Dear Fellow Monarchs:
Old Dominion University is proud to be home to the largest academic health sciences center in the Commonwealth of Virginia as we educate tomorrow’s healthcare leaders, while conducting cutting-edge research and providing critical care through community outreach, alongside our medical partners who are delivering world-class healthcare to our neighbors and friends. Our journey to reach this milestone was made possible due to partnership and perseverance. In 2024, we successfully completed the integration of Eastern Virginia Medical School into Old Dominion University following a multi-year process. In 2025, we announced the establishment of the Joan P. Brock Institute for Nutrition Science and Health. Now, in 2026, we are taking our expertise a step further through an intentional and shared commitment to becoming a Health Promoting University.
Becoming a Health Promoting University is a holistic approach that integrates well-being into all aspects of campus life from teaching and research to policies, environments, and daily experiences. This is a defining shift as health is no longer simply what we do – it is who we are. This framework offers a more intentional and coordinated way to support those who live, learn, and work within our communities. We are integrating well-being into our operations, systems, and spaces, thereby establishing a culture that is enduring and evolving through a collective impact model. This commitment allows us to move upstream from individual behavior toward the social, environmental, and systemic determinants of health that shape how our community learns, works, and thrives.
To advance this critical and far-reaching initiative, a Health Promoting University Advisory Council has been appointed, which includes executive-level sponsorship through the direction of Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Alfred Abuhamad, MD; Vice President for Student and Campus Life Brandi Hephner LaBanc, Ed.D.; and Vice President for Talent Management and Culture September Sanderlin. Additionally, Drs. Anca Dobrian, Veleka Gatling, and Bridget Weikel, along with a growing Well-Being Collective Working Group, are guiding the creation of a shared agenda shaped by community-wide engagement and collective impact.
Across the University, our initial efforts in health promotion are already seen through innovative education as our programs prepare students to thrive as career-ready professionals and informed citizens in an evolving world. Now, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), the leading authority on lifestyle medicine education, is partnering with Old Dominion University as we embark on this inspiring journey. ACLM will support education, clinical practice, research, and community outreach and engagement at Old Dominion University.
Our intentional and shared commitment to becoming a Health Promoting University builds upon our strong foundation in these areas. Our impactful research already informs public health practices, addresses pressing societal challenges, and advances new solutions. Our longstanding service of care extends throughout the community through partnerships, clinics, and outreach initiatives designed to improve quality of life. Our Health Promoting University agenda will be grounded in evidence, guided by national benchmarks for campus health, and measured through shared indicators that hold us accountable to our community.
As a preeminent public research institution, we are uniquely positioned to pursue this worthwhile responsibility through the collective efforts of our students, faculty, and staff strengthening a culture that prioritizes care, connection, and meaningful impact. Because when our students, faculty, staff, and partners thrive, we all flourish. Together, we are creating a stronger culture of health and well-being. One where mental and physical health are supported; belonging and purpose are cultivated; and connection and resilience are strengthened. This important work will continue to evolve and be grounded in our shared commitment to one another and the future of Old Dominion University!
With Monarch Pride,
Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President
