University of Arkansas UREC combines data, collaboration, and hands-on initiatives to better understand and support holistic student wellness
Holistic wellness has become an essential part of campus recreation in recent years, but measuring it in a way that’s truly reflective of student needs remains a challenge for many recreation departments.
Through collaboration, dedication and intentionality, University Recreation and Wellness (UREC) at the University of Arkansas developed a custom wellness survey designed to be representative of both campus recreation and campus life.
Design and Collaboration
UREC has long relied on a variety of surveys to assess student needs, but none fully captured all eight dimensions of wellness the department prioritizes.
After receiving insights from the University of Southern California, Auburn University, Butler University and other institutions, the department decided to make its own evaluation tailored specifically for Arkansas’ campus community.
By working with other campus units — like the health center, counseling services and the exercise science department — UREC developed a thoughtful, campus-specific assessment.
Each question was carefully crafted to avoid leading responses and be representative of each dimension of wellness while still gathering the data that matters. Casey Fant, the director of Wellness and Fitness at UREC, said the survey covered topics ranging from substance education and sexual health to sleep and exercise habits.
Kristin DeAngelo, the executive director of UREC, said the team based the project on a unique model. “No one layer of wellness is perfect,” she said. “Each dimension has holes, like Swiss cheese. But the more layers you have, the more insulated you are.”
The collaborative process and comprehensive questions helped build strong buy-in from other departments. Academic units like the Walton College of Business even helped to disseminate the survey since they helped to support it.
Implementation and Assessment
With the survey fully developed and launched, UREC plans to use the results to guide programming, better understand students and strengthen campus-wide partnerships. The data will feed into a dashboard for Student Affairs leaders, helping inform decision-making across departments.
“We plan to not only share it internally, but also work to disseminate the information to faculty and administrators across Student Affairs,” said DeAngelo. “We want to talk about the state of wellness on campus with the students, and hopefully, this assessment gives us the tools to find consistent issues we should focus on for the coming years.”
In addition to the survey, UREC engages with students through hands-on initiatives that allow staff to assess wellness in real time. For example, wellness tabling at campus events lets staff directly interact with students, provide resources and identify immediate needs. By simply providing water at a spring concert, the wellness team reached many students who realized they had neglected hydration, ultimately leading to further conversations about safety and other resources.
A key element of the implementation strategy is the Well-being Task Force, a cross-departmental team that reviews wellness initiatives and coordinates efforts across campus. The task force not only evaluated UREC programming but also what other campus recreation departments are prioritizing — insights that were invaluable in shaping the new survey.
By combining survey data, observational insights and real-time conversations with students, UREC aims to create a dynamic, responsive system for evaluating wellness.
Advice for Other Campus Rec Leaders
DeAngelo and Fant emphasized the importance of collaboration, both within the campus community and across other institutions.
“We have so many great partners who are willing to have conversations with us,” shared DeAngelo. “That’s what’s so beautiful about campus recreation — we lift each other up, share our pitfalls and give suggestions. Don’t feel like you’re at this alone.”
Fant stressed the need to understand a campus’s unique culture when designing a survey. She also noted that intentionality at every stage ensures initiatives are meaningful and actionable. Leaders need to exercise patience, as developing wellness initiatives and surveys requires time and ongoing feedback.
Finally, breaking down departmental silos and engaging academic units can increase buy-in, align resources effectively and strengthen the overall impact of wellness programming.
By combining intentional survey design, extensive collaboration and hands-on engagement, UREC is building a comprehensive picture of student wellness at the University of Arkansas.
Their approach demonstrates the power of data-informed programming to identify gaps and connect students with available resources.
This model highlights the importance of patience, collaboration and a tailored approach to holistic wellness — showing that with the right partnerships and intentional strategy, departments can create programs that truly meet students where they are.
