A new wellness center opens on the campus of Brookdale Community College. The creation of the Wellness Center was made possible by the generous nature of Caroline Huber. The center will focus on overall well-being with a thoughtful design created for spirituality, physical health, mental health, social relationships, and intellectual development. Programs and services are available to Brookdale students, staff and the community. In addition, a $ 150,000 Caroline Huber Memorial Scholarship Fund will be established for financially needy students in the Humanities program.
“We are grateful to Caroline Huber for her generous contribution to making our vision of a wellness center on campus a reality and to enable scholarships for our students,” said Brookdale Community College President Dr. David M. Stout said. “In the face of increasing mental health problems, this contribution gives us the ability to address the needs of our community and ensure that the health and safety of our students are at the top of our priority list.”
An Revelation Ceremony for the Wellness Center is scheduled for April 26 at 4:00 pm at the Student Life Center, Navesink Rooms II & III. Participants will view architectural design renderings for the center and will see newly appointed Director Dean Jackson, community partners attending the Wellness Center, and recipients of the Caroline Huber Memorial Scholarship. In addition, Brookdale Community College President Dr. David M. Susan Killy, Deputy Director of the Stout and Monmouth County Commissioners, and Sam Huber will make comments.
Architectural plans for the two-story space include a reflective room for meditation, Brookdale’s food pantry, Helping Hands, dedicated office space for Monmouth County social worker Sylvina Mendes, and two offices for community partners. In addition, there is a landscaped courtyard to provide a relaxing and peaceful Zen area.
“Having a wellness center on Brookdale’s campus is a testament to Brookdale’s interest in not only students’ academic success, but their overall success,” said Belinda Asimo, vice president of the Wellness for Feed Kappa (PTK) Honor Society. And Major in Nursing and Creative Writing at Brookdale Community College. Belinda was a member of the Strategic Planning and Selection Committee of the Wellness Center Director.
The vision of the Wellness Center is to empower a compassionate community dedicated to personal well – being, social relationships and collective engagement. Many of the activities Jackson has planned are workshops designed to reduce stress and anxiety and provide nutritional guidance.
Everyone who knows Jackson knows that she’s passionate, skilled and knowledgeable about health. He holds an AA in Business and Education from Brookdale Community College, a BA in Urban Studies from Rutgers University and an MA in Integrative Holistic Health Studies from Georgian Court University. In addition, she is a National Board Certified-Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), a Certified Mental Health First Aid, and Reiki Master.
Over the past decade, she has shared her passion for health and well-being with the Brookdale community and beyond. She has represented the American Association of Women in Community Colleges (AAWCC), the Holistic Health Reunion and Graduate Program, the Georgian Court University, Instructor of Holistic Health, and the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) for Lifetime Professional Studies. Study program at Brookdale Community College.
Jackson has won numerous awards, including the National Society of Leadership & Success Excellence in Teaching Award, Excellence in Service to Students Award, and The Administrator’s Peer Recognition Award.
Jackson’s expectations for the wellness center reflect the center’s mission: to connect students, staff, and community members with campus resources and local partners that support basic needs, promote individual and community health, and promote social justice.