The Wolf Wellness Lab at the University of West Georgia’s College of Education (COE) recently implemented the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Diabetes Prevention Program. 

UWG is one of the first universities in Georgia to implement this program and is the only program in the University System of Georgia that has a master trainer in the program, Jamie Brandenburg. 

The goal of the program is to provide at-risk individuals support in decreasing the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes. Participants learn lifestyle skills to address issues of how to get motivated to exercise and monitor food intake, as well as what fat is and what are some healthy alternatives. 

Jamie Brandenburg and Gina Brandenburg, professors from the Department of Sport Management, Wellness and Physical Education, are key figures in implementing this program. 

“This opportunity is great for the university,” Jamie said. “This program really focuses on all the dimensions of wellness and gives participants the support they need to accomplish their goals.”

Not only does this program provide a transformative experience for faculty and staff; it also yields a learning opportunity for students. 

“Because this is a national program, the opportunity of having students be certified in diabetes prevention when they leave is going to be great for them,” Jamie said. “Depending on when they graduate, hopefully we can even have students facilitate classes for us.”

This initiative is helping to foster a culture of wellness and self-care across not only the UWG campus but university communities all over the state. 

“I hope through this initiative we can shift the culture of our campus to a more wellness driven mindset,” Jamie said. 

Overall, this program is a great resource for the UWG community and is working to improve the lives of students and faculty. 

“To be able to put our students first, we – UWG faculty and staff – need to take care of ourselves,” Jamie concluded. “It’s important to realize that we need to take care of ourselves if we are going to take care of others.”