Beau Dooley, director of the Center for Wellness Promotion, is focused on the health and well-being of UNC Charlotte students. Learn about the different ways Dooley provides help and resources for students, along with a few fun and unexpected facts.
Descibe your job and what you do at UNC Charlotte.
As the director of the Center for Wellness Promotion, I provide oversight to health promotion and prevention strategies that focus on priority student health and wellness issues. This includes a wide range of programs and services that address many issues that are important to students’ health and well-being, including interpersonal violence, alcohol and other drug use, recovery from substance use disorders, mental health, sexual and reproductive health and much more.
What’s your favorite part about being at UNC Charlotte? What about your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part about being at Charlotte is the people. We have an incredible team of staff and faculty across all divisions, and I enjoy working with them on everything from innovative collaborative projects to the day-to-day business of the University.
My favorite part of my job is when I get to work with students. Though I have many administrative responsibilities, I am first and foremost a health educator, so getting into academic and other campus spaces and directly engaging students on health promotion topics is both fun and meaningful.
What’s something about your job that most people don’t know?
My team and I actively engage in fundraising efforts to support students’ health and wellness needs. For example, we raise funds to meet the immediate financial needs of students impacted by interpersonal violence and to implement Green Dot — a bystander intervention program whose goal is to make intolerance of violence a campus norm. Fundraising also allows us to provide scholarships and support to students in our Charlotte Recovery Program who are in recovery from substance use disorders.
What is something you’re most excited about for the fall semester?
We are in the process of filling several staff vacancies, so I’m very excited about the Center for Wellness Promotion being fully staffed in the near future. In addition to the energy and expertise that new team members will bring, I am thrilled that a full staff roster will expand our capacity to deliver innovative wellness programs and services to students.
When you’re not on campus, what are some things you do in your free time?
I’m an avid marathon and ultra-marathon runner, so when not on campus I can usually be found running Charlotte-area roads and trails training for the next race for which I’ve signed up; I am currently training for the Charlotte Marathon. I also enjoy reading nonfiction books on a wide range of topics such as history, science and philosophy, and playing guitar.
What’s a place on campus you think every student should visit?
The Toby Creek Greenway that cuts through campus is beautiful and is an ideal place to get some physical activity and connect with nature.
What piece of advice would you give to a new student?
Get involved! There are an incredible number of opportunities for students at Charlotte, including student organizations, sports and recreation, employment and leadership opportunities, and so much more. Getting involved builds meaningful connections with others, fosters personal growth and development, is an important component of wellbeing, and adds to the richness of the college experience.