Are you looking for a leadership opportunity on campus? Health Initiatives (HI) is actively recruiting for Healthy Jacket peer educators. This program creates leaders who serve as healthy lifestyle role-models to their peers. They are extensively trained volunteers who give presentations on a variety of health topics, design and implement health programs for students and collaborate with campus partners to create a healthy community. HI Health Educator and Healthy Jacket advisor JaPeera Edmonds said, “We are looking for students who are passionate about health promotion and want to contribute to making Georgia Tech a more caring and supportive community. We want student leaders interested in helping and educating peers to reach their health and well-being goals.” 

Healthy Jackets is a new peer education program introduced to the Georgia Tech campus last fall. Edmonds said, “the peer educator model is shown to be more effective in creating positive behavior change in college students than an administrative approach. Students don’t always feel like they can connect with staff as easily as they can with their peers. It allows peers to connect with their community through shared goals and experiences.” In addition to creating a more supportive community peer educators will receive the benefits of mentorship and training from current health professionals while building essential resume skills like developing, implementing and evaluating health programs, project management, strategic planning, communications and public speaking.  

Peer educators commit approximately 8-10 hours per month to the program through trainings, presentations and meetings.  You will work directly with health professionals developing and tailoring presentations for various campus organizations and groups with a peer to peer approach.  If you are interested in learning more about this program HI is hosting the final interest meeting Tuesday, September 17 from 11 am - 12 pm in the Student Center room 301 or Tuesday, October 8 from 11 am - 12 pm in the Student Center room 301. If you know this program is for you apply today at healthinitiatives.gatech.edu/healthyjacket.