This semester, UT System welcomed Amelia Phillips as the new director of Systemwide Student Wellness. 

Phillips transitioned from the University of South Florida and acclimated to Knoxville’s snowy weather in January.

“I will say my first two weeks were a chilly welcome, because I came from Florida, and it was nothing but snow, but I joke that inside, everything was very warm,” Phillips said. “The people and students I’ve talked with, that part has been very welcoming. … When I saw this opportunity, I was like, this job was written for me.”

Phillips hit the ground running in her new position as she helped launch a system-wide rollout of the National College Health Assessment, the largest comprehensive health and wellness data set for college students.

“This is the first time that all five campuses within the UT system have rolled it out together,” Phillips said.

The survey is currently open, and selected students can find the link in their email. Phillips and her campus colleagues encourage students to take advantage of this survey, as it can serve as a pivotal piece of data that can drive action for supportive resources or programs.

Phillips and her team are also gearing up for the next cycle of the student wellness advisory council, which is composed of students across all UT campuses — the application is set to launch in March.

The council is an opportunity for students who are interested in wellness and could bring different insights from UT’s individual campuses. Phillips said these potential students could contribute to conversations around normalizing help-seeking behavior, mental health and general wellness.

“I’m excited for the next round and to meet some new students who are passionate about wellness and hear their new voices and input,” Phillips said.

Phillips said a system-wide level approach to wellness captivated her. Being able to help coordinate and shape direction among UT’s campuses seemed, “like the best next step for me,” she said. 

“My career has always been in well-being and higher education, so I’ve … done everything from the actual boots-on-the-ground programming to different kinds of policy-level guidance and work around student wellness,” Phillips said.

Jessi Gold, Phillips’ supervisor and UT system chief wellness officer, added that Phillips has had to start a few jobs from scratch that never existed before.

“She is as comfortable getting her hands dirty in the planning and nitty gritty data, as she is stepping back and approaching something strategically,” Gold said. “That will serve her well in this role.”

Phillips spoke volumes about UT’s ability to value wellness.

“I think it’s a huge benefit. … So to me, that’s where I want to be — I want to be somewhere where we value wellness from the very top down,” Phillips said.

Working with Gold also influenced her decision. Phillips expressed her admiration for Gold’s accomplishments in her time at UT.

“Two years is not that much time to do these big things, and she’s kind of laid the foundation,” Phillips said. 

The feeling is mutual, as Gold said she is excited to have Phillips join her office.

“I have really hoped for a thought partner in this work, who brings complementary, but different, skills to the table — and found exactly that in (Phillips). I can’t wait for all that we can do together moving forward,” Gold said. 

Phillips reminds students who struggle with mental health challenges that you do not have to be in a crisis to reach out, and that you’re not alone. 

“College is hard, life is hard,” Phillips said. “We’ve got so many things going on. It’s OK to not be OK, but also know that there are resources, there are people that are here to help and support you.”

Phillips emphasized that wellness does not just mean to “bounce back,” but also to navigate and respond to the ups and downs, emerging on the other side even stronger.

She challenges students to take a holistic approach and ask, “Are the behaviors and decisions you engage in in line with your values, and do those serve you?”

Phillips shared that when she goes through tough times, she leans on her own support system and relies on her routines.  

“I have my own non-negotiables, like moving my body, getting exercise in, trying to keep up with my daily meditation practice,” Phillips said. “I also am a big fan of intentional gratitude practice, something as simple as three good things each day.”