Campus Recreational Services
Binghamton is one of nation’s healthiest campuses.
Binghamton University is among the nation’s top 25 healthiest college campuses according to Greatist, an organization whose mission is to “help the world think of health in a healthier way” by publishing “award-winning, crazy-sharable articles” about being healthy, happy and empowered.
When putting together its list of the healthiest colleges, Greatist looked for schools that go above and beyond to create an environment where students have access to an array of healthy food, top-notch fitness facilities, and robust medical and mental health services.
To make the list, Binghamton University was nominated for the award via social media, then completed a comprehensive questionnaire for Greatist, responding to questions about dining services, fitness facilities and classes, student healthcare, mental health resources and much more.
“Our interest in promoting a holistic approach to health and wellness came from a broad conversation around what should distinguish the practice of student affairs at Binghamton,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Brian Rose. “We wanted to identify areas of strategic emphasis that would promote student success and also align with the University’s strengths and with student interests. We also wanted to focus on something with broad relevance and around which Binghamton could be nationally visible and successful.
“Having now been recognized as one of the healthiest campuses is confirmation that we have strong health and wellness programs,” Rose added. “However, we have honestly just started, and look forward to developing our identity as a genuinely healthy campus community through new programs and partnerships.”
Cindy Cowden, senior associate director of Campus Recreational Services, chairs Binghamton’s Healthy Campus Initiative (HCI), leading a broad-based steering committee of members, including students. Called B-Healthy: Choose Well, Be Well, “HCI strives to cultivate a culture that is supportive of individuals and groups in pursuit of their optimal potential,” she said. “We’re striving to integrate student health and wellness into the University’s educational mission as well by developing policies and programs to enhance the academic environment.”
According to Greatist, health and wellness have become a top priority since Binghamton launched its B-Healthy initiative in 2013, and also became one of 20 colleges in the U.S. to join Partnership for a Healthier America’s campus initiative. “Both of these programs aim to promote healthier lifestyles among undergrads, whether it’s providing sustainable food options in the dining halls or revamping the miles of walking trails around campus,” Greatist wrote.
Cowden said a secondary objective of HCI is to provide high-impact learning opportunities for students through curriculum integration where they create, test and implement solutions to campus health-related issues.
For the complete list of healthiest campuses, go online.