Cara Van Valkenburg is a graduate from Boise State with a bachelor in fine arts and an emphasis in graphic design, who oversees all campaigns, websites and social media for Wellness Services, formerly known as BroncoFit. Van Valkenburg has worked for Boise State for over ten years and now mentors and hires graphic design students as interns. McKenzie Sorrells, director of Wellness Services, describes her as the “hands behind the work” as well as “pivotal” in the culture change on campus surrounding mental health awareness as well as wellness in general.
Valkenburg was asked to be on the university’s brand committee in recognition of all of her vast accomplishments. Van Valkenburg has brought awareness to students through her work by normalizing awareness around health services, both mental and physical as well as decreasing stigmas around it. Through her work, Van Valkenburg was able to bring campus partners together as well. Those partners include but are not limited to the Department of Public Safety, Student Equity Center, Gender Equity Center, Dean of Students, Department of Psychology, College of Health Sciences and the student Housing and Residence Life.
Van Valkenburg has been crucial in creating the identity for Wellness Services, especially as there was some confusion surrounding its former name, BroncoFit. This name change better encapsulates what Boise State aims to offer its students. It is not just a resource for physical health, but for mental and sexual health, substance education, stress and sleep, to name a few. Van Valkenburg reordered T-shirts, tablecloths, posters, and reworking the digital aspects.
Thanks to Van Valkenburg’s work the website for this program has seen largely increasing traffic, allowing for the increased well-being of students and faculty on campus thanks to her visual work.
Van Valkenburg has enjoyed working for Boise State after coming on as a temporary hire and staying permanently, stating the culture in the office as awesome and has chosen to only work there for a reason. Valkenburg pulls inspiration from her students and interns as much as the professors and mentors she met along the way.
Van Valkenburg is excited to see how the new name will be received by students in the upcoming fall semester, mentioning how much thought was put into the swag and apparel, wanting to make it something the students would be attracted to. Van Valkenburg speaks in high regards to her boss, Sorrells and her Interim Executive Director Matt Niece as they “trust in the work that I do.” Van Valkenburg is motivated by the content of her work and the ability to help her community and is grateful and excited to get to come to work and be creative everyday.
“Cara’s contributions have been absolutely instrumental in the success of our campus initiatives,” Sorrells said. “Her exceptional design and promotional skills enable our office to connect with students in numerous impactful ways. We are deeply grateful for Cara’s dedicated efforts in helping us change the culture of well-being on campus.”