Ellie Holcomb singing onstage.
The Cabinet-hosted event, Girl’s Night Out brought in speakers to discuss women’s wellness, including singer/songwriter Ellie Holcomb.
The event began with Holcomb,performing onstage with piano player, Christa Wells. The songs included “Fighting Words,” “Wonderfully Made” and “Red Sea Road.”
In between the performance and the guest speakers, gift cards were handed out through a raffle.
Sarah Brooks, Fort Worth-based author of the blog, “Life as of Late,” spoke at the event giving tips on how to maintain good health in college. The tips focused on knowing when to say “no,” choosing five people in your life to be close to you and finding time to unplug from technology. Brooks said she thinks college is the best thing ever created.
“But we’ve got to think of ways to keep ourselves healthy,” Brooks said. “Otherwise were not being intentional and we’re not figuring out who we are in a healthy environment.”
Jessica Nyguen, professor of psychology at ACU and director of second-year residential experience from San Diego, California, partnered with the Laura Bush Foundation for Women’s Health to organize the event. Nyguen said the theme was “whole wellness” with the mind, body and spirit.
Michaela Kasselman, a senior sociology major from Abilene, and a student director of ACU Cabinet for the campus activities board, said the ACU Cabinet and Residence Life are also within the partnership. Kasselman said she thinks it is an opportunity for women’s health to be talked about in a holistic environment because of the challenges that get in the way of women in the world.
The event ended with a women’s wellness panel featuring guest speakers. Students texted questions and the audience received answers about anxiety, daily habits, sexual health and avoiding spiritual exhaustion. The panel consisted of Ellie Holcomb, a marriage minister and the director of the Highland Counseling Center in Brookville, Pennsylvania; Gretchen Etheredge; Sara Trammell, a medical director at Hendrick Hospital from Abilene; Ryan Randolph, a residence director of Smith Adams; and Cherisse Flanagan, a clinical psychologist of private practice from Abilene. Nyguen helped answer the questions with them.
Afterward, Holcomb took pictures with spectators and gave autographs.
“I feel like when I sing, I’m doing what God made me to do and that is a sweet thing,” Holcomb said.
Holcomb’s father went to ACU and said that he had a formative experience while he was here.
“Honestly, I wish that we had had more time,” Holcomb said, discussing her participation at the panel. “I loved it. I think it’s so important. I’ve spent a lot of years hiding and not really walking in the truth and so I love an atmosphere that invites honest question and honest conversation about how to work out our faith.”
Nyguen said there will be more Girl’s Night Out events in the future.
Women’s Wellness Panel with (left to right) Jessica Nyguen, Cherisse Flanagan, Gretchen Etheredge, Ryan Randolph and Sara Trammell.
