Clayton Benedict
Student Marketing Assistant, CRC

Due to the increase of health problems across the nation, Georgia Tech has instituted a new, collaborative initiative known as Go T.E.C.H. (Teams Encouraging Campus Health). As chronic health issues have become more prevalent in younger generations, it is imperative that students begin to educate themselves on how to lead healthier lifestyles. Go T.E.C.H. is looking to help students, faculty, and staff manage an array of concerns ranging from weight management to stress reduction techniques.

Originally developed by Christie Stewart (Assistant Director of Campus Recreation - G.I.T. FIT) and Vladimir Oge (Director of Health Promotion with Stamps Health Services), Go T.E.C.H. has expanded to include multiple departments across campus from Student Housing to the Counseling Center. The ultimate goal of Go T.E.C.H. is to provide constant and innovative health initiatives to the Tech community. In the month of February, Go T.E.C.H. supported the Body Image Awareness Campaign, and the coalition recently organized Georgia Tech's Hydration Station for the ING Georgia Marathon. Upcoming plans include National Employee Health and Fitness Day, seminars focused on nutrition, and a kick-off in the fall for students.

By incorporating resources from Healthy Campus 2010 (an initiative of the American College Health Association), Go T.E.C.H. is positioned to become an integrated resource of information for all health-related activities. Groups such as the American Red Cross and Relay for Life will now have a unified conduit of communication to reach the Georgia Tech community. Go T.E.C.H. work groups will focus on research and policy development to steer programming efforts.

Go T.E.C.H. also recognizes the value of student input and plans to involve students in various functional work groups such as research, policy, programs, and marketing communications. Go T.E.C.H. will be recruiting students who want to see their campus change for the better. More importantly, Go T.E.C.H. wants the ideals and wishes of the students to help drive and shape the program. By meshing the interests of both students and departments together in the pursuit of overall health, the end result will be a unique system that will fully encompass the specific health needs of Georgia Tech's campus community.

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