VCU Wellness Course Notes

Instructor & Background

• Austin Lebret; provisionally licensed professional counselor (MS); National Certified Counselor (NCC)

• Education: Master’s in Counselor Counseling; PhD in Counselor Education at VCU (full-time); not practicing during PhD

• Contact: email via Canvas; pronouns he/him; Calendly link for 1:1 meetings

• Personal notes: born near St. Louis, MO; lived in Jackson, MS; in Richmond since July; degrees from Mississippi College; dog Gracie Lou (Labradoodle); name origin trivia from Miss Congeniality

Course Context & Platform

• Course at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU); online asynchronous

• Canvas structure: syllabus tab and a syllabus outline; modules unlock weekly (Monday) and end Sunday; one-day grace period for late work (except wellness project)

• Emphasis: wellness skills and attitudes; safe space for diverse identities; transparency and feedback valued

Class Goals & Philosophy

• Core aim: help you learn and apply wellness concepts to daily life; personal growth matters

• Course purpose: compassionate challenge to your wellness and critical thinking

• Instructor approach: flexible, responsive to life events; avoids AI-generated work; supports self-reflection over rote compliance

Course Structure & Timeline

• Length: $16$ weeks total; $14$ weeks of content

• Weekly cadence: new module each Monday; content ends Sunday; one-day grace period applies to most due dates

• Key activities: two required Zoom meetings (start of term and midterm) via Calendly; weekly quizzes; reflections; app review; lab reflections; final wellness project

Assessments & Points (quick reference)

• Total points: $250$

• Wellness & resilience reflection: $15$ points

• Weekly quizzes: $140$ points (14 quizzes × $10$ questions; $10$ minutes each; one attempt per quiz)

• App review: $20$ points

• Lab reflections: $35$ points (7 points each; one for each main wellness domain)

• Final project (wellness plan + wellness presentation): integrated into total points

• Grading scale: A–F (standard scheme)

Weekly & Major Assignments

• Week 1: Wellness & resilience reflection (1-page, APA 7th ed., Times New Roman 12, double-spaced; max 1 page)

• Quizzes: 10 questions each; 10 minutes; 1 attempt; results shown after submission

• App Review: select a wellness app; two-week trial (14 days); write a 2–3 page review; follow prompts; list of approved apps provided; list may include free trials

• Labs: for each main wellness domain (mind, body, spirit, emotional, connection) complete an experimental lab; answers must be at least five sentences

• Final Wellness Project: Part 1 = Personal Wellness Plan; Part 2 = Personal Wellness Presentation (5 slides, 5 minutes); present via Zoom; schedule during finals week

App Review & AI Policy

• Approved apps listed in syllabus; use free trials when possible; if choosing an app not on the list, obtain instructor approval via email

• AI use policy: do not use AI to write, develop, or source ideas; may use Grammarly/MS Word for editing; AI-based work will be treated as plagiarism

• Instructor will not use AI in grading

Accommodations & Accessibility

• If accommodations are needed, contact Student Disability Services early; accommodations are not retroactive and should be arranged beforehand to grant access in Canvas

Tools, Schedule & Office Hours

• Calendly used to schedule 1:1 meetings (beginning and midterm); listed in syllabus and Canvas module

• Canvas walkthroughs available; modules include weekly planner, resources, and campus support links (VCU resources, academic calendar, RANS Connect)

Miscellaneous & Resources

• RANS Connect: connect with student groups at VCU

• Counseling resources: access to campus counseling highlighted in syllabus

• Weekly announcements: posted by instructor

• Finals week: five-minute, five-slide presentation required for the wellness project

Important Reminders

• Do not submit assignments at 11:58 PM; prioritize sleep and wellness

• Free app trials encouraged; avoid overspending on apps unless necessary

• Be proactive: email the instructor with any conflicts or life events that may affect deadlines

• Keep communication respectful and solutions-focused during online interactions

Quick Reference: Key Rules & Dates

• Modules unlock on Mondays; due Sundays (except first week starting Aug 19)

• Late work: 1-day grace period (except wellness project)

• Two required Zoom meetings with Austin via Calendly; missed meetings = potential point loss

• Submissions and timelines are tracked in Canvas; align work with wellness emphasis

Instructor & Background

• Austin Lebret; provisionally licensed professional counselor (MS); National Certified Counselor (NCC)

• Education: Master’s in Counselor Counseling; PhD in Counselor Education at VCU (full-time); not practicing during PhD

• Contact: email via Canvas; pronouns he/him; Calendly link for 1:1 meetings

• Personal notes: born near St. Louis, MO; lived in Jackson, MS; in Richmond since July; degrees from Mississippi College; dog Gracie Lou (Labradoodle); name origin trivia from Miss Congeniality

Course Context & Platform

• Course at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU); online asynchronous

• Canvas structure: syllabus tab and a syllabus outline; modules unlock weekly (Monday) and end Sunday; one-day grace period for late work (except wellness project)

• Emphasis: wellness skills and attitudes; safe space for diverse identities; transparency and feedback valued

Class Goals & Philosophy

• Core aim: help you learn and apply wellness concepts to daily life; personal growth matters

• Course purpose: compassionate challenge to your wellness and critical thinking

• Instructor approach: flexible, responsive to life events; avoids AI-generated work; supports self-reflection over rote compliance

Course Structure & Timeline

• Length: $16$ weeks total; $14$ weeks of content

• Weekly cadence: new module each Monday; content ends Sunday; one-day grace period applies to most due dates

• Key activities: two required Zoom meetings (start of term and midterm) via Calendly; weekly quizzes; reflections; app review; lab reflections; final wellness project

Assessments & Points (quick reference)

• Total points: $250$

• Wellness & resilience reflection: $15$ points

• Weekly quizzes: $140$ points ($14$ quizzes $\times$ $10$ questions; $10$ minutes each; one attempt per quiz)

• App review: $20$ points

• Lab reflections: $35$ points ($7$ points each; one for each main wellness domain)

• Final project (wellness plan + wellness presentation): integrated into total points

• Grading scale: A–F (standard scheme)

Weekly & Major Assignments

• Week 1: Wellness & resilience reflection (1-page, APA 7th ed., Times New Roman 12, double-spaced; max 1 page)

• Quizzes: $10$ questions each; $10$ minutes; $1$ attempt; results shown after submission

• App Review: select a wellness app; two-week trial ($14$ days); write a 2–3 page review; follow prompts; list of approved apps provided; list may include free trials

• Labs: for each main wellness domain (mind, body, spirit, emotional, connection) complete an experimental lab; answers must be at least five sentences

• Final Wellness Project: Part 1 = Personal Wellness Plan; Part 2 = Personal Wellness Presentation ($5$ slides, $5$ minutes); present via Zoom; schedule during finals week

App Review & AI Policy

• Approved apps listed in syllabus; use free trials when possible; if choosing an app not on the list, obtain instructor approval via email

• AI use policy: do not use AI to write, develop, or source ideas; may use Grammarly/MS Word for editing; AI-based work will be treated as plagiarism

• Instructor will not use AI in grading

Accommodations & Accessibility

• If accommodations are needed, contact Student Disability Services early; accommodations are not retroactive and should be arranged beforehand to grant access in Canvas

Tools, Schedule & Office Hours

• Calendly used to schedule 1:1 meetings (beginning and midterm); listed in syllabus and Canvas module

• Canvas walkthroughs available; modules include weekly planner, resources, and campus support links (VCU resources, academic calendar, RANS Connect)

Miscellaneous & Resources

• RANS Connect: connect with student groups at VCU

• Counseling resources: access to campus counseling highlighted in syllabus

• Weekly announcements: posted by instructor

• Finals week: five-minute, five-slide presentation required for the wellness project

Important Reminders

• Do not submit assignments at 11:58 PM; prioritize sleep and wellness

• Free app trials encouraged; avoid overspending on apps unless necessary

• Be proactive: email the instructor with any conflicts or life events that may affect deadlines

• Keep communication respectful and solutions-focused during online interactions

Quick Reference: Key Rules & Dates

• Modules unlock on Mondays; due Sundays (except first week starting Aug 19)

• Late work: 1-day grace period (except wellness project)

• Two required Zoom meetings with Austin via Calendly; missed meetings = potential point loss

• Submissions and timelines are tracked in Canvas; align work with wellness emphasis