Hernandez also appreciated the educational component. “I learned about different services that we can get, like free massages and free therapy,” she said.
Marketing major Daniela Navarro-Balestena agrees. “It was interesting to learn more about the clinics and the free check-ups that are included in our tuition,” she says. “It was good to see all the resources available if we need help, and that it’s not a taboo topic to speak about. It really shows us that if we ever have a problem, they want us to reach out to them and they want to help us.”
As to the exhibit? “The art is wonderful,” Navarro-Balestena says. “Seeing how Roary is incorporated into the art was great, and the T-shirt is really cute. I got the sweater with the Roary Kiss. I love it. Wearing it fills you with Panther Pride. It’s Roary and shows FIU, but it’s also subtle enough that it just looks like a really nice design.”
Panther with a Parasol
Art for awareness
This is the second year the exhibit goes on display at MMC. Fourteen new paintings were added for this year’s collection. Ordóñez and Hernandez chose the historic works for the project based on SHW team recommendations, and they spent months creating the artwork.
The goal is to use art to create awareness about student health and wellness. SHW is intentional about improving student success outcomes through its events. To earn swag, students take a moment and learn about SHW services that could help them. They receive important information about the student health fee, including all of the services they can receive for free like counseling, clinical care, massages, nutrition education, STI testing and much more.
Additionally, students complete a survey that provides information about a specific health topic. Since the art exhibit runs during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the questions help students learn how to report an incident and receive help on campus.
“While being responsive to students in crisis will always be a priority, proactive education is a cornerstone of Student Health & Wellness’s mission,” says Breny DaParre Garcia, associate vice president for Student Health & Wellness. “My goal has always been to provide students with the proper tools they need to overcome life’s challenges. I want them to remain pawsitively aware of all available resources. When our marketing team approached me with idea last year on how to engage students in a different way, I absolutely loved the art exhibit idea. Research shows that art can be a successful way to improve mental wellbeing, so the merging of both perspectives was a unique way to reach students.”
Bedroom in Sweetwater