Students that attended the first Lunch n Learn sessions were able to learn about mindfulness.

Lunch n Learn is a monthly series held on both PNW campuses where students can learn about topics that are not usually offered in classes. The sessions held Oct. 18 at the Hammond campus and Oct. 19 at the Westville campus were hosted by Sheila Stephenson, assessment coordinator for the School of Education and Counseling. Stephenson discussed mindfulness, meditation and the benefits mindfulness and meditation can have on the body.

Both sessions lasted an hour and started with a brief overview of the topic. Then the session transitioned into different meditation practices, such as breathing exercises. The focus was to discuss techniques that can be used to calm the mind. Stephenson said mindfulness is about living in the moment and learning to let go of the past while not thinking too far into the future. Stephenson also said that the session was a great way for students to learn how to manage stress.

“We practiced many breathing exercises and guided meditation,” Stephenson said. “It was a great opportunity to share these techniques with the students.”

As the title suggests, Lunch n Learn also offers food at each session. Cody Dallas, student life coordinator, said that while he thought this was a successful event, there are some areas to improve upon.

“I would like to see more students come to these events,” Dallas said. “I feel that they can really benefit from the topics we plan to cover and give us new ideas for future topics.”

In total, there were about 12 students in attendance. While Dallas is not sure what topics they will cover in the future, he has a few ideas. Future sessions could include conflict management, effective communication, interview practices and financial literacy.

“Financial literacy is one that I really want to do,” Dallas said. “It’s a topic that every student can learn from.”

At each Lunch n Learn session, a guest speaker will come in to discuss the topic. Dallas said that the speaker can be any qualified person as long as they have a passion for the topic. The one thing Dallas wants people to take away from these events is a new piece of knowledge to carry with them.

“I want them to find something they can benefit from,” Dallas said. “Offering a wide variety of topics can help build a better professional and personal worth.”

If any student has any ideas for future topics, contact Cody Dallas for involvement. The next Lunch n Learn will be held Nov. 10.