Success and Wellness: Joy “Schiller the Killer” Built It

"When you talk about wellness, you need to look at all its dimensions." Schiller says. "Wellness is about being the best you can be, and that will look different for everybody." Schiller reflects on the various "fads" that shaped the industry during the early days of her career - achieving a specific weight, following workout trends and adhering to restrictive diets. Since then, the understanding of wellness has evolved, encompassing a more holistic approach to health and well-being. Schiller led with this mindset.

"Joy is extremely genuine and always meets you where you are," says Amanda Sedlacek, D.O.'15, a former student worker in the wellness center. "She pushes you to grow and try new things. Joy taught us about healthy lifestyles, but she also made sure we were supported in other areas of life."

Schiller stresses the importance of incorporating mental health into overall well-being. "I have been teaching and taking classes for over 45 years. When it comes down to it, it's all about your mental outlook that will ultimately help make you feel more relaxed. Moving your body is a great way to work through emotions and find greater emotional health and balance," Schiller says.

By establishing a wellness center on campus and emphasizing wellness in curriculums, Schiller helped make wellness a core value at DMU. A key initiative is the Wellness Pays program, which recently celebrated its 20th year of supporting DMU employees on their wellness journeys.

"Our goal with Wellness Pays was to make it easy for employees to prioritize their wellness and reward them for doing so," Schiller says. The program offers DMU employees financial incentives for tracking wellness activities across various dimensions, including fitness, community service, spiritual growth, preventative health checks, social connections and financial wellness.

"Joy's impact goes far beyond the role of a traditional wellness director," says Phil Blumberg, M.H.A.,executive director of the DMU Clinic and Schiller's supervisor for a decade. "The Wellness Pays program, and everything she has implemented at the university, is rooted in the eight dimensions of wellness, reminding us that self-care is about much more than physical fitness and healthy eating."