UNC Asheville's Health and Wellness Promotion degree program, now in its third academic year, is the fastest growing major at the University, with more than 100 students. In addition, every UNC
Asheville student will take at least one Health and Wellness Promotion course before graduating.
Students in the Health and Wellness Program's Community Outreach Course recently helped develop Wellness Activities for Seniors in Asheville (WASA). This
six-week program, conducted in partnership with the N.C. Center for Creative Retirement, provided intergenerational socialization, personal fitness, and health and medical education.
Students have also been involved in Getting Into Fitness Together (GIFT). Now in its third year, GIFT is a free six-week program designed to help children and
their families reach fitness goals creatively. The physical activity program features a variety of creative events, from scavenger hunts to water games, designed to promote the enjoyment of active
movement. Each family is mentored by a college student and receives a weekly newsletter during the program with healthy recipes, important wellness information and suggested fun family activities.
Wellness Initiative Starter (WIS) grants provide funding for interdisciplinary faculty-student research. These projects include testing a model of workplace
wellness for Biltmore Estate employees and an examination of parental involvement in promoting healthy behavior among children attending Asheville elementary schools.
The Wellness Scholar Awards provide funding to undergraduate research students. To date, ten students from five academic departments have completed or are
completing research. Projects include a needs assessment for the Asheville/Buncombe Institute of Parity Achievement to better understand barriers to health among people of color, and research at
the Black Mountain Center on quality of life improvement for people with Alzheimer's.
