Tulane University
EN-1: Student Educators Program

Tulane University Peer Health Educators (TUPHEs) are dedicated, trained students who offer health-related peer-to-peer education programs, most often through Residence Hall programming and large scale health events. Programs offered address health topics that include sex, tobacco, alcohol, sleep and stress management. . http://tulane.edu/health/wellness/tuphe.cfm Peer Educators are a select group of students who excel academically and stand out as leaders on campus. They foster success in and out of the classroom by providing support, motivation, and accountability to fellow students through peer coaching in a 1-on-1 or group setting. Their approach is customized to meet students where they are and help guide them to where they want to go, academically and personally. They offer a variety of academic resources and personal development services such as supplemental instruction (SI), tutoring, workshops, one-on-one meetings, self-assessments, study strategies, test anxiety, time management, major and career exploration, campus involvement, decision making skills, stress management, the overall college transition and much more. http://tulane.edu/advising/tasc/peer-educators.cfm

Peer educators are selected each fall and spring. Applications are accepted through the year. Students that have applied are invited to attend an information sessions about the program. If the students are still interested after hearing about the program, they are scheduled to attend an interview with TUPHE leadership and 1 professional staff member. Applicants are expected to give a presentation on a pre-selected health topic as part of the interview. After the interviews are complete the TUPHE leadership and professional staff of theWELL select new members based off of their experience with peer education, their presentation skills, commitment to health and what they will bring to the current group of existing TUPHEs.

Students go through a certification process to become a certified peer educator. This training is at least 16 hours and some of the topics include: becoming a role model on campus, inclusivity and diversity, behavior change, communication, health advocacy and promoting health behaviors. All members are expected to attend trainings at the beginning of each semester and bi-weekly meetings during the semester. Training is provided on presentation skills and content area of all programs throughout each semester.

All financial support comes from theWELL’s budget. theWELL is a part of the Student Health Center.

RecycleMania Building Captains are students who are interested in sustainability outreach and gaining leadership experience in a campus setting. Building Captains are responsible for thinking of ways to engage fellow students and getting their dorms excited about participating in Tulane's RecycleMania Res Hall Challenge, a recycling, waste reduction, and energy efficiency competition between residence halls. Examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities Building Captains have engaged in include placing flyers around dorms, tabling on the quad with pledges for students to sign, and passing out recycling-themed stickers to students.

Any interested student living a the residence hall is eligible to be a RecycleMania Building Captain.

The Building Captains were asked to come to training session to learn about Tulane's recycling system and building energy use, and the environmental benefits of reducing waste and energy uses. The training also covered the rules of the RecycleMania Res Hall Challenge and ideas for getting other students involved. "Office Hours" were offered by the Sustainability Interns on a weekly basis during which Building Captains could come in and receive guidance for their ideas and projects, and learn skills such as using Excel and communicating the impact of waste and energy savings.

RecycleMania Building Captain are volunteers. The program is able to provide them with Tulane recycling t-shirts. Building Captains are given a small budget for printing per person, so each of them could design flyers for their dorms and have them printed. Building Captains come together for a closing lunch and are invited to the celebration at the winning residence hall.

Sustainability Interns work directly under the director of the Office of Sustainability, and perform a wide range of duties including data collection, recycling promotion, and peer outreach. In 2013-14, a Masters' student in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine was hired to focus on outreach to graduate students, staff and faculty in the school. Examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities include informational tabling, producing educational materials for their peers, posting about relevant events and news on social media, and developing and implementing outreach campaigns.

Sustainability Interns were selected from a pool of student applicants based off a written application and an in-person interview.

Sustainability Interns are given a training at the beginning of the year, which is followed by continuous weekly education in the form of team meetings, in which Sustainability Interns are able to meet with the Director of the Office of Sustainability to discuss potential projects, ideas, and responsibilities.

Sustainability Interns are hourly student employees. They work closely with the Director of the Office of Sustainability to plan and programs and are given advice, direction, and financial support from the Office of Sustainability.

Public Health Educators-- assumed that program reached all undergraduate students Building Captains—reaches uptown campus resident students, but counted as 0 to avoid double-counting Office of Sustainability Interns--adds graduate students in School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine