FIYou: Sarah Kenneally

Name:  Sarah Kenneally

Hometown: Miami, FL and Weston, FL

Job Title/Department: Senior Health Educator, Student Health Services – Wellness Center

Campus: Biscayne Bay Campus

In a nutshell: As the Senior Health Educator, I coordinate the health programming initiatives for Student Health Services Wellness Center at BBC with a focus on prevention and education on a variety of wellness topics that affect college students. This could range from having a personal consultation helping a student manage asthma symptoms or offering presentations to classes on sexual health. My goal is to help make FIU students healthier and lead a well-balanced life!

Number of years at FIU: Almost two years.

What do you enjoy most about your job?: One day I could focus on sexual health, the next day may be sleep behaviors. There is variation with my job and each day is different. There is opportunity to be creative and have fun with the events the Wellness Center plans when targeting college health.

What do you think students and your fellow faculty/staff should know about your department?: All of our services are free! Just a few of the services the Wellness Center offers include HIV Testing, fitness assessments, massages, and nutrition services. You can catch the Wellness team out on both campuses promoting our services. Student Health Services also offers primary care services to students covered by the student health fee.

Where is your favorite spot on campus? Why?: The path that goes around Biscayne Bay Campus, especially next to the water.

What is one thing you wish everyone knew about FIU?: The amount of programming supported by Student Affairs! Every day there is an event taking place for students to attend.

How is FIU “Worlds Ahead”?: With the changing trends of healthcare, Student Health Services is keeping pace and adapting. Student Health Services is one of about 10 student health centers in the nation to be accredited as a medical home. The department provides wrap around services to students, where all aspects of a student’s clinical care is integrated. We achieved this standard in 2013, keeping with FIU’s “Worlds Ahead” efforts and the evolving times of healthcare.

Family snapshot: I was raised in South Florida and all of my family still lives in Miami. Family is important to me and I wanted to be close. I am the oldest of three siblings and I also have my dog, Louie, a five-year-old Terrier mix.

First paying job: In high school, I was a manager at a puppy store.

Favorite TV shows: House of Cards, Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, basically anything on Netflix.

What is playing on your iPod?: Whatever the radio is playing.

Your proudest accomplishment: Completed my first marathon in February 2014 – Donna 26.2 in Jacksonville, FL.

What do you do when you are not working at FIU?: Running! I train every weekend for my long runs with my running group. I got in to running about three years ago. There are times when I’m dreading those early mornings before the sun is up, but the race medals are worth it!