -- spirituality -- is the most difficult one to address, says McBride. "We do not program specific religious beliefs but rather explore values, ethics and purposeful living through various programs offered throughout the year.
"Cornell Wellness is a benefit and perk program available to all interested employees," McBride says. "We welcome all and look to provide both the intellectual and physical experience along with a nurturing and supportive environment to assist all members in achieving their goals. Come join us."
Membership in the Wellness Program is open to all Cornell employees who receive benefits and to any retired Cornell employee. First-year fees range from $50 to $250 on a sliding scale, based on salary. For more information visit the program office at 303 Helen Newman Hall or call 256-3886 or 255-5133.