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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: Thursdays in January and February
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.
January: Financial Health
Join Employee Wellness in January as we explore ways to support your financial wellbeing. Offerings this month include an in-person talk on Mortgages and virtual sessions exploring investing and the mind-money connection.
Register: here
Location: Zoom
Date: Wednesday January 14, 2026
Time: 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Description:
Join the experts at Sun Life for this one hour information session on building your wealth through investing. What investment options will help you reach your goals? How can you avoid pitfalls that might stop you from getting there? Join us and explore how to build wealth, manage risk and align your investment decisions with your specific priorities.
Registration is required - this session will be hosted on Zoom.
Register: here
Location: EA1050
Date: Wednesday January 21, 2026
Time: 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Description:
Join Calgary Mortgage Associate, Jason Dodd in person from 10 - 11 a.m. to answer all of your mortgage related questions. Learn more about how recent regulatory changes on mortgage qualifications impact both your refinancing and mortgage renewals options. Registration is required and this session is capped at 35 participants.
Registration is required. This session is in person only, no virtual access. The session is capped at 35 participants.
Register: here
Location: Zoom
Date: Wednesday January 28, 2026
Time: 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Description:
Join Jocelyn Pepe virtually from 10 - 11 a.m. to explore the mind-money connection. When financial stress rises, so does mental load — often affecting focus, energy, and overall well-being. This one-hour session explores the connection between financial well-being and mental health and gives employees practical strategies to break that stress cycle. Employees will learn how everyday financial realities intersect with mental health and leave with practical tools to reduce anxiety and feel more in control. Through simple grounding techniques, approachable financial habits, and resource sharing, participants will gain strategies to build resilience and reclaim mental space.
Registration is required - this session will be hosted on Zoom.
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: T234
Date: Wednesday February 4, 2026
Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 11:00-12:00 p..m.
Description:
Join us for the CardiacCrash awareness program offered by Heart and Stroke. CardiacCrash is a fast-paced program that enables participants to learn basic CPR/AED skills in a short period of time. The session leads participants through an emotional, true-to-life cardiac arrest scenario. Participants can watch the CardiacCrash trailer for a better understanding of what to expect during the session. Two sessions will be offered with a minimum requirement of 8 participants for the session to run. If there are changes to the session times due to low registration you will be notified the day before. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate of participation from Heart & Stroke.
Registration is required, this session will not be recorded. Content Warning: Please be aware that this session and trailer include the use of a video that depicts an individual in cardiac arrest.
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.
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: 2026 dates to be determined, check back soon
Location: Penn West Plaza, Calgary
Time: Pick up at 12:20 p.m. - 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.