Students and Pups Lead the Way on PVM Walk for Wellness

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A sunlit sidewalk provided the pathway for participants in a signature event for the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Wellness Week last week, April 17-21. “Wellness Week is a time for the college to recognize all the hard work that has been put into the semester by students, faculty, and staff and to give them an energy boost to get through the end of the academic year,” said Colleen Maguire Jackson, PhD, HSPP, licensed psychologist and lead therapist with the college’s Counseling and Wellness Services. “Even though the weather did not cooperate with the students’ planned sand volleyball game on Monday, by Wednesday the sunshine was beaming again and so several people were able to enjoy the fresh air for the Wellness Walk.”

As a special bonus, walk participants were accompanied by three furry friends – Rupert, Sybil, and Lucy, which are dogs belonging to Clinical Assistant Professor of Basic Medical Sciences Mindy Anderson, PharmD.  Rupert was able to join in the walk thanks to a dog wheel chair donated by Dr. Ellen Lowery, director of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, and her wife, Kara Burns, LVT. The people and pups enjoyed walking on a loop that began at Harrison and Marsteller streets and proceeded southeast along Williams Street past the David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex before turning north and heading-up toward central campus. 

Other popular elements of the Wellness Week included chair massages that also brought some relaxation and feel good endorphins for those who took advantage of the opportunity on Thursday; a student breakfast on Tuesday; and student yoga on Wednesday evening. Thank you to all of the PVM Wellness Committee members who helped ensure the week was a success, and to Hill’s Pet Nutrition for co-sponsoring the delicious nutrition shakes that were provided on Friday.

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu