After serving in an interim role since last August, Casey Anderson has been named the full-time director of student health and wellness services.

Anderson, who joined the College in 2015, brings exceptional credentials and a wealth of experience to the director position. In addition to holding both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing from DeSales University, Anderson has worked extensively as a family nurse practitioner in private practice. 

“Casey has exhibited the ability to anticipate, identify, and quickly resolve emerging problems, and proven herself as a thoughtful contributor and leader on the Dean’s Division staff and across the College,” says Vice President and Dean of Students Jim Terhune. “These skills and attributes have been on full display during the past three months as the College has worked to navigate the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 crisis.”

“One of my favorite things about working with Swarthmore students is that they are very willing to learn,” says Anderson, who has organized flu vaccine clinics and self-care pop-up events to facilitate connections between Worth Health Center staff and students. “It is a rewarding moment when a student requests to see you and then can show and tell you how they have practiced self-care during an illness.  It means that the knowledge-sharing we had conducted at a prior visit is helping them navigate through their health and wellness journey.”

Amid the global pandemic, Anderson advises students and community members to focus on the things that they can control, such as diet, exercise, sleep, and social activity.

“Despite the uncertainty, we have a great capacity to control many aspects of our physical and mental bodies,” she says. “Making time to practice self-care can not only make your physical body feel better, but can also have a great impact on your mental health, as well.”