Editor’s note: Lafene Health Center changed the pick-up locations of the EWAW masks on Feb. 4. The story has been updated to reflect this change.
The university continues to promote its Every Wildcat a Wellcat campaign through the spring semester and has new EWAW kits to hand out to students.
This semester, the kits feature two masks, two hand sanitizers, a hand sanitizer carrier, an ear saver and a drawstring bag. Off-campus students can pick up their EWAW kits during the first week of hybrid classes.
Jennifer Miller, Lafene Health Center health promotions director, said the new items were chosen based on feedback from students.
“We just had to ask them, ‘What was the most useful? What what did you not really use?” Miller said.
Students living in on-campus housing received their EWAW kits upon return to campus after winter break. Students living off campus can pick up their kits on campus or at Lafene at the following times:
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, K-State Student Union,
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, in in the Engineering Atrium,
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the Business Atrium,
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in Ackert/Chalmers Atrium.
Students can also pick up the EWAW kits at the Lafene circle drive from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 8 to Feb. 12.
“We’re also going to be at the Rec on the ninth and 10th in the evening from three to 7,” Miller said.
Student athletes received their kits from K-State Athletics and students in Greek housing received their kits from their houses.
Pranav Savanur, senior in biology and Wellcat Ambassador, said he is glad masks were chosen this semester as opposed to neck gaiters because some studies show neck gaiters aren’t as effective in preventing spread.
“I think it’s better to promote wearing masks than those,” Savanur said. “I really think the new masks are really cool. The way they’re designed — they’re very different than the ones we gave out last semester. I would encourage every single K-Stater to wear a mask and do their part.”
Later in the semester, Savanur said the Wellcat Ambassadors plan to implement programs to help students with mental wellness and promoting mental and emotional wellness through the long semester.
“We do recognize that not having a spring break might be mentally and emotionally challenging for students, especially with COVID and everything else going on,” Savanur said. “So we’re trying to build programs which could help supplement those needs of like mental relaxation and also how you could spend your time in Manhattan.”
Possible programs include guided conversations and presentations on mental health.
