Madison Veilleux on what's offered at the UMaine Wellness Center

Veilleux seated at front desk of the Wellness Center in the Memorial Union

Student Admin Aide Madison Veilleux is an ecology in environmental science major with a concentration in environmental history. She has been an employee at the Student Resource Wellness Center since her freshman year at the University of Maine and is also a mandated reporter.

The Wellness Center, located in room 149 of the Memorial Union, is a hidden gem on campus, with an abundance of resources that should be taken advantage of by more students. Inside, you will be greeted by a friendly face at the front desk and beside them, couches, snacks, crafts and games to help ease the stresses of higher education.

According to Veilleux, some of her main responsibilities include but are not limited to, pointing visitors in the right direction, preparation/ upkeep of the office, restocking supplies and most importantly, providing support to anyone in need of help. The items available in the center range from food and drink to reduction supplies such as condoms and fentanyl test strips.

There are plenty of benefits to paying a visit to the Wellness Center. For instance, its convenient location at the heart of UMaine’s campus makes it the perfect spot to pass time in between classes. It is often advantageous to stop at the Union and do homework in the meantime rather than return home, especially if it is cold outside.

It’s also a great place to obtain free health materials such as deodorant, tampons, shampoo, travel toothbrushes etc. Those employed at the Wellness Center are more than willing to listen to students speak about personal or school-related problems, though there is not a trained professional therapist on the job. If need be, they will help you make an appointment with counseling services or other appropriate outreach programs accordingly.

“The Wellness Center is the perfect place to sit down and either relax, take a nap, drink coffee or do homework before your next class. We also give advice, but if we are unable to, we can point them in the right direction,” said Veilleux.

Veilleux described the working environment as phenomenal and specifically stated that her employer, Kevin Hudson is “very thoughtful”, as he makes sure to spend a portion of the budget on the needs of his staff. She and her coworkers have been provided with mugs for the office as well as t-shirts, and he takes into consideration their snack requests.

“The workspace is the most healthy workspace I’ve ever worked in my whole life, and I’ve had 10-15 jobs. Our boss, Kevin, always tells us that we’re students first and then we’re workers. No matter what we have going on, if we have schoolwork or are upset, they want us to take a break and stay healthy,” Veilleux said.

One thing that is important to keep in mind is the fact that the Wellness Center is a no-judgment zone and the staff are willing to answer uncomfortable questions relating to sexual health.

“As of this year, we actually did something different. We signed HIPAA contracts, which basically state that everything said in the office is confidential. It'd be a violation of contract for us to tell anyone about what is discussed in here,” Veilleux said.

The most rewarding part of Veilleux’s job, by far, is when there is substantial student engagement. She explained that a high attendance rate in a program or event makes the entire team feel happy. Their primary objective is to serve the on-campus community by providing a safe space for everyone.

“Day-to-day in the Wellness Center isn’t really that crazy… a student admin aide like myself walks in, sits at the desk and answers questions for anyone that comes through. Just making small-talk with people that come in, which might be the only friendly interaction they have that day,” said Veilleux.

In recent months, the organization has been keeping track of how many people come into the office each day and is looking to increase that amount through poster advertisements. They also hold bi-weekly staff meetings to discuss potential improvements within the center and plan events, such as the upcoming Wellness Fair.

On Oct. 19, a Wellness Fair will be held on the Mall from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There are multiple activities for students to participate in, all while learning about the eight-dimensional resources for building and maintaining wellness. Prizes will be awarded to those in attendance alongside a distribution of “mock-tails” to enhance understanding of safe alcohol consumption. This annual fair is as focused on interaction as it is on education.