MCLA Wellness

At MCLA, we believe that to do well, you must be well. We have a dedicated team of practitioners—from counselors and nurses to health promotion staff—all invested in the wellness of our students and community.

The Inter-association Definition of Well-being (November 2020) states, "We define well-being as an optimal and dynamic state that allows people to achieve their full potential. Our focus is on two interdependent types of well-being: (1) individual and (2) community."

MCLA is committed to supporting wellness in a holistic way. We strive to provide the highest quality care in our clinics and counseling spaces while also fostering healthy communities, strong organizations, and respect for sustainability and the environment. The Inter-association Definition of Well-being further explains, "By focusing on the whole—the whole person, the whole educational experience, the whole institution, the whole community—well-being becomes a multifaceted goal and a shared responsibility for the entire institution."

We hope you experience wellness throughout your time at MCLA—in the classroom, in the residence halls, through student activities, and beyond. By prioritizing wellness together, students and MCLA can create meaningful impacts on academic, personal, and professional success.

We want you to thrive at MCLA. With our support, you can build lifelong habits that help you stay well throughout your college experience. Remember, everyone's trail to wellness is different, and we're here to help you navigate yours.

In wellness,  
Ashleigh Hala, LICSW 
Associate Dean & Chief Wellness Officer 

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Mission Statement

To develop, promote, and support robust opportunities, programs, and resources that enable students to achieve a holistic sense of health and well-being and create a campus culture where holistic wellness is centered within every aspect of our community.

Vision

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will lead the way for wellness within the Commonwealth by seamlessly integrating holistic wellness into all aspects of the student experience building an inclusive, thriving, and resilient campus community. 

Wellness Strategic Plan

 

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Racism in the United Stated continues to threaten the lives and safety of People of Color, and we each have a responsibility to actively confront and dismantle it. As professionals who oversee the work of healing and empowering students in their struggles, we recognize the importance of taking a stand and offering support by naming and addressing what causes the illness, wounds, and impairment, i.e. systemic racism and white supremacy. We also acknowledge that there is a more sustained and additional need for facilitating the difficult (and often painful) honest examination and self-work around our individual biases in thought and action, and how that impacts our work with students, colleagues, campuses, communities, friends and family. In this way, we affirm our commitment to anti-racism. 

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