The Together We Thrive initiative aims to create a campus community that cultivates a culture of compassion, connection and well-being for Syracuse University students to thrive beyond resilience.
Thriving Beyond Resilience
College students face a variety of challenges that go beyond their academic experience, and through that challenge, they embody resilience every day. Significant research has connected resiliency to student success, retention, degree completion and decreased rates of anxiety and depression. And though resiliency has been proven as a protective factor for student success and well-being, we acknowledge that some communities and individuals have no other choice than to be resilient. Therefore, using this language can result in overlooking the inherent strengths of individuals.
For this reason, in order to represent all students’ unique and shared experiences through this initiative, Together We Thrive promotes the concept of thriving beyond resilience, representing one’s ability to recognize the role of personal values, expectations and perfectionism during times of setback and change. It incorporates self-compassion and connection as strategies for cultivating well-being. Thriving beyond resilience embodies the holistic nature of the Syracuse University student experience, so that they are best motivated and prepared for what comes next on their journey.
Through our three-session series, Together We Thrive works with students to acknowledge sources of struggle and strength that are an innate part of the human (not just student) experience and recognize one’s intentional choice to utilize tools and skills that support the ability to not only bounce back quickly, but also cultivate personal growth and well-being (whatever this looks like for them).
Participants in this program will engage in discussions and activities that focus on the following themes:
- Normalizing struggle as a part of the human experience.
- Recognizing thoughts and feelings when faced with challenges or struggles.
- Understanding the impact that our expectations and values can have on our experiences surrounding setbacks.
- Breaking down positive and negative perfectionism.
- Demonstrating how to be kinder to ourselves through times of struggle.
Previous cohorts of the Together We Thrive pilot were assessed using validated scales on coping skills, resiliency, sense of belonging, emotional regulation, self-compassion, flourishing, mindfulness, anxiety and depression and self-efficacy. Data showed statistical improvements in almost all the constructs assessed.
Explore What Thriving Means to You
- Join us for Pet Therapy.
- Schedule an appointment to de-stress at the MindSpa.
- Attend a fitness class.
- Explore with an Outdoor Adventure trip.
- Explore your potential and purpose with a Honwadiyenawa’sek “One Who Helps Them.”
- Explore meditation activities:
- Practice mindfulness with Headspace Premium.
- Join Hendricks Chapel for a drop-in meditation.
Contact
For more information regarding the Together We Thrive initiative, please contact Barnes Center Health Promotion at healthpromotion@syr.edu.