Baker College student develops unique community walk to ‘Step Up Your Mental Health’ May 31-June 1

The public is invited to Step Up Your Mental Health at a unique one-mile wellness walk designed to increase mental health awareness, noon-4 p.m., Wednesday-Thursday, May 31-June 1, at Baker College of Owosso.

The wellness walk winds through the campus and has 10 stations along the route that offer information or activities relating to mental health. At the end are fitness challenges and lawn games.

The free event, which coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, is the brainchild of Baker College student Alexi Monson. She transformed an assignment by the college’s Residence Life and Disability Services departments where she is interning into a citywide event.

“We were talking about evaluating the mental health activities of students when I realized I wanted to do more – I wanted to share some of what I have learned in class about ways to step up one’s mental health,” said Monson, of Morris, Illinois, who is on track to graduate with a bachelor’s in human services in June. “The event is centered around a wellness walk because being active is tremendously important to one’s mental health.”

Participants can start the wellness walk no later than 3:30 p.m. both days. The course begins near the Student Center. The wellness walk is wheelchair accessible. In the event of inclement weather, the booths and activities will move to the gym.

Walkers have options throughout the one-mile course to participate in activities such as:

• Depression screening
• Breathing exercises
• Making healthy water
• Learning campus safety tips

Monson is especially excited about the booth that provides a pay-it-forward activity.

“Being active and doing something nice for someone else are the two most important things one can do to step up their mental health,” she said. “With spring in full bloom, now is the perfect time to get outdoors and spread kindness.”

Monson says that walkers will also learn about mental health services available locally.

She has received a lot of help planning the fair, listing event sponsors as Baker College, Shiawassee County Community Mental Health and Michigan Association for Suicide Prevention.

The college’s Campus Safety Department has been instrumental in developing the wellness walk. Helping with booth activities are the college’s Residence Life and Disability Services departments, as well as local wellness businesses, such as Evoke Wellness, Fitness Coliseum, Fortitude Outdoor Fitness and Healthy Living by Hollie.

Students in the human services program and members of the Teachers as Lifelong Learners Club, the campus teacher prep club, are helping to staff the event.

“A healthy mind is as important as a healthy body, and Alexi is making it easy and fun to learn new ways to just enjoy life,” said Aaron J. Maike, Baker College of Owosso president. “She is demonstrating the ‘power of one,’ and we couldn’t be prouder. Kudos to her and all others who are working to make this a meaningful event.“

For more information about the Step Up Your Mental Health event, contact Monson at 989.413.6495 or amonso01@baker.edu.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1911, Baker College grants doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees, as well as certificates in diverse academic fields including applied technology, business, education, engineering, health science, information technology and social science. Baker College has on-ground campuses throughout Michigan and offers online programs that can be completed 100 percent online without ever visiting a campus. In 2016, the Online Learning Consortium recognized Baker College Online with the OLC Quality Scorecard Exemplary Endorsement, the highest ranking for online higher education programs. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

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