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Being the new director of a new office on a new campus may be daunting, but Office for Health Promotion Director Elise Tofias Phillips couldn’t be happier about it.
Phillips recently took the reins of the Office for Health Promotion (OHP), which was established after a yearlong study conducted by the Student Affairs Health and Wellness Committee to administrate, advocate for, and establish more health-related services and programs for students.
Headquartered in the Student Affairs division and working in conjunction with University Health and Counseling Services, OHP will become a clearinghouse for all health-related programming for students at Boston College, Phillips explains. OHP will also help students meet their individual health needs through education, referrals and programming.
“In line with the mission of educating the whole person, we’re interested in establishing a holistic approach to health promotion on campus,” said Phillips. “To serve the total person – physically, emotionally, culturally, mentally, spiritually, personally — we want to look at all the different ways to help individuals and by doing so, create a healthier culture at Boston College.”
Phillips comes to BC with vast experience in health education. She served as the director of health education and student support services at Simmons College for more than nine years, working with students on health issues including lifestyle management, prevention and behavior change. She developed curriculum, authored training manuals, established a successful peer education program and counseled and advised students individually and in groups.
Prior to Simmons, Phillips worked at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where she developed and managed a health education program for patients and employees. Vice President for Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski said Phillips’ background provides the right mix of expertise in health education, promotion and collaboration with students to make OHP a true resource for all on campus.
"The significance of Elise beginning her work at Boston College is that this marks a new approach to health and wellness for the division," said Rombalski. "The creation of an Office for Health Promotion is a direct result of the strategic plan for Student Affairs. It reflects the division’s efforts to make preventive health promotion part of a new health strategy. Elise’s work will help launch us in this new direction."
Phillips said that after a comprehensive information-gathering period, she would like to create a user-friendly office website, develop a social media presence and find unique ways to disseminate information about health related topics to students. Phillips and her team will also implement a number of programs, including initiatives that emphasize stress management, life-work balance and sleep and nutrition services for students. Healthy decision making will also be a main focus of the office, she said.
“Many students are mindful of being physically fit, but could still benefit from personal development when it comes to stress management or allowing more time for sleep. Helping students practice positive behaviors in these areas will set them up for a lifetime of healthy living,” said Phillips.
OHP will bring together programming and staff from within Student Affairs, including the Women’s Resource Center, Alcohol and Drug Education Programs, Nutrition Education and Nutrition Counseling programs. Phillips said collaboration between all departments – both academic and administrative – will be critical for the success of OPH.
“I am very excited to be working at a top academic institution like Boston College,” said Phillips. “I’m thrilled to be part of this community and looking forward to working with different departments to improve student health.”
During her first two weeks on the job, Phillips has been busy learning about the current offerings at BC.
“My first job is to learn everything that is already happening. I have been meeting with different people and groups to see all the services and programs that are offered, and so much good work is being done,” said Phillips. “My door is open to anyone who has an interest in health issues or an idea that would help better serve students.”