October Student Organization of the Month, Project Health

by Emily Dowdell

            With November comes cold and flu season, and with the coming of cold and flu season, we as students should never be more grateful for one particular student organization on campus, an organization that calls itself Project Health. Project Heath, according to the organization’s website, projectheath.ua.edu, is an organization that “strives to promote health and wellness throughout the UA campus and surrounding community.” Project Health’s president, Amanda Walker, says its members attempt to provide peer support, education, and awareness on health issues that are specifically relevant to college students.

            A common misconception about Project Health is that a student must be a nursing, nutrition, or health-related major to join the organization. But according to Walker, “anyone who is passionate about health is always welcome,” she says. “We have bi-weekly meetings, there are no dues, and the organization is based completely on how involved the members are. We have all majors that participate.” All members are trained to educate the campus, so no experience is necessary.

            Project Health participates in a variety of different events and activities in which members can get involved and prospective members can learn about the organization. Events like Komen on the Go, a breast cancer walk held in October, and the Student Health Fair, an event that has previously been held in the fall, but this year will be held in the spring. Additionally, according to Walker, “anything that the Student Health Center puts on, we’re there to answer questions as well.” One of those Student Health Center sponsored promotions is the Health Hut, a tent that changes locations every so often, highlights a different health topic every week, and gives out things like fliers, buttons, magnets, and chapstick in order to promote a particular health topic for the week. The Health Hut is a branch of the Student Health Center that works together with Project Health on events. Walker says eventually Project Health plans to officially partner with the Health Hut, a partnership that would make all Health Hut workers Project Health members.

            Walker’s favorite Project Health event is more of a program that is called Beautiful Health. In this program, Project Health partners with Tuscaloosa One Place and goes to middle schools to mentor students about issues like self esteem and peer pressure. The program lasts the entire spring semester, and focuses on being confident in oneself in the tough middle school years.

            Sound interesting? To join, go to Project Health’s website, projecthealth.ua.edu, and download the application, then email it to projecthealth@ua.edu.