UCSD Student Health Advocates

This is an organization set up at UCSD to use undergraduate students to help educate and increase awareness of other under-grads as to healthy life styles and practices. Normally the program trains and directs about 100 under-grads per year. Some of these students have been involved in the implementation of the SEPA program. They are responsible for introductory interventions for the students involved in the first year of the SEPA program. Normally these older students come to the recipient high schools on the intervention days and apply the topic of the day through some activity in a non-lecture format. These students also assist with field trips and help older SEPA students as project consultants or mentors. Since these UCSD students are closer in age and language to the high school audience, the activities are fun. The program is run by an adult at UCSD who, in-turn, works with a designated student in charge of the SEPA program interventions. These two determine the students involved and coordinate curriculum ideas to be implemented. This aspect of the SEPA program has had an unintended consequence of impacting career decisions of the Student Health Advocates involved.

Debbie Pino-Sabalett, UCSD SHA Coordinator

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