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Employee Wellness offers health promotion opportunities for all employees in the MRU community. The common thread between all events is to provide you with a variety of supports to keep yourself healthy across all dimensions of wellness. Wellness Wednesdays will continue as our flagship program in addition to new opportunities to connect.
Register: here
Location: MRU Recreation Climbing Wall
Dates: Thursday February 12, February 19 and February 26, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Description: We’re climbing to new heights with our eight-week indoor climbing series, offered in partnership with Cougars Athletics and Recreation. Each week will include opportunities for experiential or instructional climbing time depending on your interest and goals. Experiential climbing involves trying some bouldering, using the auto-belay machines, or being belayed by one of the climbing staff as you try your hands (and feet!) at ascending the 40-foot wall on campus. Instructional climbing will focus on top rope climbing and belaying skills, and participants can also complete the top rope belay test at no additional charge to facilitate access to drop-in climbing outside of program times. All equipment is provided including adaptive climbing equipment. Classes are capped at 24 participants with an instructor ratio of 1:6.
Registration is required, register for all the classes or select the individual classes you can attend. If our capacity is reached for this event, please contact employeewellness@mtroyal.ca to be added to a waitlist. Should a spot become available you will be notified. We hope to see you there!
Monthly Wellness Wednesday Theme:
Employee Wellness is focusing on a specific area of health every month to structure Wellness Wednesday events. Wellness Wednesday events will be planned according to these themes and additional health promoting events will be hosted by Employee Wellness to compliment the Wellness Wednesday programming.
February: Aging Well
Join Employee Wellness in February as we explore healthy aging. Offerings this month include the CardiacCrash awareness program and a talk on Menopause.
Register: here
Location: Zoom
Date: Wednesday February 18, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m. - noon
Description:
Join Gabriela Dagenais, Registered Nurse and Certified Wellness Coach, virtually from 11 a.m. to noon to explore self-care strategies for better mood, sleep and nutrition. In this discussion led by a health professional, participants will learn about the various factors impairing sleep quality, including medications, lifestyle choices, and medical conditions, as well as how sleep hygiene, dietary choices, and physical activity can positively influence our mood and health. They will provide practical strategies to improve overall health while focusing on self-compassion, meditation and movement benefits.
Registration is required - this session will be hosted on Zoom.
Register: here
Location: EA1050
Date: Wednesday February 25, 2026
Time: 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Description:
Employee Wellness is collaborating with MRU Recreation on Feb. 25 for a conversation about menopause. Co-facilitated by fitness and customer experience supervisor Jackie Cooney and nutritional therapist Amy Bondar, this in-person session will help you better understand what menopause is, learn how to manage symptoms and explore resources to enhance lifelong health beyond this transition.
Registration is required and this session is in person only, no virtual access.
March: Spring Refresh
Join Employee Wellness in March as we explore ways to refresh your mind, body, and space for Spring. Offerings this month include Meditation and Interior Design.
Register: here
Location: EC2065
Date: Wednesday March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Description:
Join Adene Lucas of MRU's Cont. Ed. for this 4-week hands-on interior design workshop where you'll learn professional design principles in plain language, gain hands-on experience using real tools designers use, make decisions with confidence, and walk away with actionable ideas you can use immediately at home. Over the four weeks you’ll learn to understand core design principles, choose paint colors with confidence, use lighting to shape mood and function, and make impactful updates without overspending.
Register for all 4 classes or for each individual class you’d like to attend.
Registration is required. This series is offered in person only. If registration is full, please email Leigh lbodnarrollings@mtroyal.ca to be added to the waitlist.
Register: here
Location: Immersion Studio
Date: Wednesday March 5, March 12, March 19 and March 26, 2026
Time: 12:05-12:50 p.m.
Description:
Join Dan Pichette, owner of Alchemy Yoga Cochrane, for this series of crystal bowl healing meditations to help connect within, release stress and regulate the nervous system. Participants will settle into a comfortable meditation, enjoying the power of sound healing with quartz crystal bowls. The tones produced by crystal bowls are heard by the ear and the vibrations are felt by the body affecting the energy centres (chakras) for healing and balancing. Dan will incorporate a variety of meditation practices from guided visualization to yoga nidra.
Register for all 4 sessions or for each individual class you’d like to attend.
Registration is required. This series is offered in person only. If registration is full, please email Leigh lbodnarrollings@mtroyal.ca to be added to the waitlist.
April: Spring Refresh
Join Employee Wellness in April as we explore ways to refresh your mind, body, and space for Spring. Offerings this month include Floral Design and a Strength Training series.
Register: here
Location: EC1125
Date: Wednesday April 8 or Thursday April 9, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Description:
Registration is required - in person access only. If registration is full, please email Leigh lbodnarrollings@mtroyal.ca to be added to the waitlist.
Register: here
Location: MP U133 (Recreation)
Date: Wednesday April 15, April 22 and April 29, 2026
Time: 12:05 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Description:
Join us as we collaborate with MRU Recreation to offer a 3 Weeks of Strength Series which is a progressive circuit-style program designed to help you build strength, improve cardio fitness and move with more coordination and confidence. Whether you are newer to strength training or looking to refine your fundamentals, this series will meet you where you are at and help you level up week by week.
Register for all 3 classes or for each individual class you’d like to attend.
Registration is required. This series is offered in person only. If registration is full, please email Leigh lbodnarrollings@mtroyal.ca to be added to the waitlist.
Register: here
Location: Lincoln Park Room
Date: Monday March 9, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Audience: MRU Leadership
Description:
Your Energy Is Everything is a powerful, practical workshop with leadership and team performance expert Judy Riege, for people navigating constant change, pressure, and disruption.
2026 is not about grinding harder, hustling longer, or pretending we’re fine when we’re fried. It’s about learning how to work with your energy—not against it. Drawing on research and real-life experience, this interactive session explores the link between energy, joy, love, and play—and why these are no longer “nice to haves,” at work, but performance essentials for everyone.
Disruption isn’t going away.
How you respond, adapt, and grow within it is the game plan.
Community Involvement
Join the MRU team to participate in the group blood donation. Follow these steps to register:
- Visit Canadian Blood Services to log in or create an account.
- Navigate to the 'Partners' link on the left side navigation bar.
- Search 'Mount Royal Staff Association' to join the team. Note ALL MRU employees are eligible to participate, pending Canadian Blood Services donor guidelines.
- James Parsons is the team champion and contact point for any questions related to the program.
- View upcoming team appointments and book your donation.
Dates: February 25, March 25, April 22
Location: Penn West Plaza, Calgary
Times:
February 25, pickup at 12:05 pm
March 25, pickup at 11:15 am
April 22, pickup at 12:00
Pickup outside Cont. Ed. building
Description: Making a life-saving blood donation is easy with Canadian Blood Services. The Life Bus provides transportation from campus, to the donation centre in Calgary, and back to campus again. Spaces on the bus are limited and registration is required. You do not need to be an MRSA member to participate. Check back throughout the year for upcoming group blood donation opportunities or contact James Parsons - jjparsons@mtroyal.ca, team champion, with questions.
Donors, please review the information brochure in preparation for your appointment.