Class Gift Campaign Provides Wellness Room for Caster Building

SP2 students now have the opportunity to destress and relax in a new wellness room, thanks to generous donors of the 2012 Class Gift Campaign.

The Class Gift Campaign Committee, chaired by Jeidy Fernandez and Liz Chmmanoor, created an informal poll to get student input about the class’ potential gift. Responses from the poll clearly identified self- care and wellness as priorities and that students would be overwhelmingly supportive of a wellness-related gift.

Funds for a “Wellness Room” were raised as part of a five-week Class Gift Campaign supported by donations from students and faculty, as well as a challenge grant from Mrs. Marjorie Gordon Schaye CW’75, a member of the SP2 Board of Overseers [ Link to: People > Board of OVerseers]. The class engaged their student colleagues in a number of ways. They started with a kickoff event to raise awareness and rally enthusiasm and support for the project. This included a video, exciting wellness- related raffle prizes and healthful foods. For the duration of the campaign, students staffed the fundraising table in the lobby to create a constant presence and reminder of their fundraising effort.

The room, which is located in the basement of the Caster Building, was constructed over the summer so it would be ready for use at the start of the new school year. The walls are painted in calm pastel colors; complemented by ocean blue carpeting. Other features of the Wellness Room include a massage chair, yoga mats, vitamin B lamps, a white noise machine, a music and video library and comfortable seating.

The Class Gift Campaign not only creates a legacy for the graduating class and enhances the school for future generations of students, it also inspires student philanthropy and annual giving. The Class of 2012 has left a legacy of wellness– providing a dedicated space to help students manage the stresses of graduate school life and work in their respective fields. Carving out a physical space at SP2 also sends a powerful message to the entire SP2 community that the School promotes self-care and wellness.