ECSU Receiving $76k+ Grant for Campus and Community Wellness Initiative

Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) has been awarded $76,150 from Sentara Healthcare to support a year-long university initiative called WELL. Through this new program, ECSU will sponsor a series of events over 12 months for both the campus and surrounding community to encourage individuals to recognize the physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual impacts on his/her wellness.

ECSU will host experts who will share reliable, easy-to-understand information on a variety of topics, and bring in speakers as part of the university’s Community Connections: Performance and Lecture Series. The overarching goal of WELL is to ensure people in Pasquotank County are living their healthiest life by taking a holistic approach to wellness.

“We want to ensure our community both on- and off-campus have the facts and support needed for their overall wellness. Many people have a distrust of medicine as and lack the needed resources to live healthy lives as we’ve witnessed throughout the COVID pandemic,” says Dr. Gary Brown, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. “Our event series will help individuals connect the dots between the behaviors and feelings they may be experiencing and possible causes. We are still recovering as a community, and the more we learn, the healthier we will be.”

“The university is such an integral part of our region, and it’s important we have the funds needed to support our students, faculty, staff, and community,” adds Anita Walton, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement. “We are proud to partner with Sentara Healthcare to strengthen the health and well-being of our society.”

ECSU will focus on increasing general knowledge and causes of mental health issues, such as the stress and isolation created by the COVID pandemic. The objective is to remove the stigma surrounding mental health – many people experience mental health symptoms; it is nothing to be ashamed of and we want individuals to know where to get help. On campus, students, faculty, and staff should have the knowledge needed to identify a mental health issue early so he/she is empowered to take action and control by accessing resources they need. This will also help students complete their degree successfully.

The Division of University Advancement and the Division of Student Affairs collaborated to submit the grant on behalf of the ECSU Foundation.