Griffon 360
Emily Ludwig became MWSU’s Director of Recreation Services in January 2020. Only a few months later, the University would be forced to shut down campus due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. For Ludwig, the lockdown proved to be a blessing in disguise. She would spend the next six months perfecting an idea she had been working on for over 3 years. That idea has now become a reality, in the form of a wellness initiative titled Griffon 360.
Griffon 360 is an innovative, well-rounded initiative designed to promote student well-being on campus. For Ludwig, this has always been an important agenda.
“Holistic wellness is something that I’ve always tried to focus on,” Ludwig said. “No one is perfect, and everyone has something that they can improve on.”
Holistic health encompasses all aspects of well-being. Griffon 360 is composed of 8 categories: Physical, Spiritual, Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Occupational, Social and Intellectual. This fresh approach to wellness provides struggling students with plenty of solutions to better themselves.
“Most people associate wellness with physical health — ‘I have to eat well, I have to exercise, I have to go to the doctor,’” Ludwig said. “But there’s so much more to it than that. Not everyone wants to lift weights or run on the treadmill.”
Separating from the narrative that physical health equates to wellness has become a top priority for Ludwig.
“Holistic wellness is getting (students) outside of the mindset that you are trapped within their physicality,” Ludwig said. “That’s our biggest starting point, just reframing what that means.”
The Griffon 360 logo is sleek, modern and practical. The eight pillars of wellness are interconnected, but each represented with their own logo. Upon first glance, the viewer instantly understands the purpose of the initiative.
“I wanted to incorporate a roundedness of some type,” Ludwig said. “The reason we settled on this design is that everything is looped together. There’s never something that stops and melds into its own.”
The eye-catching logo serves more purpose than simply looking sharp. Students will actively interact with each part of the design while attending events on campus.
“We’re going to utilize separate parts of the design for promotion,” Ludwig said. “You will see different logos featured on flyers for specific events. For example, if a student sees the dollar sign they can assume that they’re going to talk about financial wellness.”
Although it is still in the early stages of development, the Griffon 360 initiative already has plans to collaborate with different departments.
“This program is challenging departments on campus to engage with their students and think outside of the box,” Ludwig said. “One of the things we’re looking to do with the CSI office and the new military veterans services director is to organize a walk for veterans on Memorial Day. We’re collaborating on resources and bringing awareness. It’s something for students to participate in, and that’s ultimately the goal of why we’re all here.”
Student involvement is paramount to the Griffon 360 initiative. To promote reach across campus, Ludwig has developed the “I Live 360” student passport. These passports feature the Griffon 360 logo, with each part requiring a sticker badge to complete.
“Students can find these passports around campus,” Ludwig said. “As the semester goes on, they will earn badges by attending events specific to those areas of holistic wellness. When it is filled in with all of the badges, they can turn it in for a t-shirt and a chance to earn bigger prizes.”
Holistic health is more important than ever. On the heels of a crippling pandemic, students seem to be struggling in all aspects of wellness. Ludwig understands this, and is here to help.
“It was always a goal of mine to figure out how I can step up my game,” Ludwig said. “By creating this program, it ultimately improves the lives of Missouri Western students. As an alumni of this campus, I want to see students here succeed. This is the best way I know how to do that.”
As campus finally returns to a sense of normalcy, keep an eye out for Griffon 360 events. No matter how healthy someone may seem, there is always an aspect of their lives that could use improving. Thanks to Ludwig, students can take their wellness journey one step at a time.
