Wellness Center Fully Staffed for the First Time in Years
Photo personnel: Isa Montes Source: Elena Peng
A key initiative of Meredith Lierk, the new director of the Wellness Center who began in July, was to fill three positions with new hires, increasing the staff to four total employees compared to last year’s single staff member.
Bree Van Ness previously served as the assistant director and first student survivor advocate. However, she took over many other responsibilities as the only staff member in the office last year.
“All of these positions have been unstaffed for a year, so I did not want that to be in the story that we entered the 2023-24 academic year,” Lierk said. “One of the things that I did not want to carry forward was that there was no staff in the Wellness Center. That's not acceptable.”
A collaborative effort between Lierk and Jean Griffin, a senior human resources partner at Santa Clara, was successful in increasing the salary ranges for the Wellness Center’s vacant positions that fit within university budgets.
In a concerted effort to foster a culture of well-being among students, the Wellness Center’s mission is to support students struggling with anxiety, addiction, survivorship and overall wellness. The center focuses on substance abuse intervention, the prevention of gender-based violence and advancing student well-being through an array of educational initiatives, preventive measures and community outreach services.
“Ultimately, it's about having a space where people can embody wellness together and feel truly seen and heard and cared for,” said Lierk. “That takes a variety of different ways and looks different for each person. That's why it was really important that we have a fully staffed office.”
A week ago, Jerson Zarate took on the role of assistant director for violence prevention programs. Before this position, Zarate gained valuable experience providing grief support to middle and high school students during their time at Kara, an organization dedicated to grief counseling in Palo Alto.
Jason Muñoz began his role as Santa Clara’s first assistant director for recovery and the alcohol and drugs programs two weeks ago. He provides consultations where students can reflect on their own goals and how substances are part of their lived reality.
Three weeks ago, Ashleigh Pezzoni began as the assistant director for student survivor advocacy & campus support. She previously served as an advocate for rape and trauma services in San Mateo.
“Each one of our new staff members brings their own educational background and lived background in a unique way to be able to meet the needs of the Santa Clara community,” said Lierk. “And, all three of them have master's degrees in public health.”
The new Wellness Center staff is placing an emphasis on attentive listening. According to Lierk, they intend to engage in conversations with students to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of the university community and implement ways to create an inclusive and supportive space.
“The Wellness Center is where it is today because of the work and commitment of numerous members of the Santa Clara community, past and present,” said Lierk. “It is an honor to be the director of the Wellness Center as we arrive at this moment in the center's history.”
The Wellness Center has three student-run educational programs that will continue to function this academic year, now with paid student positions. The peer health educators have specialized training that they use to deliver programs and events about various wellness topics for students. The violence prevention educators are peer educators who raise awareness about dating violence, sexual assault, stalking and other forms of interpersonal violence. They also provide tools for violence prevention and intervention. The “Broncos in Recovery” program provides support to students who are in recovery for alcoholism and addiction.
“We are here, we are fully staffed, and the center is open. There's a wellness space that people can pop into and there's a massage chair!” Lierk concluded. “I just want people to know we're here and for them to know that they have a home.”