Employees come together for celebration of community and well-being

A day for fun

Staff and faculty from across Stanford came out in large numbers for this year’s BeWell, Together: Wellness, Community, and Belonging Fair events, both graced by nearly perfect spring weather, at Redwood City on May 9 and at Stanford campus on May 23.

Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and Provost Persis Drell welcomed attendees to the Fair at the Stanford campus, thanked employees for their dedication to the university, and encouraged people to make their well-being a priority. Elizabeth Zacharias, vice president for Human Resources, and Patrick Dunkley, vice provost for institutional equity, access and community, greeted Redwood City attendees and shared some personal stories about their own well-being journeys.

“Reinforcing a sense of community among staff and faculty was an organizing principle of this year’s events,” said Charelle Fernandez, senior director of BeWell, the hub of employee wellness programming and services at Stanford and founding host of the Fair. “We hope that all attendees were able to meet at least one of our dedicated BeWell team members and connect with their wellness resources, but we also hope that they connected with one another and just had fun together.”

Alfredo Giovanni Gonzalez Velez, a tree specialist with Land, Buildings and Real Estate – and a BeWell Champion, said, “I’m grateful to have an employer that gives us opportunities like the fair today to not only improve our lives but help us connect with one another. I met so many awesome people today.” BeWell continues to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback about the Fair.

Musical backdrop

Ahead of the Fair, BeWell invited attendees to submit a song representing their culture or heritage to a crowd-sourced playlist, providing an authentic multicultural ambiance at both live events. Listen to the diverse collection of almost 200 songs submitted on Spotify (with a free or paid account) and play it at your own celebrations.

Fair attendees also enjoyed free food and giveaways, chair massages, a farmer’s market, visits with therapy dogs, and Zumba dancing. Not to be left out, 56 remote employees signed up for a free Zumba class offered in conjunction with Fair events. Attendees also engaged with the nearly 40 groups that support employee well-being who were exhibiting at the Fair, and with staff groups, which create ongoing opportunities for employees to connect with others in the campus community who share their interests. View a gallery of event photos. 

Giving Back

The Office of Community Engagement, one of the four groups that supported the Fair, collected sheets and towels at Fair events to support the Ecumenical Hunger Project, a local non-profit. If you missed the event or didn’t have a chance to make a donation, it’s not too late. Visit the EHP’s wish list on Amazon to donate an item online. Fair attendees could also donate blood at a blood mobile at the Stanford campus event.

The 2023 BeWell, Together: Wellness, Community, and Belonging Fair was brought to you by these Stanford organizations:

• BeWell
• Office of Community Engagement
• Office of Institutional Equity, Access, and Community
• Offices of the President & Provost