Nebraska Methodist College's Thrive Wellness Committee honored with Governor's Wellness Award

The Nebraska Methodist College (NMC) Thrive Wellness Committee was recently honored with a Governor's Wellness Award for its efforts to foster a culture of workforce wellness.

The committee was one of 11 recipients of the Grower Award, which recognizes employee wellness programs that are positively changing employee health behaviors. All told, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen presented various wellness awards to 31 organizations. 

“NMC prepares students for careers that require compassion, resilience and dedication, but we know that caring for others starts with recognizing the importance of caring for ourselves,” said Kathy Dworak, LIMHP, committee co-chair and director of student counseling services at NMC. “At its core, Thrive is about supporting the whole person. By fostering employee well-being, we help create a supportive campus environment for the people who educate, guide and model this wellness mindset as we serve our students.”

Using a holistic, comprehensive approach, Thrive aims to foster a campus culture where wellness is accessible, meaningful and integrated into everyday life. Its initiatives include:

• Monthly newsletter articles highlighting the “Eight Dimensions of Wellness”
• Mental health first aid training for employees
• Education about healthy lifestyles and exercise equipment in the NMC wellness center
• Education highlighting healthier food options at the campus cafe
• Social and informal gatherings that encourage employees to connect
• Soliciting employee feedback about wellness initiatives, and then acting on it

Dworak and Thrive co-chair Sam Barnhart, PA-C, NMC’s program director for campus health, accepted the award from Pillen at the Nebraska Capitol in September.

“The Governor's Wellness Award recognizes organizations that are leading the way in creating supportive, health-focused workplaces," Pillen said in a news release. “By making wellness a strategic priority and investing in their employees, these organizations are strengthening engagement, promoting healthier lives and creating workplaces and communities where people feel empowered to thrive."

Since the Governor's Wellness Award program began in 2008, 592 awards have been distributed across Nebraska. The Thrive committee was previously honored with the Grower Award in 2022.