Did you know that heart disease affects one in every four adults and is the leading cause of death in the United States? Being physically active is one of the best ways to support your heart health. According to the American Heart Association, exercising 30 minutes a day, five days a week will improve your [...]

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Summer may be cooling down, but that doesn’t mean fun in the water must stop! A low-impact and fun activity, swimming is a great sport that can be practiced year-round. Aside from being a fun way to cool down in the water, this sport has a number of health benefits for those who swim actively. [...]

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Being physically active is one of the most important actions that people of all ages and abilities can take to improve their health. These guidelines will help you create a personalized exercise plan this summer.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently published the second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. [...]

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Join The Whole U and UW Medicine on a journey leading up to the Seattle half and full marathons in November! Build community as we train together and reach new goals. All levels of fitness are welcome to participate, whether you plan to enter the race or are wanting to support the participants by cheering [...]

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Mark your calendars for the 14th annual Global Running Day on June 7 celebrating the sport of running across the world. Global Running Day, a day that encourages staying active by celebrating the benefits and enjoyment of running, is back this June 7. This worldwide celebration highlights not only the sport of running but also [...]

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More than 1,000 members of the UW community came together at UW Fitness Day on May 9 for our annual celebration of movement, friends and fun held at all three campuses and Harborview Medical Center. An annual event held in May in recognition of global health and fitness month, UW Fitness Day is a unique, [...]

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Lace up your sneakers and join The Whole U this June for a celebration of movement and community during UW Walk Week. As the summer sun begins to shine, it’s the perfect time to lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement. This season, The Whole U is here to help you get moving with [...]

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The Whole U is excited to announce that our 10th annual UW Fitness Day will be returning as an in-person event on May 9. Fitness Day is a one-of-a-kind, campus-wide workout celebrating movement and community.  From coaches and student athletes drawn from various UW Athletics teams to trainers from UW Recreation, these coaches will be [...]

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Save the date! The Whole U is excited to announce that our annual UW Fitness Day is back on Tuesday, May 9. Fitness Day is a one-of-a-kind, campus-wide workout to celebrate movement. Read on to learn more about how to participate in UW Fitness Day and why it’s one of the UW’s favorite events! With [...]

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I love setting goals and sharing my intentions about health and wellness through writing about exercise and physical activity for The Whole U—it’s a great way to inspire others and share all of the amazing resources The Whole U has to offer. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the big, hard-to-attain goals: capital-R [...]

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The Pacific Northwest is well known for its outdoor recreation enthusiasts, from seasoned adventurers to habitual couch potatoes and everyone in between. We are lucky enough to live in a region where there are many opportunities–from snowshoeing and skiing to snow play and skijoring–to bundle up, get outside and recreate in a way that respects [...]

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I have a very clear image in my mind of my first experience practicing yoga with Mrs. Percival at Oaklea Middle School. Clearing the classroom of our desks and chairs, she gave us space to step away from our studies and try something new. I remember rather clumsily intertwining my arms and wrapping my legs [...]

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Making the shift towards conscious and sustainable living doesn’t have to be hard – there are plenty of small lifestyle changes we can make to create less waste and help keep our planet green. One way is to prepare and pack our lunches in a more sustainable way. Whether you’re trying to prepare a nourishing [...]

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Summer is the perfect time to branch out of your comfort zone and try new ways to cook your favorite foods. How you prepare your produce can transform taste, texture, and your experience enjoying it. If you’re looking for a way to add excitement to your palate, try grilling your favorite fruits and vegetables. Not [...]

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Long warm days, beautiful warm nights…it’s the season for outdoor parties, barbeques, weddings and other social events. As you enjoy time with your family and friends this summer, consider the following tips from UW Medicine registered dietitians to bring a variety of color, nutrients, and balance to your gathering table. “BYO” – Bring your own [...]

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Making fresh, produce-centric dishes with local goods is a great way to eat healthily and support your local farmers and environment. Eating local also often means simpler recipes – saving you more time savoring your plate. Summertime produce really speaks for itself—when ripe and ready, fruits and vegetables pack all the flavor and punch they [...]

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As March is National Nutrition Month, our friends at the University Book Store served up five enticing cookbooks whose recipes will energize you to work out and inspire you to eat in. The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook By Noah Galuten This is the cookbook that seeks to answer the eternal question: “What am I supposed [...]

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Fiber. The word itself conjures up images of people eating bowls of cereal that look like tree bark or adding a powdery fiber supplement to their food. Although most people have heard good things about fiber, many still have questions about how much we need and where to get it. Fiber is found in nearly [...]

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Throughout the pandemic, many of us found ourselves adjusting to a different pace of life and finding new ways to connect more meaningfully. One way to do so is through family meals. Prioritizing family meals is important for improving family connections, and teaching children how to be competent eaters. While family meals do not have [...]

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Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment. Mindfulness is a very useful tool for lowering stress, anxiety, improving mood, and creating a sense of calmness through meditation and other techniques. One area of our lives where mindfulness can be extremely useful for our health is when we are eating. Think about [...]

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If you’re afraid of fats, you’re not alone. A recent Gallup poll found that 56% of Americans actively try to avoid fat in their diet. And while that figure may seem striking — it encompasses over half of the country, after all — the percentage has actually plummeted since 2004. Back then, 64% of Americans said [...]

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When most people think of summertime barbecues, an image of burgers with melted cheese and hot dogs on the grill comes to mind. These foods are perfectly fine in moderation, but don’t let the traditional idea of a barbecue prevent you from taking advantage of all the delicious produce summer has to offer! We are [...]

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Add some extra sunshine and warmth to your diet by eating more citrus fruits! Bright, colorful, fragrant, refreshing, and juicy, citrus fruits are not only delicious for their balanced tart and sweet taste, they are also an essential part of everyday nutrition, packing powerful health benefits beneath that tough, leathery rind. Citrus fruits are rich [...]

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March is the perfect time to start thinking about your summer gardening plans. Not sure where to get started? Connect with the gardening community at UW! The University of Washington is home to a wide variety of resources and centers focused on sustainable gardening and farming. We’re highlighting resources from the UW Farm and the [...]

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Making the shift towards conscious and sustainable living doesn’t have to be hard – there are plenty of small lifestyle changes we can make to create less waste and help keep our planet green. One way is to prepare and pack our lunches in a more sustainable way. Whether you’re trying to prepare a nourishing [...]

Continue Reading →

Autumn is quickly approaching and it’s time for the Husky fall sports season! Check out these great deals and discounts for UW faculty and staff.  Washington Husky Football Washington Husky Football season is right around the corner and we’ve got UW employees covered with discounted tickets up to 40% off! This special offer is exclusively [...]

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Multiple human studies have recently demonstrated that caffeinated coffee intake is associated with decreased risk of developing skin cancer (and other types of cancer) in a dose-dependent manner. These studies provide insights into how caffeine affects our DNA damage response. Masaoki Kawasumi, MD, Ph.D is a skin cancer researcher and assistant professor at the University [...]

Continue Reading →

Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July to honor the history, achievements, experiences and struggles of the disability community in recognition of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. Disability Pride Month was officially established in July 2015, on the 25th anniversary of the [...]

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Why look at art? It can make you feel good. A University of London study demonstrated that looking at beautiful (to the beholder) art can create an instant dopamine release, creating feelings of happiness and gratitude akin to looking at someone you love. Studies have also shown that looking at art can lower stress, particularly [...]

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Juneteenth, variously known as Freedom Day, Emancipation Day, Jubilee day or Liberation Day, is a holiday commemorating the June 19, 1865 announcement in Galveston, Texas of the emancipation of all chattel slaves following the end of the Civil War. The oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth – [...]

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The arrival of June marks a month of celebration, visibility, and love for the LGBTQ+ community worldwide. It’s a time when individuals from all walks of life come together to honor diversity, embrace acceptance, and recognize the significant contributions of queer individuals throughout history. In the spirit of this joyous time, University Bookstore is thrilled [...]

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Happy Pride Month! Pride joyfully celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ communities and catalyzes continued advocacy work for equity, equality and belonging for all. Pride Month is also a time to remember and honor those whose lives have been lost to hate crimes and institutional homophobia.  During Pride Month and all year long, LGBTQ+ people and [...]

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June is nationally recognized as Pride Month, dedicated to honoring the 1969 Stonewall uprising in Manhattan, celebrating LGBTQIA+ communities, and raising awareness for LGBTQIA+ equality. Explore ways to engage with Pride Month and resources for LGBTQIA+ communities at UW below. Each year, Seattle Pride brings to life a wide variety of ways to engage in [...]

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May is recognized as National Asian American, Native Hawai’ian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the diverse people, cultures and communities whose contributions have greatly enriched American life.   The United States first recognized AANHPI heritage in 1978. The weeklong recognition was extended to a monthlong celebration in 1992 commemorating the rich heritage [...]

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March 31 is the Transgender (Trans) Day of Visibility (TDOV), an annual worldwide event focusing on the lives of transgender people and their lived experiences—both the joys and the challenges—as well as working to create safe and affirming spaces in the workplace and in the public sphere for people to live their authentic lives. Begun in 2009, TDOV [...]

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As March is National Nutrition Month, our friends at the University Book Store served up five enticing cookbooks whose recipes will energize you to work out and inspire you to eat in. The Don’t Panic Pantry Cookbook By Noah Galuten This is the cookbook that seeks to answer the eternal question: “What am I supposed [...]

Continue Reading →

“I’m exactly where I want to be.”  For associate professor of Urban Design and Planning Jan Whittington, this statement sums up her feelings about being on the faculty of a large public university, doing what she loves, with good opportunities to secure research funding.  Her statement applies equally well to the 1906 Craftsman near Ravenna [...]

Continue Reading →

Veterans can be a tight-knit group. Having spent years building a community on whom they could depend with their lives, many Veterans find retirement from the military—and the sudden loss of that community—unsettling, at best. This is one reason why Veterans recovering from behavioral health or addiction disorders often benefit from the support of a [...]

Continue Reading →

The shape and form of a city are like an essay–a composition that is constantly being rewritten and revised by the social and political activity of the people who live in and use it. And like an essay, a city expresses arguments about who deserves the amenities that urban life offers. If that sounds like [...]

Continue Reading →

Content warning: This article discusses sexual and domestic violence. Preventing problems before they occur. That’s a core value of community psychology, an interdisciplinary field that works to foster collective change, community wellness and the empowerment of marginalized and oppressed people. The field has a strong social justice bent, and practitioners are often passionate activists for [...]

Continue Reading →

Colleges and universities around the world are experiencing a range of new and historically unmatched pressures for change. The structures, systems, built environments and resources that have served as the fundamental frameworks for higher education are no longer consistently meeting the needs of the diverse citizenry these institutions aim to serve. This is perhaps especially [...]

Continue Reading →

Horacio de la Iglesia doesn’t always practice what he preaches. The sleep scientist and UW professor of biology, whose influential sleep research helped demonstrate the benefits of delaying school start times for Seattle high schoolers, knows that he should go to bed at roughly the same time each night. But on weekends, he likes to [...]

Continue Reading →

Davon Woodard is an urban guy. Though he spent a few years during grad school in Blacksburg, Virginia—a small college town in the Appalachian Mountains, home to Virginia Tech—most of his life he’s lived and worked in cities: Lansing, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Johannesburg (South Africa) and now Tacoma. In fact, it’s fair to say Davon [...]

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Most people are at least nominally interested in neuroscience. It’s cool to be able to talk to someone at a party about your recent dendrite growth, or the impact of a boost of serotonin on your personal cocktail of neurotransmitters, or the latest causal approaches to changing cognitive function. Actually, that would be a party [...]

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Wayne Au was lucky enough to come of age during hip-hop’s golden era. Listening to the stylistic innovations in the late 1980s and early 90s of pioneers like Public Enemy, Wu-Tang Clan, Queen Latifah, Run-D.M.C. and Nas, he was electrified by music bursting with lyrics of protest and Black pride, lyrics demanding solutions to urban [...]

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Exploring Indonesian culture and identity  The UW campuses abound with people who could rightly be characterized as Renaissance people, polymaths, multipotentialites – those who possess both strong intellectual curiosity and strong creative ability, coupled with interest and expertise in multiple subjects – and ethnomusicologist Christina Sunardi is no exception. Christina’s intellectual curiosity was ignited as [...]

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Psychiatrist Pamela Collins has long been interested in the intersection of mental health and global public health. While a medical student at Cornell University, she had the opportunity to conduct summer research in Haiti during the early years of the AIDS epidemic, a formative experience that brought into focus the impact of the sociocultural environment [...]

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In March, Dr. Nick Johnson (above left), a physician in the Emergency Department, Medical Intensive Care Unit and Neurocritical Care Service at Harborview Medical Center, contributed an article to Prevention describing What Life Is Like Inside a Seattle Emergency Department During COVID-19. We caught up with Dr. Johnson to learn what he and colleagues have [...]

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Whether you are looking to rent an apartment or buy a first home, finding the right type of housing in Seattle can be a challenge. The Whole U partners with UW Community Relations to bring you options and resources to fit your budget level. One of the great resources available is through HomeStreet Bank’s Affinity [...]

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Fidelity Investments and TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America) offer a wide variety of resources for financial education and support to the University of Washington community. There are many ways to attend classes and maximize your money this season. Whether you want to attend a virtual workshop specific to UW employees or find [...]

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This article was provided by our partners at BECU. Get even more financial wellness tips by downloading our 30 Ways to Improve Your Financial Wellness Checklist presented by BECU. From stepping on the bathroom scale to analyzing blood samples, we have lots of ways to measure our physical health, but what about our financial health? One measure [...]

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This post was created in partnership with BECU. Read on for tips on how to think about money and strategies for saving. Experts say that financial management is 20% knowledge and skills and 80% behavior. If reducing debt is your goal, putting some of the following healthy habits into practice can take you a long way [...]

Continue Reading →

Trips to the grocery store can be expensive, especially if you have a lot of mouths to feed. The average U.S. household spends $4,942 on groceries per year, based on 2020 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That’s roughly $412 per month. With inflation rising and continued supply chain shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [...]

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This article is written and provided by our partners at Fidelity Investments.  Key takeaways Consider allocating no more than 50% of take-home pay to essential expenses. Try to save 15% of pretax income (including employer contributions) for retirement. Save for the unexpected by keeping 5% of take-home pay in short-term savings for unplanned expenses. Budget. [...]

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This article was written and provided by our partners at BECU.  Experts say that financial management is 20% knowledge and skills and 80% behavior. If reducing debt is your goal, putting some healthy habits into practice can take you a long way toward success. Emotions and money Most of us want to believe we make [...]

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Finances can be stressful even without a pandemic. Striving to be financially fit takes practice, consistency, and hard work. But at the end of the day, efforts to increase your financial education and freedom have a positive impact on your overall wellbeing, from reduced stress and anxiety to a heightened sense of security. When it [...]

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This article is written and provided by our partners at Fidelity Investments.  It’s so easy to spend money—sometimes you don’t even realize the ways it leaves your wallet. But knowing these 9 ways companies try to get your cash can better equip you to keep it. Key takeaways The convenience of shopping from your phone can [...]

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It’s no secret that homes in Washington state and the greater Seattle-Tacoma area have skyrocketed in price over the last decade. In July the median sale price for a home in the Seattle metro area averaged at $795k, according to Redfin data. Historically, a down payment on a home has been 20% of the home [...]

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This article was provided by our partners at BECU. Take advantage of Whole U discounts with BECU including a $50 bonus deposit when you open a new checking or savings account! What is a CD? A CD is a certificate of deposit, a federally insured deposit account that has a fixed interest rate over a [...]

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TIAA, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, offers a wide variety of resources for financial education and support to the University of Washington community. Explore TIAA’s expansive offerings below. Custom Bi-Weekly Seminar for UW Employees As an employee of the University of Washington, TIAA provides customized webinars unique to your retirement plans and financial [...]

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August marks national make-a-will month, an annual reminder of the importance of drafting or updating your will to ensure your final wishes are executed as you intend.  Despite the importance of having a will, nearly two-thirds of American adults don’t take the time to create one, citing busy schedules, lack of wealth or assets to [...]

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Since 2011, August has been observed as National Breastfeeding Month (NBM) in recognition of lactating parents and those who work to protect, promote and support human milk feeding in the United States. The recognition month was first proclaimed by the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee, an independent nonprofit coalition of agencies driving policy in support of human [...]

Continue Reading →

Multiple human studies have recently demonstrated that caffeinated coffee intake is associated with decreased risk of developing skin cancer (and other types of cancer) in a dose-dependent manner. These studies provide insights into how caffeine affects our DNA damage response. Masaoki Kawasumi, MD, Ph.D is a skin cancer researcher and assistant professor at the University [...]

Continue Reading →

If you are planning a trip overseas this summer, your checklist of preparations will include a passport, visas and foreign currency. It should also include an appointment with a travel medicine doctor, especially for travel in developing countries. “Ideally, the travel appointment should take place at least a month before your departure date, since most [...]

Continue Reading →

For a program staffed by one and a quarter people, UW WorkLife has a big impact on UW employees’ lives. Focused on employee well-being and housed in the newly-created Employee Experience division of Human Resources, UW WorkLife offers programming and resources to help UW employees thrive both at work and in their personal lives: childcare [...]

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For many Americans, the last Monday in May – Memorial Day – indicates the unofficial start of summer and a day off from school or work. Across the country, parades are held, grills are fired up and people get together in backyards to eat, drink and socialize. Enjoying the day off is great, of course, [...]

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This year’s UW Fitness Day included a fundraising and donor registration goal for Be The Match, the nation’s largest registry of bone marrow donors. More than 250 new donors were added to the registry during an event on Red Square. Following UW Fitness Day 2023, a donor registration and awareness event, called Get in the [...]

Continue Reading →

Like all families, kids and families involved with the foster care system need support from their communities to thrive and succeed. Whether through fostering, advocating, volunteering or donating, everyone can help children who are experiencing foster care this awareness month.  When a foster care placement is made, children must adjust to new everything: home, caregivers, [...]

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The Service Employees Opportunity Scholarship awards annual scholarships to service employees or their family members attending UW to assist with reaching educational or work goals.  As UW employees, we connect with our campus in many ways. Established in 2009, the Service Employees Opportunity Scholarship recognizes the contributions of service employees to the well-being of our [...]

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April is Autism Acceptance Month, an opportunity to deepen our understanding of this complex developmental disability. According to The Autism Society of America, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, or just Autism, capitalized) is a complex, lifelong developmental condition that typically appears during early childhood and can impact a person’s social skills, communication, relationships, and self-regulation. The [...]

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This post was created in partnership with BECU. Read on for tips on how to think about money and strategies for saving. Experts say that financial management is 20% knowledge and skills and 80% behavior. If reducing debt is your goal, putting some of the following healthy habits into practice can take you a long way [...]

Continue Reading →

It’s April – have you booked summer camp yet? Offering a variety of programs and activities, summer camps not only offer fun, meaningful experiences to fit your child’s interests and needs, they’ve also been shown to help build important social skills and contribute to overall wellbeing at a time when depression, anxiety, and addiction rates [...]

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Edited b-roll footage and photography is available for media usage.  Please contact beth_silverberg@hotmail.com for more information.

Media Contacts: Beth Herrell Silverberg 206-679-5157 beth_silverberg@hotmail.com Jean Hayes University of Washington 206-616-5475 (desk) 206-954-3764 (cell) jeanmh@uw.edu   University of Washington Sponsors Guinness World Record Attempt on National Have Fun at Work Day Whole U Event Helps Faculty and Staff to “Shake it Off” in the World’s Largest Umbrella Dance  January 28, 2015—Seattle, Wash. – [...]

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For Release 9:00 am PDT Wednesday, January 14, 2015 Thousands of University of Washington Faculty, Staff and Student Employees Will “Shake it Off” during Guinness World Record Breaking Attempt in Husky Stadium What: 2,000 University of Washington faculty and staff will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Umbrella Dance choreographed [...]

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In 2014, 1,200 UW faculty and staff came together to make history. Together, they set the Guinness World Record for the largest kettlebell class ever. In 2015, we are going to do it again, but this time we’re taking over beautiful Husky Stadium and showing the world we’re not afraid of a little rain. Together [...]

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“I’m exactly where I want to be.”  For associate professor of Urban Design and Planning Jan Whittington, this statement sums up her feelings about being on the faculty of a large public university, doing what she loves, with good opportunities to secure research funding.  Her statement applies equally well to the 1906 Craftsman near Ravenna [...]

Continue Reading →

“Study abroad changed my life.” This is a headline for many a blog post, tagline for many a study abroad program brochure, popular Tik Tok theme and a common refrain among students and alumni of overseas study. Indeed, a quick Google search of that phrase pulls up dozens of first-person accounts about how being an [...]

Continue Reading →

Veterans can be a tight-knit group. Having spent years building a community on whom they could depend with their lives, many Veterans find retirement from the military—and the sudden loss of that community—unsettling, at best. This is one reason why Veterans recovering from behavioral health or addiction disorders often benefit from the support of a [...]

Continue Reading →

The shape and form of a city are like an essay–a composition that is constantly being rewritten and revised by the social and political activity of the people who live in and use it. And like an essay, a city expresses arguments about who deserves the amenities that urban life offers. If that sounds like [...]

Continue Reading →

Service to one’s community—in whatever form people choose to offer it—brings people together, bridging ideological, cultural, values-based, and economic differences for the common good. For LeAnne Wiles, Student Academic Services Executive Director for First Year Programs & Strategic Initiatives in Undergraduate Academic Affairs, serving her community has, from a young age, been a conscious choice [...]

Continue Reading →

Meaningful recognition is a powerful motivator. People need to know that what they are doing matters. They need consistent acknowledgement of their value in an organization, and they need to be given recognition in a way that is significant to them. For nurses and other patient care providers, meaningful recognition might be the difference between [...]

Continue Reading →

Content warning: This article discusses sexual and domestic violence. Preventing problems before they occur. That’s a core value of community psychology, an interdisciplinary field that works to foster collective change, community wellness and the empowerment of marginalized and oppressed people. The field has a strong social justice bent, and practitioners are often passionate activists for [...]

Continue Reading →

Working the night shift is not for everyone. There’s that perpetual jet-lagged feeling resulting from shift-work sleep disorder, the strain on one’s social life, the detrimental health effects and the disconnect with family members and friends who operate on a daytime schedule. But for those with night-owl tendencies, the night shift can have its benefits: [...]

Continue Reading →

George Thomas Jr. first became interested in salmon when, as a student at Indiana University at Bloomington, he was recruited from an introductory stream ecology course to spend the summer on the Olympic Peninsula assisting a team of researchers studying coho salmon habitat. Working among tributaries feeding the Queets River the summer before his sophomore [...]

Continue Reading →

Colleges and universities around the world are experiencing a range of new and historically unmatched pressures for change. The structures, systems, built environments and resources that have served as the fundamental frameworks for higher education are no longer consistently meeting the needs of the diverse citizenry these institutions aim to serve. This is perhaps especially [...]

Continue Reading →

When Val Schweigert meets with a student in a one-to-one advising session, they* seldom lead with their status as a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve. *Val uses the pronouns she/her and they/them interchangeably. This profile will emphasize this conscious choice by using them interchangeably as well.  Proudly genderqueer and fiercely progressive, Val does not [...]

Continue Reading →

Horacio de la Iglesia doesn’t always practice what he preaches. The sleep scientist and UW professor of biology, whose influential sleep research helped demonstrate the benefits of delaying school start times for Seattle high schoolers, knows that he should go to bed at roughly the same time each night. But on weekends, he likes to [...]

Continue Reading →

“Study abroad changed my life.” This is a headline for many a blog post, tagline for many a study abroad program brochure, popular Tik Tok theme and a common refrain among students and alumni of overseas study. Indeed, a quick Google search of that phrase pulls up dozens of first-person accounts about how being an [...]

Continue Reading →

Service to one’s community—in whatever form people choose to offer it—brings people together, bridging ideological, cultural, values-based, and economic differences for the common good. For LeAnne Wiles, Student Academic Services Executive Director for First Year Programs & Strategic Initiatives in Undergraduate Academic Affairs, serving her community has, from a young age, been a conscious choice [...]

Continue Reading →

Meaningful recognition is a powerful motivator. People need to know that what they are doing matters. They need consistent acknowledgement of their value in an organization, and they need to be given recognition in a way that is significant to them. For nurses and other patient care providers, meaningful recognition might be the difference between [...]

Continue Reading →

Working the night shift is not for everyone. There’s that perpetual jet-lagged feeling resulting from shift-work sleep disorder, the strain on one’s social life, the detrimental health effects and the disconnect with family members and friends who operate on a daytime schedule. But for those with night-owl tendencies, the night shift can have its benefits: [...]

Continue Reading →

George Thomas Jr. first became interested in salmon when, as a student at Indiana University at Bloomington, he was recruited from an introductory stream ecology course to spend the summer on the Olympic Peninsula assisting a team of researchers studying coho salmon habitat. Working among tributaries feeding the Queets River the summer before his sophomore [...]

Continue Reading →

When Val Schweigert meets with a student in a one-to-one advising session, they* seldom lead with their status as a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve. *Val uses the pronouns she/her and they/them interchangeably. This profile will emphasize this conscious choice by using them interchangeably as well.  Proudly genderqueer and fiercely progressive, Val does not [...]

Continue Reading →

Sean Johnson moved to Seattle in 2010 with two goals in mind: he wanted to go to medical school at the UW School of Medicine, and he wanted to publicly come out as transgender and begin transitioning. He didn’t get into the UW School of Medicine. But he did pursue—and excel in—Master’s degree programs in [...]

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Like many higher education professionals in disability services, Ian Campbell was driven to the vocation because of his personal experience with disability. Ian struggled with academics for years before finally being diagnosed in high school with learning disabilities. He characterizes the struggles before his diagnosis as “aptitude without performance”—the frustrating inability to fully demonstrate his [...]

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Brooke Emrich is what you would call an extreme knitter. The educational seminars coordinator with the UW Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology spends a not insignificant amount time with needles in hand. In 2008, going through a period of creative stagnation, the self-described “knitting addict” picked up her first pair of needles, participating in [...]

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Kristin Jones’s childhood dream of working in the field of pediatrics took a couple of hard right turns on its way to fruition, courtesy of an unplanned teenage pregnancy and an 18-year stint in the telecommunications industry. “I always wanted to be a pediatrician and work with kids—well, until I took a good look at [...]

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Like many first-year college students, Yasmin Ahmed, who uses they/them pronouns, suffered from a bit of imposter syndrome when they arrived at UW in 2014. Although Yasmin was born in Seattle, they hadn’t been in the Pacific Northwest since they were a small child. Their family lived first in Muscat, Oman—where they recall playing in [...]

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You could say that Joseph de Veyra did not find nursing – nursing found him. Arriving in the U.S. as a 21-year-old immigrant from the Philippines with just $100 in his pocket, Joseph took advantage of the first opportunity that presented itself: caregiving. This early position quickly morphed into a certified nursing assistant (CNA) role. [...]

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The Whole U is partnering with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association to offer flu shot and COVID-19 booster vaccine clinics across our campuses this fall. Everyone attending a clinic must register for an appointment with SVNA. COVID-19 Boosters The updated COVID-19 booster vaccine for 2023-2024, manufactured by Moderna, will be provided at The Whole U [...]

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Since 2011, August has been observed as National Breastfeeding Month (NBM) in recognition of lactating parents and those who work to protect, promote and support human milk feeding in the United States. The recognition month was first proclaimed by the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee, an independent nonprofit coalition of agencies driving policy in support of human [...]

Continue Reading →

If you are planning a trip overseas this summer, your checklist of preparations will include a passport, visas and foreign currency. It should also include an appointment with a travel medicine doctor, especially for travel in developing countries. “Ideally, the travel appointment should take place at least a month before your departure date, since most [...]

Continue Reading →

Summer is the perfect season to slow down and prioritize your personal well-being and health. Whether you’ve been dealing with stress or craving more movement and nutrition, The Whole U’s Summer Wellness Challenge is the ideal first step to incorporating more self-care into your day. The Summer Wellness Challenge begins on August 1. Each day, [...]

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This year’s UW Fitness Day included a fundraising and donor registration goal for Be The Match, the nation’s largest registry of bone marrow donors. More than 250 new donors were added to the registry during an event on Red Square. Following UW Fitness Day 2023, a donor registration and awareness event, called Get in the [...]

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The Whole U is excited to announce that our 10th annual UW Fitness Day will be returning as an in-person event on May 9. Fitness Day is a one-of-a-kind, campus-wide workout celebrating movement and community.  From coaches and student athletes drawn from various UW Athletics teams to trainers from UW Recreation, these coaches will be [...]

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Sleep. We could all use a little more of it. According to the CDC, more than 1/3 of Americans are sleep-deprived or suffer from self-imposed sleep deprivation.  As a nation, we are not getting enough sleep. This, coupled with the stress of the pandemic, has further disrupted our sleep patterns. A report from the National [...]

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This article references the risks for and outcomes of heart disease in binary gender terms based on research that links heart disease impact to biological sex. We acknowledge the importance of all people to know their risk for heart disease and how to support their heart health. February is American Heart Health Month, an opportunity [...]

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In 2022, University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) launched a system-wide initiative called the Healthy Work Environment (HWE) Workshop Series. This initiative involved a series of four workshops that provided education, guidance and collaboration to healthcare teams that were interested in improving the health of their work environments. Based on the American Association of Critical [...]

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The Pacific Northwest is well known for its outdoor recreation enthusiasts, from seasoned adventurers to habitual couch potatoes and everyone in between. We are lucky enough to live in a region where there are many opportunities–from snowshoeing and skiing to snow play and skijoring–to bundle up, get outside and recreate in a way that respects [...]

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Join the Whole U this January for DARE TO BE 2023. Many of us begin the new year with ambitious resolutions and expect our lives to change overnight. This program will help you develop small changes that last. Starting January 9, spend 8 weeks working towards wellness areas of your choice. Each week you will [...]

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Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment. Mindfulness is a very useful tool for lowering stress, anxiety, improving mood, and creating a sense of calmness through meditation and other techniques. One area of our lives where mindfulness can be extremely useful for our health is when we are eating. Think about [...]

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The UW Combined Fund Drive (UWCFD) has been a pillar of philanthropy at the University of Washington for nearly four decades, offering staff, faculty, and retirees a unique opportunity to make an impact in their community. Since its establishment in 1984, the UWCFD has garnered the generous contributions of UW employees, raising close to $60 [...]

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Every year, the UWCFD spotlights a nonprofit organization doing amazing work to make our communities – locally, nationally and globally – healthier and more resilient. We are excited to announce that the 2023 featured nonprofit is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Seattle. Through empowerment and encouragement, NAMI serves as a safe place for all who [...]

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Thousands of kids across our state face barriers to success this back-to-school season. Your donation of supplies, money or time will help ensure these kids have what they need to realize their potential this year. For many children in our communities, there are any number of obstacles to getting an education: unmet basic needs, homelessness, [...]

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Happy Pride Month! Pride joyfully celebrates the contributions of LGBTQ+ communities and catalyzes continued advocacy work for equity, equality and belonging for all. Pride Month is also a time to remember and honor those whose lives have been lost to hate crimes and institutional homophobia.  During Pride Month and all year long, LGBTQ+ people and [...]

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For many Americans, the last Monday in May – Memorial Day – indicates the unofficial start of summer and a day off from school or work. Across the country, parades are held, grills are fired up and people get together in backyards to eat, drink and socialize. Enjoying the day off is great, of course, [...]

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May is recognized as National Asian American, Native Hawai’ian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the diverse people, cultures and communities whose contributions have greatly enriched American life.   The United States first recognized AANHPI heritage in 1978. The weeklong recognition was extended to a monthlong celebration in 1992 commemorating the rich heritage [...]

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As we recognize Earth Month in April and look forward to Earth Day on April 22, now is a great time to start planning how you might want to invest in our planet and celebrate sustainability.  This year’s Earth Day theme is Invest in our Planet, highlighting the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy [...]

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Women’s History Month offers an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the many women trailblazers who came before us. Women’s* History Month was established in 1987 by presidential proclamation to celebrate the contributions and achievements of women socially, politically, economically and culturally over the course of American history. Women’s History Month began in 1978 as [...]

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Volunteering is a fun way to support your favorite nonprofit organization – plus, research demonstrates that it’s good for you. Whether you are able to volunteer on a regular basis, or just have the occasional hour or two to spare, you can support a cause you are passionate about. Why Volunteer? Volunteering is good for [...]

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“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Strength to Love, 1963. This year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday being signed into federal law. As we celebrate [...]

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Each fall, the UW Combined Fund Drive – our workplace giving program for faculty, staff and retirees – spotlights a nonprofit organization doing amazing work to make our communities healthier and more resilient.  The 2022 featured nonprofit is Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). MSF is an independent and neutral organization offering medical humanitarian assistance around [...]

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Our booksellers have put together this great list from across multiple genres to help readers learn about and understand the varied experiences of refugees from across the world. Short stories, poetry, and picture books bring to the forefront the heart of the lived experience instead of just more headlines. Check out these titles at ubookstore.com [...]

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Art has power. It has the power to stir the imagination, provoke thought, share beauty, and connect communities. The UW Arts and Creativity Initiative (ArtsUW) aims to bring together students, artists, scholars and audiences in state-of-the-art facilities to catalyze creative discovery. “Art is too important not to share.” -Brazilian painter Romero Britto From the growing [...]

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​If inflation has taken a big bite out of your back-to-school budget, you’re not alone. Learn how to plan for school supplies, clothes, electronics and more. Getting kids geared up to go back to school is an annual tradition — and expense — for families with K-12 kids. Inflation has made affording school supplies more [...]

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The Whole U is partnering with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association to offer flu shot and COVID-19 booster vaccine clinics across our campuses this fall. Everyone attending a clinic must register for an appointment with SVNA. COVID-19 Boosters The updated COVID-19 booster vaccine for 2023-2024, manufactured by Moderna, will be provided at The Whole U [...]

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We’re wrapping up the summer season and starting fresh with our September events! The Whole U is excited to launch these engaging wellness-focused events open to the greater UW community. Daily 15 minute movement break Every Monday – Friday 11 – 11:15 a.m. Virtual The Whole U’s Daily Movement Break, which began in remote work [...]

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The weekend of August 12 and 13 was one of kids laughing, tails wagging and smiles flashing under a clear blue sky on our beautiful campus for the annual UW Photo Day and family weekend event.  More than 2,400 people (and pets!) came to campus for this free event hosted by The Whole U and [...]

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These may be the dog days of summer, but The Whole U has you covered for fun and well-being all month long! Join us for the kickoff of our summer wellness challenge, train with us for your fall races as part of the UW Endurance Club, get your personal finances in order, get to know [...]

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If you live in Washington and want to enjoy a break without breaking the bank, consider taking a vacation a little closer to home. Here are some ideas to help you save while exploring your own back yard. Scrolling through Instagram pictures of tropical resorts, luxury lake homes and international excursions, you might think everyone [...]

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Join The Whole U for Family Weekend, Saturday, August 12 or Sunday August 13 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.! Gather your favorite people and furry friends and strike a pose for some of Seattle’s top portrait photographers, then enjoy a free picnic on Red Square. This year’s photography locations include Drumheller Fountain, Suzzallo Library, [...]

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Summer is the perfect season to slow down and prioritize your personal well-being and health. Whether you’ve been dealing with stress or craving more movement and nutrition, The Whole U’s Summer Wellness Challenge is the ideal first step to incorporating more self-care into your day. The Summer Wellness Challenge begins on August 1. Each day, [...]

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Adapt your budget in response to higher prices by following these 11 tips from BECU’s lead financial educator. Even in stable economic times, budgeting isn’t a set-it-and-forget it sort of thing. It’s always a good idea to revisit your budget often to make sure your spending and savings stay on track as your goals and [...]

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Summer is here! Whether you’re looking to get moving outside, discover resources for your personal well-being, or striving toward long-term goals, our slate of July workshops and classes can help you get there. Be sure to mark your calendars as you don’t want to miss these upcoming events! Urban Fitness Dance Class Tuesday, July 11 [...]

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The sun is shining, the days are longer, and the spirit of summer is in the air! It’s that time of the year when we look forward to soaking up the sun, enjoying outdoor adventures, and making unforgettable memories. And what better way to enhance our summer experience than by taking advantage fun summer discounts? [...]

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