With generous support from the Duke Endowment, Le Well is working to provide identification and intervention with appropriate resources to facilitate thriving of students in SOM HPE programs. We welcome Jeanine Bandini, LCSW, to serve as Le Well’s Well-Being Navigator for the remainder of the project. The project, underway since fall 2024 thanks to the consultation and work of Kimberly Blackshear, LCSW, is now entering the second phase of well-being navigation. We are finishing up our opt-out (e.g., scheduled proactively) meetings for first-year students and will turn our attention to second-year students and beyond in an opt-in (e.g., students can elect to schedule meetings) paradigm. We are eager to find ways to help students and faculty recognize and address signs that support would be needed, and we are passionate about strengthening and building resources to meet students' needs.
We are absolutely thrilled to have recruited Jeanine Bandini to the Le Well team!
Jeanine Bandini, LCSW
Jeanine grew up in Poughkeepsie NY and has great memories of the finger lakes, sailing on the Hudson river and camping at Assateague with the wild horses. She attended undergrad at SUNY Buffalo and graduate school at Boston University. She loves to travel and spend time in nature.
Read more about Jeanine here:
Q: What motivated you to pursue a career in social work?
A: As a child I had a great experience with a counselor who normalized my feelings and taught me how to express them. Ever since I have wanted to help others in a similar way. I find connecting with the humanness in others to be incredibly meaningful and rewarding work.
Q: What do you see as opportunities in the role of well-being navigator?
A: The Well-Being Navigator is designed to help students succeed and avoid crisis by offering services proactively. My hope is that this role will increase access to and utilization of well-being services as well as help students normalize/ prioritize taking care of themselves.
Q: What three words would you use to describe yourself?
A: Passionate about kindness, love animals and authentic
Q: If you could design the perfect Wednesday Wellness Workshop, what would it be?
A: My idea of the perfect Wednesday Wellness Workshop would probably involve food and baby animals.
Q. What advice do you have for students undertaking rigorous study in HPE programs?
A. My advice to students in these rigorous programs is to take care of yourself and take advantage of the support provided. Reach out to Le Well because we are here to help you succeed.