Image of instructor giving directions in health class.

Health & Wellness

Developing the Whole Person

Wellness 100 is a required 2-unit course that includes basic concepts relating to personal health and wellness, and is intended for first-year students at SUA. You will explore physical, mental-emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental dimensions of health, as well as strategies for enhancing your personal health. This class will help you develop the knowledge and specific skill sets to develop a life committed to maintaining your health and fitness. You will learn the value a healthy lifestyle has for being effective in your personal and professional lives.

You will learn to:

  • Live, work, and provide leadership in a rapidly changing world
  • Think critically and creatively
  • Be effective at various modes of expression and communication
  • Interact with and appreciate other cultures and traditions
  • Take constructive action for a better society

In addition, the course-specific learning outcomes of Wellness include:

  • Acquiring health-related knowledge through the use of current, reliable, and valid sources of information.
  • Determining their health risks and protective factors through the use of personal assessments and thoughtful reflection.
  • Applying health-related concepts, theories, and information to their personal lives.

I hope that students approach the class with the perspective that it can change their lives. The class concepts need to be applied in order to make a difference. Knowledge alone rarely changes one’s health. So, in addition to providing health content, the course actively includes personal assessments, reflections, and skill development.

Jill English, PhD
Adjunct Instructor

Student Perspectives

Image of students doing exercises in health class.

“I learned so many things related to my health and wellbeing that I should have learned way earlier. I’m glad that this class is offered at Soka.”

Image of students working outside on laptops.

“This class made me reflect on my lifestyle and presented me with new ways I could change in order to improve my life quality. I believe this class can not only inspire us to become happier and healthier, but also to support others in doing the same.”

Image of students talking alongside the track.

“This course provides students with insight into a variety of different topics. The environment is stress-free and allows for students to speak up if they have something to say.”

Topics Typically Explored in This Class

  • Health behavior change 
  • Health effects of stress 
  • Effectively managing stress 
  • Mental health 
  • Health benefits of sleep 
  • Physical activity 
  • Nutrition and weight management 
  • Chronic and communicable diseases 
  • Reproductive health 
  • Sexual misconduct 

Several skills you will develop throughout the course typically include: 

  • Making positive changes in health behavior 
  • Effectively managing time 
  • Creating healthy strategies for managing stress 
  • Planning for life after Soka 
  • Communicating effectively 
  • Creating an effective physical activity plan 
  • Avoiding cognitive distortions 
  • Becoming more optimistic 
  • Avoiding worrying 
  • Assessing physical fitness

Our Faculty

jill english

Jill English, PhD

Adjunct Instructor - Wellness

“I have been teaching Wellness 100 at Soka for many years. As this class is required, and I’m the only one teaching it, I’m blessed to be able to work with every Soka student. Academically, I earned my BS in Health Science from California State University, Long Beach, and my PhD in Education from the University of Southern California. I am also a Certified Health Education Specialist. I spent most of my career in the field of drug use prevention, but have also worked in the areas of violence prevention, teen pregnancy, Hispanic health, and nutrition. I’ve written numerous publications and evaluated many health promotion programs across the country. Personally, I’ve been married for more than 30 years to a wonderful man. We have two adult children and usually have one or more dogs in the house. I enjoy running, paddle boarding, hiking, traveling, cooking, and reading. I also volunteer for several nonprofit organizations.”