Office of Student Wellbeing’s open house unveils Roar and Restore Room 

The Office of Student Wellbeing hosted its open house on Feb. 24 to welcome students, faculty and staff to the newly renovated office space on the second floor of the Student Center on the Health Sciences Campus. 

“The open house represented a shift toward more visible, accessible and integrated wellbeing support for students,” said Morgan Davis, director of Student Wellbeing. “The event also highlighted opportunities for collaboration with campus partners and reflects our vision to expand innovative programming, resources and services that support holistic wellbeing. This event was an important step forward in creating a campus culture where wellbeing is valued, supported and embedded into daily life.”   

The Center for Student Wellbeing offers a centralized environment where students can easily access resources, build connections and learn how to engage in practices that support their wellbeing. According to Davis, this space truly reflects the belief that student success depends on supporting the whole person, not just what happens in the classroom.  

The open house highlighted resources like the Roar and Restore Room which serves as a quiet, private space for students, faculty and staff to meditate, pray or unwind. Annie Carr, coordinator for Student Wellbeing, explains that the room exists to bridge the gap between high-pressure productivity and essential self-care, recognizing that peak performance requires intentional rest. 

“This Roar and Restore Room is dedicated to supporting the mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our campus community,” Carr said. “I hope students, faculty and staff use this space to support their personal goals, whether that is journaling every day in a quiet space, meditating or stretching during their lunch break.”  

Trey Harrison, director of Campus Recreation, stopped by the open house to explore the office’s new space and to connect with other faculty and staff interested in learning about the resources. To him, the event provided great exposure to spread the office’s mission in empowering students to pursue balanced and healthy lives that engage the eight dimensions of wellness. 

“I hope students, faculty and staff use this office as a retreat,” Harrison said. “Even if they only have 30 minutes, they can pop in, reserve a time or just check to see if it’s open. And since it’s right here in the Student Center, it’s easy to access.” 

Ultimately, investing in student wellbeing is essential. Davis explains that when students feel supported as whole people, they are better able to focus, engage in their learning and contribute meaningfully to the campus community. She said that the connection between wellbeing and success plays a critical role in helping students persist in their programs and build a higher overall quality of life. 

The Office of Student Wellbeing also supports student success by promoting peer-to-peer collaboration and connecting with campus partners, in addition to housing the Health Sciences Campus Open Paws Pantry location.  

Stay up to date with upcoming events by checking the AU Events Calendar.