About 87% of all full-time undergraduate students have visited the campus recreation center at some point this academic year.
Whether that is to utilize the gym, courts, sauna or therapy dogs, the rec center is a viable source to promote both physical and mental wellness.
However, many do not know the effort and planning that goes behind the scenes to make these activities useful.
Director of Recreation and Wellness Janel Molnar is the mastermind behind all the enjoyable activities that aim to promote well-being in the rec and across campus.
Molnar was recently recognized for these efforts, being awarded the Outstanding Peer Education Advisor award at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators for Peer Education Conference in Chicago on Friday, Jan. 16. The award celebrates a peer education advisor who strengthens campus culture by creating spaces for learning and guiding student leaders.
Molnar believes being recognized with this award is special to her because she has built meaningful relationships with the peer educators that she oversees.
“It’s wonderful to be able to have a positive impact, whether it is watching them with the work that they’re conducting or just on them as a person in their growth and development,” Molnar said.
Sarah Watson is a recent Ashland graduate who worked closely with Molnar as a student wellness intern and peer educator from her sophomore year to senior year. Watson nominated Molnar for this award.
“Her ability to lead with compassion while holding high standards inspires those around her to rise to their potential,” Watson said.
Peer education is a program at AU where trained students provide mentorship and offer support to fellow students to promote academic success, healthy behavior choices and personal development. Molnar stresses how peer education is beneficial for the mentee as well as the mentor. “Talking with your peers and having conversations like that is really hard; it makes them strong leaders in that way,” Molnar said.
At the same time, Molnar’s influence goes beyond peer education. She completely runs the facilities at the campus rec center, as well as organizing many engaging events and promoting student utilization of these resources.
Something that Molnar incorporates heavily into her promotions is student wellness across campus. With the rising numbers of mental health issues, Molnar strives to give students resources to help them combat it.
“Just making sure students are aware of what exists out there and encouraging them to take advantage of those different things. During college you’re figuring out what works for you. Finding what you need in your life, and then keeping those things going throughout your life, that’s what’s going to make you well,” Molnar said.
As Molnar looks ahead, her focus remains on growth. Not just in programs, but in people. From expanding mental health initiatives to increasing student involvement across recreation and wellness, she is committed to evolving alongside the needs of campus. For Molnar, the work is never finished.
“We never want to be stagnant with what we’re doing or think that it’s good enough,” she said. “We want to keep advancing and improving and doing the most that we can for our campus.”
