The Health Hut started in 2011 and has since grown to reach more and more students every semester.
Olivia Hodge, a senior majoring in journalism and marketing, is the public relations coordinator for the Health Hut. She said the Health Hut expanded to include ambassadors and the most recent position, advocates, because there were so many students who wanted to be involved and help make a difference in health education on campus.
In addition to increasing in size, the quality of programming has increased as well. The group has won numerous awards through the BACCHUS network, an affiliation of similar health education programs across the country.
“When it first started, the main goal was to create a peer health education organization to help educate students about different health topics that can affect college students,” Hodge said. “But I think that has grown into not just being a peer health organization, but to being the best that we can be.”
With the addition of the ambassador and advocate programs, students from all across campus are getting involved.
“We have a lot of people doing different things who are just really passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and educating students on healthy lifestyles as well,” Hodge said.
Health Hut ambassadors work programs in residence halls and tabling events like Healthy Hump Day. Lauren Griswold, a sophomore majoring in biology and exercise science and the public relations coordinator for the ambassadors, said she has had a great experience as a health educator through the Health Hut.
Griswold took on the public relations position after gaining some experience writing blog posts last semester. She said she has developed valuable communications skills through the organization that she doesn’t get to practice in her coursework.
“I love web design and communication in that aspect,” she said. “I’m looking at an MD/MBA program, and I feel like the communications aspect is just another side of a business approach.”
Health Hut ambassadors are divided into teams to research various health topics like sexual health or alcohol safety. Residence halls can then request to have ambassadors speak to students about a given topic.
“We’re always revising a program or creating a new program so we have a new option to give the residence halls,” Griswold said.
Jaclyn Higgins, a sophomore majoring in marine science and biology and a Health Hut intern, said her involvement with the Health Hut has helped her develop a healthier lifestyle.
“You want to be healthy and give out a positive image, and it makes you try and be healthy and set an example,” Higgins said. “You want to practice what you preach.”
Fellow intern Travis Kerner, a junior majoring in biology, said the Health Hut gives students a chance to not only learn about being healthy but also learn about the different health resources on campus.
“If we weren’t here, I feel like people might not be aware of all the different things we offer on campus,” he said.
Hodge said although the Health Hut’s various programs may change, the mission stays the same.
“Our end goal is to reach many students as we can and to educate them,” Hodge said.
