Yesterday marked the official kick-off of the BeWell@Stanford initiative, a program designed to bring together campus fitness outreach under one umbrella and “create a culture of wellness for the Stanford community.”

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At the kick-off event for the BeWell Campaign yesterday afternoon, two enthusiasts show off t-shirts with the campaign’s pithy mission statement. BeWell hopes to be the campus hub for students, staff and faculty to share information about healthy living, eating and exercise. #gallery http://daily.stanford.org/image/full/8049
Masaru Oka

At the kick-off event for the BeWell Campaign yesterday afternoon, two enthusiasts show off t-shirts with the campaign’s pithy mission statement. BeWell hopes to be the campus hub for students, staff and faculty to share information about healthy living, eating and exercise.

Central to the plan is the BeWell Web site — bewell.stanford.edu. The site applies the techniques of social networking to wellness and fitness. Similar to popular sites like Facebook and YouTube, users can share stories and comments, create groups and post news or videos.

“I think it will be a good place for people to try new things and connect with people who are at the same stage as them,” said Susi Smith ‘08, the Peer Health Educator (PHE) in Toyon. “The cooperative element is great.”

The site launched with an established 200-person user base of beta testers, who have so far provided advice on diverse topics including healthy weight loss, salsa instruction and the best time to eat vegetables.

“This is a huge milestone,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director Eric Stein, who oversaw the development of the program with Jennifer Sexton, coordinator of fitness and wellness programs.

“I came here one and three-quarters years ago from Princeton,” Stein said. “From day one the goal has been a University-wide wellness program.”

BeWell has a range of associated departments, including the School of Medicine, the Office for Religious Life and the Athletics Department.

“We’re bringing together a lot of silos in a combined and concentrated way,” Stein said.

While these departments will retain their individual Internet presences, BeWell’s planners intend to combine them on the BeWell site as well.

“We don’t want to be just a link off the recreation site,” Sexton said.

Stein said the BeWell site would be more than just a place to retrieve information on the Internet.

“There are static sites like WebMD where you go, you get the information and then you leave,” he said. “We want this to be a place where people stay and contribute. We’re hoping for a culture to develop that supports well-being.”

The specifics of the BeWell Web site fell into place over the summer. Stanford administrators ultimately selected a platform developed by Wellsphere, a San Mateo company that focuses on building health-conscious communities on the Internet.

“Stanford had a vision in mind on how to do it,” said Ron Gutman GSB ‘05, the company’s founder and CEO. “We had the technology.”

Operating on the same architecture, BeWell and the official Wellsphere site are intentionally similar in look and feel.

Publicity surrounding yesterday’s BeWell kick-off included a mailing to faculty and advance notice of the site for PHEs.

“We’re continuing to look for new ways to evolve,” Stein said. “But we’re viewing this as a new beginning.”