Free On-site Community Wellbeing Room, Yoga, and Fitness Classes at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Regular exercise and play, in various forms, are well-documented protectors of several mental and physical health indicators and contribute positively toward stress management, resilience, and burnout prevention. And yet, for many reasons, including time, financial, and logistical constraints, many who work and study at veterinary colleges find it difficult to fit exercise and play into their regular routines. In response, the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) hosts a Community Wellbeing Room, which includes, thanks to a generous gift from retired small-animal veterinarian, Bob Pane, DVM (Class of 1975), and in partnership with Cornell Recreational Services, basic fitness equipment; ping pong tables; and free, basic, on-site, biweekly, Vinyasa-style yoga and Pilates classes for all students, house officers, faculty, and staff. The room is available for all CVM community members to use at any time and may be reserved for small-group, club, or department activities.
Goals
The aims of hosting a wellbeing room and free classes are multiple, including ensuring that cost or lack of equipment are not barriers for people to learn and practice activities that have research-backed physiological and psychological benefits; providing an easily accessible break from school, work, and technology; and increasing opportunities from various corners of the college to bond socially, over shared experience and interest. Less concerted but related goals are also to help make the college a place where people want to work and study, and strengthening messaging that Cornell is a caring community that encourages people to care for their well-being.
Impact
Depending on the time of year, fitness classes have anywhere from a few participants to 20, and surveys gathered at the end of each semester are consistently positive. The room is reserved regularly by small groups, departments and clubs for retreats, rehearsals, and playful tournaments, as well as well-tapped by all community members for informal, quick workouts, meditation, rest, or play.
Logistics
The Community Wellbeing Room is overseen and maintained by the CVM facilities team and well-being program director and it is reservable through the college’s online room scheduling system. Cornell Recreational Services charges $100 per class, which is for the cost of the instructor only. Additional costs include the logistical and administrative time of the well-being program director and regular upkeep of the space and its equipment.