Western Michigan University unveils well-being platform to help students "Succeed, Thrive, and Matter"

YOU at Western is the name of a new platform introduced by Western Michigan University that is aimed at providing students with a personalized tool for achieving success in academics, health, and impact on the community. The platform allows students to create individualized paths to achieving their goals based on what is important to each individual. YOU at Western is a comprehensive approach, meant to develop students into contributing adults who are adaptive to change and able to transform themselves and their communities.

The new platform is in response to a 2019 nationwide survey which found that 60 percent of young people feel anxious about their future and feel that they don't have enough control of their lives. YOU at Western is designed to give students that agency as it addresses each student as a whole individual. As Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Diane Anderson said in a release from WMU, "It's such a comprehensive approach that really focuses on the holistic student experience. We think about college being an opportunity for students to find their purpose. When you find that career, that passion, that discipline that gets you excited, it makes a huge difference in your motivation in terms of how you focus your energy."

YOU at Western breaks down personal growth into three areas that encourage students to explore their strengths: Succeed (academic and career success), Thrive (physical and mental health), and Matter (identifying individual purpose and establishing connections). Students can access YOU at Western through any device and are able to create custom profiles based on their own priorities. The platform then directs the student to various campus and community resources to accomplish their goals. A built in tracker helps students maintain a record of achievements. The platform is designed to produce WMU graduates who not only have the academic skills needed to succeed in their professional endeavors, but also with the personal development and problem solving skills that employers value.

The platform has been well-received by students. Brooke Brody, a senior in the public health program at WMU said of YOU at Western, "It helps you kind of understand what motivates you and what your drive is, not even just about your career but also what you are going to be fulfilled by. And I think all those things help you make those good decisions, help you figure out what your career path is. That self-exploration and self-awareness, I think, is something in our culture that we don't do well. We don't really take time to sit with ourselves and understand what we want, because we are really focused on outward validation. I think the program provides that space to really think about your goals and your wants and needs."

In addition to the YOU at Western platform, WMU has also developed an app to help manage mental health. The WellTrack Application allows users to identify stressors, track moods, and schedule self-care activities. YOU at Western and the WellTrack Application are available to students, staff, and faculty.