Stanford’s BeWell and Stanford Benefits held their second Wellness Fair at Koret Plaza on Tuesday. The event brought staff and faculty together to learn about the resources supporting their physical, mental and personal well-being.
The fair offered free flu shots, wellness information and resource booths from organizations including Kaiser, Midi Health and Stanford Continuing Studies. Local vendors also sold baked goods, fresh fruit and wellness products.
For Cheryl Mejia, a Healthy Living staff member with BeWell, the fair was an opportunity to connect the Stanford community with resources that can be easily overlooked during a busy workday.
“We want to share what we have to offer with the Stanford community,” Mejia said.
Through BeWell, eligible Stanford employees can participate in wellness programs and receive financial incentives for completing certain activities. The effort is part of the University’s broader push to encourage employees to prioritize their health and well-being.
With the demands of work and daily responsibilities, events like the Wellness Fair give employees a chance to connect with others across the University, Mejia said.
Stanford Continuing Studies was another organization using the fair to introduce employees to opportunities beyond traditional workplace wellness. Amy Tollafield, a senior manager of student services from Continuing Studies, said the organization wanted Stanford staff to know that they can use their education funds to pursue subjects and interests outside of their regular work.
“I hope they know that we exist if they have never heard of us before and that they try taking a class,” Tollafield said.
Continuing Studies offers classes that are open to the public, allowing Stanford employees the opportunity to learn and explore personal interests.
For some attendees, however, the significance of the fair extended beyond the individual resources available at each booth.
Alex Olay, who works at Stanford School of Medicine, said the event stood out because it brought the community together.
“The whole thing in itself, with the whole community, shows that Stanford cares,” Olay said.
Olay said his team has BeWell Champions, Stanford employees who volunteer through activities and programming to emphasize both mental and physical well-being, which is part of what brought him to the fair.
Across the fair, the message was consistent: wellness can take many forms, from accessing health care and participating in physical wellness activities to pursuing education and making time to connect with the broader Stanford community.
