Students Relax and Unwind in New BME Wellness Room 

In September, the School of Engineering’s Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) held the Grand Opening of its new Wellness Room, where students stopped by for a cup of tea and a healthy snack while checking out the new space.

“The Wellness Room is a space in the biomedical engineering building to help students feel better and relax,” says Kristen Labazzo, undergraduate director and associate teaching professor in the BME department, who was instrumental in the creation of the new space.

“It’s located in an existing reading room that is outfitted with desks, and white boards so student can use it for study time or homework, but can now also engage in recreational and relaxation activities such as puzzles, coloring, crafts, Zen gardens, and Legos,” she explains.

“The Wellness Room is also decorated with motivational quotes, live plants, and soothing fountains, as well as a ‘Little Free BME Library,’ where books have been appearing on its shelves.”

Senior Priya Bhatt, like most students frequenting the room, is a BME major. “The BME building is like my home away from home, especially the Wellness Room,” she says. “It’s the perfect place for me to relax or study by myself or with friends.”

BME master’s degree student Sughosha Rao agrees: “It’s an awesome place to either enjoy some peace with flower Legos and puzzles, or get some work done while lounging.”

Labazzo notes that other engineering students may access the BME Wellness Room. “Nobody is turned away from wellness,” she says.

Packaging major senior Anna Sevumyants says, “This place holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I let my creativity flourish and where I feel most productive. It’s also the place where I relax the most.”

A Year in the Making

ScarletWell fosters the holistic health and wellness of the entire Rutgers -New Brunswick community with a suite of programs, resources and initiatives that helps to make Rutgers a national model of an educational and work environment prioritizing mental health and wellness.

A year ago, BME graduate student Rebecca Risman and Labazzo applied for and were awarded a ScarletWell grant to support a project called “Better Me with BME.”

According to Labazzo, the grant funded activities among those in ScarletWell’s “8 Dimensions of Wellness” –physical, intellectual, emotional, financial, social, spiritual, occupational, and environmental. The BME grant’s goal was to develop a wellness series to support healthy habits and build a community.

“Our activities,” she reports, “included a few craft events, a self-defense class with RUPD, a nature walk, and a lecture with a nutritionist.”

Since more open-ended activities, such as crafts, ultimately attracted more students compared to the more formal seminars, the decision was made to funds to outfit a space with activities that offer more sustained wellness options with the remaining grant funds.

The BME Wellness Room is the result of this decision, providing a space where Labazzo says that “students can take a break from the hecticness of their day and destress. By being proactive about wellness, we hope this helps reduce stress that could have later negative mental health consequences.”