{"id":5836,"date":"2024-04-10T08:53:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T08:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=5836"},"modified":"2025-02-04T13:19:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T18:19:05","slug":"bffs-lead-campus-wellness-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/10\/bffs-lead-campus-wellness-center\/","title":{"rendered":"BFFs Lead Campus Wellness Center"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column5836_821ded-8f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column5836_821ded-8f dynamic-main-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>Sometimes, the stars just align. That seems to be so in the case of <strong>Dr. Diane Mussoline<\/strong> and <strong>Dr. Kristen Wilson<\/strong>. The two mental health professionals arrived on the Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) campus in Sewell about a year apart \u2014 Dr. Wilson in 2017 and Dr. Mussoline in 2018. Neither had earned a doctorate at the time, but that would soon change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The New Jersey natives quickly became colleagues and best friends. As they exchanged ideas, they realized they shared a vision for a campus wellness center.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe wanted it to be like an open-for-all hub where students can feel holistically supported,\u201d says Dr. Mussoline. What\u2019s more, they wanted the center to be as much about prevention as it would be about treatment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both were planning to pursue doctoral degrees, and that\u2019s when Dr. Mussoline came across Wilmington University\u2019s Doctor of Social Science in Prevention Science program. She shared her discovery with Dr. Wilson, who had earned a master\u2019s in Administration of Human Services at WilmU in 2015.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey taught me skills I didn\u2019t know, like grant writing, budget preparation, and things like that,\u201d says Dr. Wilson. \u201cIt was a no-brainer to get my doctorate at Wilmington.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were especially pleased that the doctoral program dovetailed nicely with their vision for the RCSJ\u2019s wellness center. Says Dr. Wilson: \u201cThe mental sciences world is focused on treatment, and the idea that we could prevent some of these things resonated with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Encouraged by RCSJ\u2019s President, <strong>Dr. Frederick Keating<\/strong> \u2014 who earned <em>his<\/em> doctorate in Organizational Leadership from WilmU \u2014 they enrolled in the program in 2020.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKristen and I were in the same&nbsp;cohort,\u201d says Dr. Mussoline. \u201cWe decided to pursue it as kind of a duo.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, once again, the stars aligned. \u201cRight around the time we were finishing our doctorate, this opportunity came to us to restructure the previous counseling and wellness center,\u201d Dr. Mussoline says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd through what we learned in our doctoral program, we created the Center for Wellness and Support, which has been a wonderful gift and journey to do together. It was a collaborative approach from the top down, but we were kind of the main players.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She explains that the two sought to create not only a wellness hub on campus but a culture of wellness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe wanted to allow students to be successful academically and emotionally \u2014 without material hardship,\u201d she says. \u201cKristen concentrated on the basic needs and securities side, whereas I was more on the mental health side. We were the direct line for them to get whatever level of care and help was appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The division of responsibilities reflects the paths the two took to arrive at RCSJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2024\/04\/Wilmington-University-Dr.-Kristen-Wilson-764x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5839\" style=\"width:160px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong><br><\/strong><em>Dr. Diane Mussoline<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Wilson\u2019s academic journey got off to a bit of a slow start. A 2005 graduate of Millville High School, she eventually earned an associate degree from what was then&nbsp;Cumberland County College and is now the Cumberland Campus of RCSJ.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was, she laughs, \u201ca storied journey\u201d to get that first degree. \u201cIt took me seven years because of life just happening,\u201d she says. She took some time off and worked various jobs, including server and bartender.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of those jobs was at a drug and alcohol rehab facility. \u201cThat\u2019s when I decided to major in Psychology,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And she did just that, earning an associate degree in 2012. Then, it was full speed ahead. She immediately enrolled at Temple University and received her bachelor\u2019s in Psychology in 2014, followed by a master\u2019s at WilmU a year later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After Temple, she gained valuable experience while working for SERV \u2014 Services Empowering Rights of Victims \u2014 which provides sexual violence services in three southern New Jersey counties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s where I fell in love with the idea of prevention science,\u201d Dr. Wilson says. \u201cI was a sexual-violence prevention educator, working with youth on media literacy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She talked to middle schoolers about how movies, television, commercials, print ads, posters, and other media can influence behavior \u2014 usually subtly and often negatively. \u201cWe looked at the subtext of what some of those things mean \u2014 how do certain movies promote rape culture, for instance,\u201d she says. \u201cWe tried to teach young folks how to distinguish between movies and reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She found a challenging audience at the middle schools and Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of Gloucester County. She says of the grant-funded project, which lasted just over a year, \u201cWorking with middle schoolers really prepares you for other hard audiences. Middle schoolers, man, they don\u2019t give you a break. But I loved doing the work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Mussoline\u2019s academic trajectory was more conventional. After graduating from Haddonfield High School in 2003, she enrolled at James Madison University in Virginia, majoring in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies. She stayed at the school for a fifth year to earn a master\u2019s in Elementary Education in 2008.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2024\/04\/Wilmington-University-Dr.-Diane-Mussoline-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5840\" style=\"width:165px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><br><em>Dr. Kristen Wilson<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Returning to New Jersey, she taught students with disabilities in Sewell for six years. In 2012, she enrolled in night classes at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, and two years later got an Educational Specialist degree in Marriage and Family Therapy\/Counseling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The degree triggered a pro-fessional change of direction for her. \u201cI left the teaching world after I got my Ed.S. in Family Therapy and started doing work in some agencies,\u201d she says. She was a mental health therapist for the Moorestown Visiting Nurse Association, then served as a habilitation counselor at Rutgers University for almost three years before joining RCSJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Mussoline is the school\u2019s executive director of Behavioral Sciences, and Dr. Wilson is director of Behavioral Sciences. Together, they run two wellness centers, one on the main campus and another on the Cumberland County branch campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They generally split responsibilities based on their professional experiences: Dr. Wilson concentrates on students\u2019 basic needs and security, while Dr. Mussoline focuses more on mental health issues. Neither provides direct counseling; rather, they conduct initial triage to determine students\u2019 presenting needs and the resources that are available to help them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThen we assist with that linkage to the appropriate level of care,\u201d says Dr. Mussoline, \u201cand we do ongoing case management with them to ensure that the support services they\u2019re getting are benefiting them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She says that the residue of the pandemic is still apparent among college students. \u201cWe saw an increase in mental health-related challenges then,\u201d she says. \u201cSpecifically, a lot of depression, anxiety. The social isolation really impacted students\u2019 ability to socialize. Physical activity decreased, and that upended the typical college experience and influenced a lot of coping strategies, like alcohol and drugs. So, there have been a lot of compounding effects due to the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Economic needs are obstacles for many RCSJ students, says Dr. Wilson. \u201cWe\u2019re dealing with many first-generation college students and<br>a lot who are caring for dependents. We have a lot of single moms. Infla-tion is hitting them especially hard. We\u2019re seeing a lot of food insecurity and housing insecurity. Rents are skyrocketing; transportation is an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The students don\u2019t have time, she says, to worry about issues outside their world, such as politics, climate change, or war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;We wanted to allow students to be successful academically and emotionally \u2014 without material hardship&#8230;. We were the direct line for them to get whatever level of care and help was appropriate.\u201d<em>\u2014 Dr. Diane Mussoline<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur students are just trying to get through the day. They\u2019re concerned with getting to class, doing homework, going to work, picking up their kids, and getting dinner on the table. All that causes stress and mental health issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI can relate,\u201d she adds. \u201cI was a low-income community college student, and I worked full-time, sometimes two jobs. It\u2019s not easy.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to the school\u2019s partnerships with Acenda Integrated Health and Uwill, a student mental health and wellness online platform, the Center for Wellness and Support can act as a referral hub and offer students extensive resources and services, many of which are free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Keating has high praise for his fellow WilmU alumni. \u201cThese ladies are exceptional in their work and ability to put together such a project on two campuses, especially after coming out of the post-pandemic arena,\u201d he says. \u201cThey\u2019ve led the charge from the beginning. They\u2019re meeting students all day, every day, doing referrals and follow-ups. The wellness center has been very successful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s satisfying work,\u201d says Dr. Mussoline. \u201cIt\u2019s nice to see students on the other end of their challenges, where they\u2019re succeeding and where supports that we led them to benefit them and give them a fresh perspective on life because now they\u2019re not navigating some of these challenges on their own. It gives you hope that things can get better. Of course, sometimes it\u2019s hard when they\u2019re unwilling to access the support. So, you see both sides of that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Says Dr. Wilson: \u201cI absolutely love my work, helping them to navigate referrals, etc., and learn what the gaps are, and then, OK, how do we strategically figure out how to meet those needs? It\u2019s great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The two colleagues have adjoining offices, and when their doors open, they often talk back and forth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the conversation isn\u2019t always about work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve built this wonderful friendship,\u201d says Dr. Mussoline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOver the years of working together, we\u2019ve experienced births, deaths, the pandemic, grad school, and major work changes together,\u201d says Dr. Wilson. \u201cI\u2019m very grateful for our friendship, in and outside work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stars, colleagues, offices: They\u2019re all aligned on the Rowan College of South Jersey campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u2014 Bob Yearick<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, the stars just align. That seems to be so in the case of Dr. Diane Mussoline and Dr. Kristen Wilson. 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