Peer Learning in a College Student Health and Well-Being Expo: Together Again After Returning From Remote Learning

Area of Science:

• Health Promotion
• Higher Education Wellness
• Student Engagement

Background:

• Post-pandemic return to campus necessitated innovative health and well-being initiatives.
• The Office of Wellness Promotion partnered with the College of Health Sciences (CHS) to address this need.
• Previous campus health events lacked interactive, peer-led components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel student health and well-being expo.
• To assess student engagement and knowledge acquisition through interactive health promotion.
• To identify key elements for future campus wellness events.

Main Methods:

• A student health and well-being expo was co-designed and delivered by students for the campus community.
• Interactive health education activities were facilitated by student groups and CHS faculty.
• Program evaluation data were collected from event participants.

Main Results:

• The expo was the first of its kind, fostering peer-to-peer learning across multiple wellness dimensions.
• Interactive activities enabled participants to practice health promotion skills with a diverse audience.
• Evaluation data showed overwhelmingly positive feedback, with attendees deeming the expo innovative and needed.

Conclusions:

• The interactive format, peer learning opportunities, and incentives were highly valued by student participants.
• The expo successfully met a campus need for engaging health promotion activities.
• There is strong support for the continuation and expansion of this peer-led wellness initiative.