Resilience
Resiliency at Western
What does it mean to be resilient?
Resiliency is the ability to bounce back through problem-solving and the ability to own our decisions. Being self-reliant does not reduce one's ability to be resilient, as long as we can recognize when we need help and we seek the necessary support.
Anyone can learn to be resilient. Building resiliency helps you learn new behaviors, thoughts, and actions to handle major adversity or trauma in their lives. We can help you learn how to be resilient and navigate those life challenges!
What does the Office of Student Resilience do?
The Office of Student Resilience at WWU promotes a positive and healthy collegiate experience for all students. We strive to increase mental and physical wellness while encouraging a proactive approach to healthier living.
Our hope and goal is to create a space that supports the health and happiness of members of the Western community.
Meet Our Director
Dr. Brandon Joseph's work focuses on mental health promotion and holistic wellbeing for Western students. In collaboration with campus and community partners, he leads campus wellness events, initiatives, and programs, such as the Men & Mental Health program.
In August 2019, Brandon established the Black & Brown Male Success Collective (BBMSC), a research-based program that provides male-identifying students from historically marginalized racial and/or ethnic communities with an affinity space for their holistic wellbeing. The group has represented WWU at regional and national conferences and in June 2020 collaborated to host, Not Just Social Media—Social Justice, the first anti-racist workshop at WWU using Zoom, bringing together 300+ participants and illuminating the voices of WWUs Black Student Organizations during a crucial time in our history.
Brandon also serves on President Randhawa’s Structural Equity and Bias Response Team and the Social Justice and Equity Committee, where he co-led the Underrepresented Student Needs Assessment Project during the summer of 2020. He also chairs the Okanagan Charter work group, which is tasked with developing a cross-campus, integrated plan with actionable goals and metrics to help us advance the work of wellbeing through the Okanagan Charter.