Better Together
Closures and Alerts
Update: We are temporarily experiencing loss of water in Limited Areas. Please be advised, Restrooms & Water Fountains are CLOSED on The Top Floor ONLY (Pratt Gym). Guests are encouraged to avoid restrooms in Pratt Gym and use the 4th or 5th Floor instead. Continue to check our website for updates.
Better Together is an initiative created to encourage students to strengthen their social and emotional well-being.
Social well-being involves creating and maintaining healthy relationships and establishing supportive social networks. This area of our lives is crucial because we are social beings, and a sense of belonging, inclusion, and connection, is unarguably vital. The lack of those things can lead to several issues in the long term, including both mental and physiological diseases.
In a highly stressful academic environment, social wellness can further refer to our ability to budget time for leisure and recreation with other people. Social connections can also serve as a source of encouragement and reinforcement for practicing healthy behaviors, creating even more positive impacts.
Ready to level up—not just survive?
Next Level You is a 6-week cohort-based program for UMB students ready to build sustainable habits that fuel success in the classroom, the clinic, the lab, and life beyond campus.
Through personalized coaching and small-group connection, you’ll develop practical strategies across three core dimensions: physical vitality, mental clarity, and emotional resilience. This isn’t a generic wellness course—it’s an interactive, evidence-based experience designed for motivated students who want measurable progress and lasting change.
What You’ll Gain
- 1-on-1 health coaching customized to your unique goals and constraints
- Small-group fitness training that fits your schedule and fitness level—no gym intimidation, just guided movement that works
- Practical nutrition education for real-world eating (not restrictive diets)
- Peer accountability circles where you’ll connect with fellow students navigating similar challenges
- Science-backed stress management tools and emotional regulation techniques you can use immediately
- Behavior-change frameworks rooted in positive psychology—designed to stick
- Weekly progress tracking, group Q&As, and ongoing support throughout your journey
You’ll leave with personalized workout plans, sustainable daily routines, and a toolkit of strategies that extend far beyond graduation.
Who Should Apply?
Next Level You is built for graduate students who:
- Are ready to commit fully to 6 weeks of intentional growth
- Crave structure, accountability, and community support
- Want to optimize their health without sacrificing academic performance
- Can actively participate in weekly sessions (both individual and group)
Space is intentionally limited to maintain a high-touch, cohort-based experience.
Students must apply—applications are evaluated based on readiness, commitment level, and alignment with program goals.
No fitness background required. Just bring curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to invest in yourself.
Apply here!
Nourish & Connect is a student dinner series that supports students holistically and fosters community support. Students are invited to share a meal and connect with fellow UMB students from other schools and programs for thoughtful discussions centered around themes of personal growth, cultural wellness, healthy relationships, and finding joy. Nourish and connect dinners will take place in room 115 in the SMC Campus Center and are co-facilitated by peer health and wellness educators from URecFit and Wellness and student affairs staff members.
Upcoming Events:
Building Healthy Habits While Using Social Media February 26, 4-5 p.m. Understand the helpful tools to limit your social media use and change your algorithms to reflect your values and lifestyle. Register here. Presented by the Student Counseling Center
Coffee Connect is an opportunity to make interprofessional connections and meet up with a fellow student from any of the UMB schools for a coffee hangout. We will randomly match you with a different student each month. You can opt out of coffee connect at any time.
Sign up here to be matched with a new student to meet each month.
**An email will be sent monthly to connect you with your coffee connect match.
Coffee with a Colleague (for staff and faculty)--NEW!! Now introducing, Coffee with a Colleague! Coffee with a Colleague is an opportunity through URecFit and Wellness for UMB faculty and staff to connect over coffee. Sign up here to be matched with a new faculty or staff member to meet with each month. Meet virtually or in-person. Make a new connection, it's good for your health!
URecFit and Wellness Group Exercise classes are another way to connect with others.
URecFit and Wellness Intramural Sports are another way to make connections while having fun and staying active.
Contact
URecFit and Wellness
621 W. Lombard St.
4th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Facility Fall Hours
- Weekdays: 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Sundays: Closed