Dear Center Friends-
 
As we navigate through this global health pandemic, the phrase, “thriving together” takes on additional meaning. It seems that no matter where you are in this world, your part in helping change the course of this health crisis matters. And as a result, individuals will be the heroes for taking small and large actions. I’ve been moved by local posts on my neighborhood app of perfect strangers offering to provide groceries and run errands for those unable to venture out. For many of us, it’s the first time we’re experiencing a global crisis of this magnitude. Special funds are being created to help those who lost their jobs or have mounting medical bills. At Mason, the Stay Mason Fund has been established to help our students who have been financially impacted by this global outbreak or other hardships. For some, these funds will allow students to complete this semester and receive their degrees.

While this virus is dividing us through social distancing precautions, it’s uniting us around our common humanity in ways many of us never experienced. Thriving together means showing solidarity and reducing the divisions among us as we stand even taller against all forms of bias and discrimination while rekindling a sense of community. In this issue of Thriving Toget her, you’ll get a glimpse of how we’re re-imagining well-being resources for the Mason community along with spotlights of our center’s colleagues and students. Lydia Craig, CWB doctoral student, shares her research on the importance of supportive friendships – a timely reminder for all of us during this crisis. Now, more than ever, is a time for all of us to lean into our social connections with compassion, hope, and kindness.

 
With gratitude,
Nance Lucas, PhD
Executive Director
Center for the Advancement of Well-Being
 Spring into Well-Being 2020 (#SIWB20) Happens
March 20-April 22
During #SIWB20, Mason students and employees can thrive together in ways that strengthen our well-being for the entire year :

Thriving Together Well-Being Weekly: Nature
Experiencing some form of nature gives us a number of physical and mental well-being benefits:

Research on Friendships and Employee Well-Being from CWB Doctoral Student and CWB Senior Scholar Published in Journal of Vocational Behavior
Lydia Craig, our center's doctoral student, and Lauren Kuykendall, one of our center's senior scholars, researched how friendships impact employee well-being. Their research has been published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior:

 Mason BurnAlong Helps Students and Employees Thrive Together During the Coronavirus Outbreak
All Mason students and employees can access Mason BurnAlong for free to strengthen their well-being and stay engaged with each other online during the coronavirus outbreak :

Mason's Resilience Badge to be Expanded Online
More students will have the opportunity to learn vital 21st century resilience skills when the online option for Mason’s Resilience Badge program launches during the 2020-2021 academic year :

 Well-Being LLC Student Aditi Goel Helps Mason Students “Dare 2 Be Wise”
Inspired by her experiences in our center’s Well-Being LLC, Mason sophomore Aditi Goel has founded the student organization Dare 2 Be Wise to help other students strengthen their well-being through mindfulness:

Coaching Alumni Profiles: Betsy Quint-Moran
Leadership Coaching for Organizational Well-Being program alumna Betsy Quint-Moran describes how the program has improved her life:

 Coaching Alumni Profiles: Steve Reza
Leadership Coaching for Organizational Well-Being program alumnus Steve Reza describes how the program has improved his life:


The Leading to Well-Being conference will take place from Thursday, December 3 to Friday, December 4 at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel. At the conference, you will learn vital insights from renowned experts to successfully achieve your professional and organizational goals. Network with top leaders from diverse industries, including: higher education, business, nonprofit organizations, government, military, and healthcare. Keynote speaker Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of Dying for a Paycheck: How Modern Management Harms Employee Health and Company Performance – and What We Can Do About It , will challenge you to become part of a well-being workplace revolution. Other speakers and workshop facilitators will show you how to increase human and organizational flourishing, engagement, and productivity while challenging your traditional notions of leadership.

Before the conference, join us for these upcoming Leading to Well-Being certificate programs:

*         Strengths-Based Leadership

Between now and Friday May 1 at 5 p.m., full-time undergraduate students at Mason can apply for Elena's Scholarships for Student Well-Being, which will be awarded for the 2020-2021 academic year:


You can help us teach the science and practices that lead to a life of vitality, purpose, resilience, and engagement. Your gift to the center enables George Mason University to continue its position as a model well-being university, while also expanding our presence to the community to increase public awareness and engagement in critical issues and practices of well-being, mindfulness, and leadership.

Learn more about our impact. Support the center today.