This semester, the SGA Health Committee has taken on several projects to help improve student mental and physical health on campus. The committee, chaired by Daphne Cerrato ’26 and vice chaired by June Cook-Selman ’26, has the primary goal of bridging the gap between the student body and health services offered to students.
The committee has been working towards planning Hamilton’s first ever Mental Health Week that will take place after spring break, near the end of April. Although official programming is still to be released, the committee is hoping to provide opportunities for students to participate in a wide range of activities to help grow their mental wellness, especially as finals week and graduation begin to creep closer. Some activities that they are hoping to provide include Hot Yoga, joining up with the Outing Club for s’mores and nature walks, Goat Yoga and programming focused on the mental health of student athletes on campus. To nourish the body over Mental Health Week, there are plans to partner with Parkhurst in holding a pop up smoothie bar to students as a refreshing treat as the weather warms.
Students may also remember the Community Pantry Program where students were provided with ingredients and instructions on how to make a meal from scratch in residence halls or suite kitchens. The committee is working towards potentially bringing this option back for students who want the chance to cook their own meals when kits are available.
Some members of the committee are also working with the Health Center on making Covid-19 tests free for students when tested during an appointment to increase accessibility. Along with that, the committee hopes to reinstate having free masks for students in need to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and any of the numerous illnesses currently rampant on campus.
The committee is working with the Counseling Center to address the need for more therapists for students, but plans for that are still in the works. In the meantime, there are goals to increase the usage of Peer Counselors, as they are an underutilized resource that could be the perfect fit for many students who seek to have an in -person connection with a provider but are unable to access one through the Counseling Center.
The Health Committee invites engagement from all students to offer input and invites anyone to join the meetings. Meetings take place on Tuesdays from 4:00–5:00 p.m. at the Sadove Sun Porch.
