Megan G. Brown is the inaugural executive director of the new center, which will focus on community well-being strategies, prevention education, peer health leadership opportunities and more.
Building on Emory’s existing commitment to student health and overall well-being, the Center for Student Wellbeing represents an expansion and rebranding of the former Office of Health Promotion. The center provides prevention education, peer health leadership opportunities and community well-being strategies.
Signature programs and services will include well-being coaching and assessments, mindfulness practices, alcohol and other drug prevention, suicide prevention, sexual health promotion, bystander intervention and a variety of other practice opportunities.
“The Center for Student Wellbeing will lead our community-level approach with a holistic focus on the entire student experience,” says James Raper, Campus Life’s associate vice president for health, wellbeing, access and prevention.
“Our expanded approach reflects the eight intersecting elements of well-being we are embracing: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, physical, professional, relational and spiritual. This deepened commitment will allow us to create even more opportunities for all Emory students to flourish,” Raper adds.
Megan G. Brown joined Emory in July to fill the inaugural role of executive director of the Center for Student Wellbeing. An integral member of the team, Brown brings 25 years of experience in student counseling and student well-being in higher education.
Brown serves as a campus content expert in her advocacy for student well-being, leading a team of well-being professionals and championing policies, programs and services that help students develop healthy behaviors to last a lifetime. In this role, she reports to Raper.
“Megan emerged from our highly competitive national search as clearly the best match for the inaugural role of executive director — and we are delighted she is joining our team,” says Raper, stating that Brown is playing a key role in advancing Emory’s commitment to and investment in all its students.
“We are seeking to create generational change in the well-being of students, and we will need our colleagues from every corner of campus to join in this work. Megan has a long history of bringing people together. Her leadership of the center and strong relationship skills will allow her to work effectively across our communities,” Raper adds.
Expressing appreciation for Emory’s leadership in advancing student wellness, Brown praised the work that her new Campus Life colleagues are already engaged in.
“Emory is doing something exceptional. There aren't many universities in the country that have made this kind of bold commitment to student flourishing,” she says. “Emory is becoming a leader in this work, and I am excited by the university’s vision.”
More than two decades of experience supporting student well-being
Prior to joining Emory, Brown served as director of the McDonald Center for Student Well-Being at the University of Notre Dame and led a grant from the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addictions. She was also the Division of Student Affairs’ strategic and programmatic leader for Health Promotion and advised the Student Health and Wellness leadership team.
Brown’s responsibilities included implementing and analyzing well-being assessments to inform strategic planning and decision-making, as well as cultivating collaborative campus partnerships.
Earlier in her career, Brown served as a staff psychologist at the Notre Dame University Counseling Center and as life achievement coach with the university’s Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars Program. Before joining Notre Dame, she was a counseling psychologist with the Student Health and Counseling Center for the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Brown earned her PhD in counseling psychology, master’s in community counseling and bachelor’s in psychology at Andrews University. She holds a variety of professional certifications, as well as memberships and affiliations in a range of professional associations related to well-being, psychology and student affairs.
Brown loves to travel, read, spend time in nature, make music and play board games friends and family. You can connect with Brown by email at megan.gail.brown@emory.edu.