Pictured above: Associate Professor of Violin Akemi Takayama, M.M., and Ashley Crawford ’23 (B.M. in Performance) presented a duo concert for community members who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center in January.

Background

Cognizant of the unique challenges that face Shenandoah Conservatory students, staff and faculty, the Being Well Together committee was established during the 2020/21 academic year to continue the work of the Being Well Together task force which began during 2019/20 academic year. Opportunities for well-being developed and implemented by the Being Well Together committee will strategically support and complement existing Shenandoah University resources, build on best practices in higher education, and specifically address the unique needs of the Shenandoah Conservatory community.

Charge

The Being Well Together committee will continue to strengthen a conservatory culture of well-being through providing opportunities for students, staff and faculty that lead to an improved understanding of healthy practice in some of the most relevant and important well-being dimensions to our community — relational, emotional and physical.*

*Please note that although Being Well Together initiatives are geared towards supporting relational, emotional and physical well-being, they are not intended to replace or undermine professional help for physical or mental illnesses; nor are they intended to negate the unique and real challenges inherent in experiencing physical or mental illnesses.

Spring 2021 Focus

Being Well Enough Together: Boost, Breathe and Keep Surviving

Although there is an end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently running the most challenging portion of the “pandemic marathon” – internal and external resources are depleted, resolve is even more greatly challenged, doubts about our ability to finish the race are ever-present, and the hope of an imminent finish line can lead to reckless overexertion, excitement, and unrealistic expectations. We therefore affirm our individual and collective need to continue to survive during the pandemic and all its attendant issues, and will support this goal through providing opportunities to boost our spirits, energy levels, and resolve; and breathe deeply to engage our parasympathetic nervous systems in the work of staying calm in the process of being well enough together.

Boost

• Look for Weekly Being Well Together Boosts in Conservatory Connections and the Shenandoah Conservatory Student Council email newsletter.
• Join us for faculty, staff and/or student events and discussions to boost your knowledge/skills around coping.
• Connect to and use existing Shenandoah University resources.

Breathe

• Join us for moments to breathe, reflect and refresh together.
• Enjoy mindful moments at the beginning of meetings, classes and rehearsals.

Keep Surviving

• Show grace and kindness to yourself and others
• Eat, sleep and drink water
• Exercise
• Ask for help and lean in to your support systems — this includes seeking professional help as needed (for physical and/or mental illness)
• Create and/or play (for fun)
• Practice gratitude
• Schedule and take regular breaks away from technology

Being Well Together Committee Membership

Bronwen Landless ’04, ’13, M.M.T., MT-BC (Chair)
Assistant Professor of Music Therapy

Elizabeth Albert ’00, B.F.A.
Managing Director, Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre
Operations Manager, Theatre Division, Shenandoah Conservatory

Jenna Barricklo ’21
B.F.A. in Musical Theatre

Rodney Bragdon, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology

Ting-Yu Chen ’19, Ed.D.
(Liaison between conservatory leadership team, student council and Being Well Together committee)
Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Professor of Dance

Rachel Short, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Music Theory

Jan Wagner, Diploma and Korrepetitions Praxis, Academy of Music in Vienna (Austria)
Conductor, Director of Orchestral Studies and Professor of Conducting

Denver Walker ’21
D.M.A. in Performance, Guitar

Martha Wollner, M.A.
Visiting Associate Professor of Theatre