Redshirt freshman Lawson Wheeler is one of two players Elon University Baseball Team Representative Member of the Student Athletics Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee will meet with: health eu Wheeler said the team reviews topics such as well-being events once a month.
“Given what they've done so far, I think it's really great to see how they're promoting the health of everyone on campus and our group,” Wheeler said. said.
Elon HealthEU always aims to help all students maintain positive physical and mental health. Some of this work will also be seen at Elon's new HealthEU Center, scheduled to open in summer 2026, according to a university press release. The planned 135,000 square foot facility will be rooted in HealthEU's efforts and will also include space for academic researchers focused on wellness, labs, research and more. Counseling services will also move to the new building, along with new Campus Reaction and fitness facilities.
The work HealthEU has done also applies to Elon's athletic teams.
Jana Lynn Patterson has overseen many of HealthEU's operations, among others. Patterson, vice president for student life and dean of students, is Elon HealthEU's co-chair of the Board of Trustees.
“We have a long history of working with athletics centered around health and well-being,” Patterson said.
Patterson has helped organize HealthEU's approach to reaching student-athletes, which includes coordinating with health agencies. Student-Athlete Advisory Committee with counseling services. She said they have a long history with athletics.
“We provide mental health support to them through counseling services through training,” Patterson said. “We also do other types of community-building support with them, helping them develop a sense of community and purpose.”
Patterson said the increased focus on mental health makes it especially important for HealthEU to maintain its goal of connecting student-athletes to wellness.
“Student-athletes have performance-based mental health needs,” Patterson said. “We are working extremely hard with our counseling staff and sports staff to ensure we apply best practice across our mental health policy.”
Elon's athletic team coaches are also trained for scenarios where athletes are under stress. Patterson believes this is beneficial because it allows coaches to be prepared when players are struggling mentally.
“Athletics works very closely with counseling services; Student care and support to provide ongoing training and collaboration,” Patterson said.
Wheeler also said he hopes the collaboration between the two groups will lead to more community services across Elon by the end of the year.
“A lot of what we do is based on community service,” Wheeler said. “There is talk of promoting certain things like mental health and nutrition around campus for student-athletes and the general public.”
On game days, pre- and post-competition services will be provided for student-athletes, Patterson said.
“We have practices to make sure they're in the best shape mentally when they go out on the field,” Patterson said. “If something doesn't work out for them, we give them a chance to handle it in a healthy way.”
It also prompted HealthEU to discuss how some practices could continue to be developed to make them more effective, Patterson said.
“There are a lot of subtleties that athletics has been grappling with over the years,” Patterson said. “I think we're paying attention to our mental health and thinking about what strategies we can take to strengthen those habits.”
One of HealthEU's priorities is to incorporate mental health screening for athletes. This is a test to determine how the player is currently feeling and if they are experiencing any symptoms.
While mental health screenings are supposed to test whether people have some sort of problem, Patterson also said HealthEU can help students take the necessary steps to build positive health outcomes. I believe.
“This not only allows us to provide services when people are in crisis, but also helps us develop proactive strategies to address people's health and well-being,” Patterson said.
She recognizes that student-athletes have a lot going on between classes and sporting events. Patterson hopes the wealth of resources associated with HealthEU will provide student-athletes with the tools they need.
“Developing strategies to address the mental health needs of our students, whether it be mental health or physical health, is a collaborative effort between Student Health, Counseling Services and student-athletes,” Patterson said.
Wheeler said student-athletes often evaluate potential improvements they would like to see at Elon. Wheeler believes HealthEU has a good understanding of the responsibilities that student-athletes typically face.
“I think what everyone wants to see is a significant improvement in our community, whether it’s mental health or the unity of certain groups,” Wheeler said.
Looking to the future, Patterson hopes that working with other organizations on campus will allow HealthEU to continue developing more innovative strategies.
“We're not looking based on the work we've done, but based on what we can do better,” Patterson said.
