Michelle (Shelly) Sloan, SUNY Oswego assistant dean of students for student well-being, recently received three awards from the SUNY Council of Senior Student Affairs Officers -- the Mental Health Champion Award and two honors for outstanding programs.
The Mental Health Champion Award recognizes faculty and staff who go above and beyond their job responsibilities to demonstrate exceptional dedication and advocacy for mental health awareness and support within the campus community.
Recipients are acknowledged for promoting mental health awareness, leading initiatives to combat stigma, advocating for mental health resources, fostering a positive mental health environment on campus and enhancing wellness and suicide prevention efforts. This award celebrates their commitment to creating a positive and inclusive environment that prioritizes mental wellness for all students.
Sloan, who is a 2000 SUNY Oswego graduate, will receive her plaque in October 2024 at the annual conference of the College Student Personnel Association (CSPA) of New York in Rochester.
Sloan’s two other acknowledgments are for student affairs programs that have demonstrated a positive impact on students and their development.
The first program that received the Outstanding Student Affairs Program was SUNY Oswego’s 30-day Sleep Challenge. It was developed to be a fun and interactive program with the goal of increasing positive sleep habits resulting in better sleep outcomes for students. Some tasks and strategies that students were challenged to employ included goal setting, reducing blue light/electronic device usage, creating a good sleep environment, and tracking exercise, caffeine intake and mood. The 30-day Sleep Challenge was deemed successful with a total of 121 students registering and participants reporting significant changes in behavior after completing the program.
The Outstanding Student Affairs Program Award also recognized the university’s Sexual Health Vending Program. The goal of the program was to provide easy access to safer sexual health products to all students. The Student Association requested that safer sexual health products be more readily available to the student population.
As a result, a vending machine was installed in the Penfield Library 24-hour room that increased access, removed barriers and created a more equitable environment for all students to access sexual health products. Products were provided at no cost to students by ordering free-of-charge sexual health products from the New York State Condom Program. In the first two years, students vended 17,877 products and all users of the vending machine reported that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the vending machine.
Sloan’s foresight to create a model that will accommodate students has attracted the attention of other universities throughout the country. She has been sought out for presentations and guidance by many institutions and has presented on the topic at multiple conferences. This innovative service has become a model for other campuses.
Sloan has been working for SUNY Oswego for more than 18 years and colleagues have recognized her commitment to the university, including her dedication to the well-being of students and staff, and as an active role model to her colleagues.
“Receiving these awards is an incredible honor. I am grateful for the opportunity to engage in this vital work that contributes to the overall well-being of our campus community,” Sloan said.
-- Submitted by the Division of Student Affairs