University Wellness Programs
Elevating Student Growth through Mind, Body, & Habits
mindfulness. Wellness. Growth.
Redesigning
Life Studies
My mission as both a university partner and a wellness provider is to help students better navigate the stress and pressures in their studies and life, through stretching their comfort zones to grow from a confident and empowered place.
My programs are tailored so your students gain a more balanced mindset, stronger physical mobility, emotional resilience, and sustainable life habits, with renewed dedication to themselves, their studies, community, and purpose.
What's on this Site (click to jump to the section)
"...Cynthia reminds us that as we go through life striving for our goals while trying to seek balance, it’s more important first to seek harmony and happiness consistently in our mind, body, and in our life.”
~ Sydney Mann, Japan study trip, Cynthia’s yoga & meditation, now Consultant, Deloitte (all full reviews futher below)
4 Case Studies & My mission to create
Opportunities for Current Students
Improvement in Sleep Quality
19%
Drop in Reported Pain
20%
Lower Stress Levels
28%
Higher Productivity
62 Additional Minutes/Week
Savings to the Company
$5000 Average Gain / Employee
How I can help!
So why not offer students a fun, holistic wellness program to increase morale and motivation?
I offer yoga, meditation, mindset training, and wellness education, paired with refection and bonding.
Adapting these practices into daily life will equip students with better time, stress, and lifestyle management skills, engineered for their success in higher education and beyond.
With 5 years experience in teaching yoga and organizing wellness retreats across 17 countries, 5 years coordinating study abroad trips, 5 years facilitating life skills and public speaking workshops for refugee students, and 5 years event planning, I am confident my programs will help participants adapt healthy, positive, and empowering life practices.
And as we all know, the earlier we proactively expose students to these skills, the easier it will be for them to sustainably adapt into their lives. And the greater its potential impact and ripple effect will be.
When students stretch themselves just enough, really big things can happen.
"I was fortunate enough to be able to pull Cynthia into an AAPI Self Care and Wellness Program at my employer, Teach For America. Her program was highly reviewed, and staff members left feeling connected and inspired in the midst of the isolating nature of the pandemic."
~ Dan Santos, Asia study trip, yoga student, now Program Coordinator & Operations, Teach for America
Summary of my services
Growth-Driven Wellness
I can customize and help promote a program for your students to gain a positive mindset, improved well-being, community connection, and successful lifestyle habits with:
1. Mindfulness
Meditation, breathing, and gratitude techniques to calm the nervous system while sharpening mind, memory, and motivation.
2. Yoga Wellness
Energy boosting virtual yoga, easy desk stretches, improved posture and mobility, wellness office hours, on-demand library.
3. Habits Redesign
Adapt practices to ignite productivity, stress reduction, time management, and divergent thinking.
4. Community
Stronger shared identity and boosted morale through facilitated sessions, sharing, and group support.
"Cynthia's leadership empowers us to look after each other and ourselves, including our mental and physical health, and to reimagine how we want to live our lives. I enjoy our contemplative conversations, just as much as the times I enjoy her yoga sessions on the quad on campus and during my visits years later to Malaysia and Bali!"
~ Maleek Akeju, now Consultant, Accenture
~ Maleek Akeju, now Consultant, Accenture
I'd love to hear more about your student needs!
Discuss more or request a proposal by email cynthia@cynthiatravels.com or booking a call:
"...Cynthia's taught me to not just imagine the unknown, but to also aspire to make that imagination become a reality. And to not just live my life by the benchmarks and goals set for us by society."
~ Hannah Schlacter, Malaysia/Singapore study trip, now Chief of Staff, Uprising Ventures
Reviews from University Staff
“I think of myself as Cynthia Wong’s biggest fan, because she is one of the most inspirational students I have had the pleasure of working with in my 20 years as Assistant Dean of International Programs in the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. She is the only one of our Honors Program graduates that we have ever hired to coordinate international activities for our college study abroad trips.
Cynthia is incredibly well connected to people from all around the world at all levels of industry, especially in the entrepreneurial world. In addition to arranging visits with countless businesses in a variety of industries and countries, she has also connected our students to their environment in deeper ways.
I've seen our students bonding with refugee students while rock climbing and doing her yoga class, attending an open mic night that Cynthia hosted in Malaysia, participating in an Amazing Race in Singapore, and introducing our students to inspirational, entrepreneurial alumni either during formal presentations or just as added guests for a lunch or dinner in Japan or Dubai.
Cynthia’s approach always comes from a growth mindset and how to create the most impact, which is especially important when working with large undergraduate groups of freshmen.
Through her deep intercultural knowledge and enthusiasm, Cynthia invites people to think openly and grow outside their comfort zones in insightful and elevating ways. When she’s involved, students feel connected and expand their vision of the world and their futures.”
Cynthia is incredibly well connected to people from all around the world at all levels of industry, especially in the entrepreneurial world. In addition to arranging visits with countless businesses in a variety of industries and countries, she has also connected our students to their environment in deeper ways.
I've seen our students bonding with refugee students while rock climbing and doing her yoga class, attending an open mic night that Cynthia hosted in Malaysia, participating in an Amazing Race in Singapore, and introducing our students to inspirational, entrepreneurial alumni either during formal presentations or just as added guests for a lunch or dinner in Japan or Dubai.
Cynthia’s approach always comes from a growth mindset and how to create the most impact, which is especially important when working with large undergraduate groups of freshmen.
Through her deep intercultural knowledge and enthusiasm, Cynthia invites people to think openly and grow outside their comfort zones in insightful and elevating ways. When she’s involved, students feel connected and expand their vision of the world and their futures.”
“Cynthia led an amazing virtual yoga session for our students and staff at the University of Illinois. With Cynthia’s engaging interaction and Ray’s live music it didn’t even feel virtual. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and exercise, and was a great way to reset for the rest of the week.”
"Cynthia is resourceful, creative, and full of innovative ideas. She has been an alumni leader on cultural immersion trips for the Gies Scholars program since 2014, and has been a significant source of great ideas for group sessions experiences on these trips.
When our spring break 2020 trip to Japan was cancelled, she proposed ideas for domestic alternative trips that still captured learnings about international culture and business. While we were not able to pursue them, I believe it demonstrates her energy and passion for student learning.
And, when many of our students' summer internships and plans disappeared, she conceived a virtual panel series for some of our leading faculty and 16 accomplished Gies Scholar alums to share and connect with current Gies Scholar students and alumni through the summer.
The series was an amazing success and everyone commented on how grateful they were to have a community building experience during the pandemic.
It's an honor for me to partner with Cynthia, and her proactive leadership has helped provide a cohesiveness to the program across the classes over the years. We love her initiative and heartfelt follow through."
When our spring break 2020 trip to Japan was cancelled, she proposed ideas for domestic alternative trips that still captured learnings about international culture and business. While we were not able to pursue them, I believe it demonstrates her energy and passion for student learning.
And, when many of our students' summer internships and plans disappeared, she conceived a virtual panel series for some of our leading faculty and 16 accomplished Gies Scholar alums to share and connect with current Gies Scholar students and alumni through the summer.
The series was an amazing success and everyone commented on how grateful they were to have a community building experience during the pandemic.
It's an honor for me to partner with Cynthia, and her proactive leadership has helped provide a cohesiveness to the program across the classes over the years. We love her initiative and heartfelt follow through."
"I've witnessed how Cynthia has a personal way with students that's truly unique. She's gone beyond expectations to put together fantastic itineraries of company visits, panels, cultural interactions and local community service for our honors programs trips to Singapore and Malaysia. But more importantly, she reimagined the potential of what these trips could be for our students.
Through her creative touch, collaborative ideas, and thoughtful delivery, she's continued to be a role model and mentor to many of the students to have a vision for their life and build the mindset and path to get there."
Through her creative touch, collaborative ideas, and thoughtful delivery, she's continued to be a role model and mentor to many of the students to have a vision for their life and build the mindset and path to get there."
Reviews from Former Students
"Cynthia is a great friend and mentor! Her approach to life, her consistent pursuit of service and fulfillment and her individualized approach to supporting people above all things have inspired the way I approach my own life and career. She has been an alumni leader on cultural immersion trips for the Gies Scholars program and a significant source of great ideas for group experiences on these trips.
During my Fulbright year in Malaysia, I was able to join multiple live music and yoga events set up by Cynthia. Despite being inexperienced, Cynthia made sure that I felt supported and connected to the community. It certainly helped me feel a sense of belonging during a time when I was away from so many of my family and friends. In addition, I was able to participate in one of Cynthia's Unleash Your Genius - Live Music & Poetry showcases. She encouraged me to perform an original spoken word piece to kick off her event!
The more time I spent with Cynthia, the more I realized how important it was to pursue my own passions, to find my own unique place in the world without comparing myself to others, and to never settle.
I've truly never met anyone like Cynthia. Her unique energy and presence emanate in every space. I was fortunate enough to be able to pull her into an Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Group Self Care and Wellness Program for staff members at my employer, Teach For America. Her program was highly reviewed, and staff members left feeling connected and inspired in the midst of the isolating nature of the pandemic. Any organization would be lucky to have Cynthia's leadership and vision! We love her initiative and heartfelt follow through."
During my Fulbright year in Malaysia, I was able to join multiple live music and yoga events set up by Cynthia. Despite being inexperienced, Cynthia made sure that I felt supported and connected to the community. It certainly helped me feel a sense of belonging during a time when I was away from so many of my family and friends. In addition, I was able to participate in one of Cynthia's Unleash Your Genius - Live Music & Poetry showcases. She encouraged me to perform an original spoken word piece to kick off her event!
The more time I spent with Cynthia, the more I realized how important it was to pursue my own passions, to find my own unique place in the world without comparing myself to others, and to never settle.
I've truly never met anyone like Cynthia. Her unique energy and presence emanate in every space. I was fortunate enough to be able to pull her into an Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Group Self Care and Wellness Program for staff members at my employer, Teach For America. Her program was highly reviewed, and staff members left feeling connected and inspired in the midst of the isolating nature of the pandemic. Any organization would be lucky to have Cynthia's leadership and vision! We love her initiative and heartfelt follow through."
“Cynthia’s been an inspiring friend and mentor to myself and many of my classmates since we first met her on our program trip to Singapore and Malaysia over 6 years ago.
Her presence, free spirit, ideas and attentive care immediately made us feel welcome and inclusive.
Her leadership empowers us to look after each other and ourselves, including our mental and physical health, and to reimagine how we want to live our lives. She’s been a continued source of encouragement over the years.
I enjoy our contemplative conversations, just as much as the times I got to enjoy her yoga sessions on the quad on campus and during my visit years later to Malaysia and Bali!”
Her presence, free spirit, ideas and attentive care immediately made us feel welcome and inclusive.
Her leadership empowers us to look after each other and ourselves, including our mental and physical health, and to reimagine how we want to live our lives. She’s been a continued source of encouragement over the years.
I enjoy our contemplative conversations, just as much as the times I got to enjoy her yoga sessions on the quad on campus and during my visit years later to Malaysia and Bali!”
This year I did a live music virtual yoga session with Cynthia, and it reminded me of the one morning I did a special meditation and yoga with her in a traditional tatami room right by Mt Fuji on our Japan spring break trip! That was a beautiful experience and we chatted after about the importance of mental health and self care. Her personality and experience around the world makes it easy for everyone to connect with her, including myself.
I’ve realized that you can never fail when we have people around you who reaffirm who you want to become. Cynthia’s an example of someone who values creating freedom and space to commit to her own purpose and priorities. She reminds us that while we go through life achieving our goals while trying to seek balance, it’s more important to seek harmony and happiness consistently in our mind, body, and in our life.”
I’ve realized that you can never fail when we have people around you who reaffirm who you want to become. Cynthia’s an example of someone who values creating freedom and space to commit to her own purpose and priorities. She reminds us that while we go through life achieving our goals while trying to seek balance, it’s more important to seek harmony and happiness consistently in our mind, body, and in our life.”
"My conversations with Cynthia from when we first met in Southeast Asia, to when I studied abroad in Madrid, to attending a gender equality in the workplace event in SF, to our catch up this year - always leave me feeling full of wonder, possibility, curiosity, and - what I love most - the courage to pursue adventure.
Put simply: she's the only role model as well as friend/mentor I have who has truly created her own path, one that has led her around the world to create her own quest for meaning as she lives the life she wants to live.
She's taught me to not just imagine the unknown but to also aspire to make that imagination become a reality. And to not just live my life by the benchmarks and goals set for us by society. I am grateful for all the ways that she's touched my life through the years.
I am confident she will leave an immeasurable impact on countless individuals - especially students - finding their identity and way through studies, career, life balance and beyond."
Put simply: she's the only role model as well as friend/mentor I have who has truly created her own path, one that has led her around the world to create her own quest for meaning as she lives the life she wants to live.
She's taught me to not just imagine the unknown but to also aspire to make that imagination become a reality. And to not just live my life by the benchmarks and goals set for us by society. I am grateful for all the ways that she's touched my life through the years.
I am confident she will leave an immeasurable impact on countless individuals - especially students - finding their identity and way through studies, career, life balance and beyond."
“Yoga with Cynthia is wonderful - live and virtual. She's a practiced yogi attuned to her spiritual energy, and she will help you tap into yours with her practice.
I highly recommend doing a session with Cynthia! Brought me back to when she led yoga by the rooftop pool in Singapore during the Honors Program freshman trip abroad that she co-led in 2016, and that same energy when we met up 2 years later in Bali!”
I highly recommend doing a session with Cynthia! Brought me back to when she led yoga by the rooftop pool in Singapore during the Honors Program freshman trip abroad that she co-led in 2016, and that same energy when we met up 2 years later in Bali!”
Lifelong Growth For your students
Email me at cynthia@cynthiatravels.com for more information on my packages, or go to the link below to book a call to discuss and request a proposal!