Before sophomore Ashley Bunnard signed up for the University’s Peer Health Education program, she had thought she wanted to major in political science. But after spending time learning about nutrition, HIV, stress management, alcohol, eating disorders and many other health-related topics, she realized she wanted to pursue a health career, she said.
“There are a lot of programs students don’t know about (on campus), and we push the resources that are available,” she said.
Bunnard is one of 14 students enrolled in the 3-credit peer health program this term. Students learn by teaching their peers about health-related topics in creative ways, program coordinator Ramah Leith said.
The class extends beyond the classroom; the peers volunteer their time by presenting health topics to groups on campus such as fraternities, sororities and residence halls, manning informational booths in the Student Recreation Center, and working in the peer health education office on the first floor of the Student Health Center, Leith said.
Peers also publish a newsletter each term and help organize workshops that teach students how to whip up a great vegetarian meal, quit smoking or reduce stress.
Health Educator and former Program Coordinator Annie Dochnahl said the class was organized more than 10 years ago by a group of graduate students. The students based the program on a “peer health model,” which was designed to motivate students to teach their peers about health topics.
Since then, the program’s focus has been constantly evolving, she said. The peers commit two terms to the program, and the focus of a particular term reflects the interests and passions of the students involved, she said.
Leith encourages students to come to the peer health office in the health center for free cholesterol screenings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays. The office is also open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for students interested in consulting the peers about nutrition analysis and any health concerns. Students generally relate to other students and are more likely to talk about their concerns with peers, she said.
Peers also set up a booth every other Wednesday in the lobby of the Student Recreation Center to inform students about topics such as safety, sexual practices and nutrition, Dochnahl said. For the booth on Oct. 31, the peers will collaborate with Project SafeRide to teach students about alcohol and safety, she said.
Bunnard joined the program because she thought her public speaking skills were dwindling and the public speaking aspect attracted her attention, she said.
Dochnahl said the program provides an opportunity for students to learn skills to benefit them in the future.
“(The student educators) take what they learn in the classroom and convert it to something useful for their classmates,” she said. “They can see the merit of ‘give as you learn.’ It’s not just them as a sponge.”