The Online Reflector

The University of Indianapolis began the Healthy Diploma to help promote a healthier lifestyle.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Preventions, one-third of U.S. citizens are considered obese. Many organizations have started programs to combat this trend.

This program combines all aspects of wellness, including social wellness and financial wellness and was started by Chair of Kinesiology Lisa Hicks.

Mindy Mayol, co-coordinator for the Healthy Diploma program helped Hicks to get the program off the ground.

This program gives students an opportunity to take a multitude of classes, ranging from Cardio Fitness to Weight Management and is meant to make students well-rounded and marketable to businesses. The healthy diploma is the only one of its kind in the United States.

“It [a healthy diploma] is really unique. From what we can find, and from what other people can find, there is nothing like this in the nation offered at any university,” Mayol said.

The healthy diploma program is intended to help boost students above other graduates.

Mayol said that the program teaches students skills that will help them in their career choice.

“Having the Healthy Diploma program says ‘I am interested in taking care of myself,’” Mayol said. “[It says], ‘I am interested in all of the dimensions of wellness and keeping them balanced.’”

More than 50 businesses have shown interest in the Healthy Diploma program because of the benefits a healthy employee can bring them.

The program helps students work on traits such as discipline, leadership and self-reflection. Mayol believes that these skills will advance students ahead  of their competition for jobs or even graduate school.

“Employers know the difference between students who can really sit and reflect on their performance, on other people’s performance, on what’s going on, what’s happening in the room [and] what’s happening in the world,” Mayol said.

Healthy Diploma students are assigned to a health coach that they meet with to establish goals that they want achieve over their time in the program. The health coaches allow the students to be in charge of their goals.

“It’s more of a discussion,” Mayol said. “We certainly ask questions and let the students take the reins. We’re kind of there as a coach. We know when to kind of push. We know when to kind of pull back. We know when to ask the questions. The student is the one in charge.”

The Healthy Diploma program is available to all students, regardless of major. If students are interested in the program, Mayol encourages them to contact her or Hicks.

“Give us an email or make an appointment with us and just say, ‘I’m really interested in the Healthy Diploma program. How can I go about seeing if I can fit this in my schedule?’” Mayol said. “It really goes back to each individual case. For the most part, people can fit this in.”

The program will see its first graduates at the end of this year.

Senior exercise major Emily Didelot will be one of these graduates. Didelot began the program when she was a sophomore.

Graduates will be able to wear special cords to distinguish them. Didelot has not seen any of the business benefits of the program, but knows that the skills she learned will pay off.

“I haven’t had any direct benefits yet,” Didelot said. “When I graduate it will give me better advantages.”

Junior experience design major Faith Cougill  also has been involved with the program since she was a sophomore.

She has enjoyed having the chance to take classes that involve all aspects of wellness and having a person to motivate her to achieve her goals.

“I like the idea of having a wellness coach. It forces me to make goals for myself that include all levels of fitness,” Cougill said.

The Healthy Diploma program does require an application and two recommendation forms. All of these forms and other information is available under the Kinesiology channel on MyUIndy.