In an era where the mental and physical well-being of college students is a paramount concern for educational institutions nationwide, innovative approaches to health education are more critical than ever. Moving beyond static pamphlets and formal lectures, West Chester University has cultivated a vibrant, interactive annual Health and Wellness Expo that champions a powerful and often underutilized tool: peer-to-peer education. This event, born from a collaborative vision between faculty and students, is not merely a health fair but a dynamic platform designed to foster a deep sense of community belonging while arming students with tangible skills for navigating the complexities of their overall wellness. It stands as a compelling model for how universities can empower students to become active agents in their own health journeys and those of their peers.
The Genesis of a Student-Led Initiative
From Pilot to Annual Tradition
The Health and Wellness Expo first emerged in 2022, conceived by Dr. Rebecca Rich and Dr. Jayme Trogus, two public health professors who discovered a shared passion for student well-being shortly after meeting in 2021. Their foundational goal was ambitious yet clear: to create an event that could simultaneously build a sense of community and deliver practical health and wellness education. The inaugural expo was launched as a “pilot event,” a litmus test to gauge student interest and logistical feasibility. The response was immediate and overwhelmingly positive, with hundreds of students participating, which unequivocally confirmed the event’s profound value and its potential for long-term impact. Dr. Trogus noted that the expo provided an innovative opportunity to bridge the gap between student affairs and academic affairs through an engaging, peer-led framework. The enthusiastic feedback from the first event was instrumental in the decision to establish the expo as a cornerstone annual tradition, with student project leader Nikki Anandan playing an integral role in its ongoing organization and strategic planning from the outset.
The Core Philosophy Students Teaching Students
At the heart of the expo’s remarkable success lies a steadfast commitment to peer-to-peer education. This pedagogical model is particularly effective in a university setting, where students may feel more comfortable and receptive learning from individuals who share their experiences and perspectives. Nikki Anandan highlighted this approach as a “useful way to gain resources on and off campus,” which ultimately helps “sustain different levels of wellness for students through the use of hands-on activities and other interactive engagement.” The model dismantles potential barriers, making complex health information more accessible and relatable. However, the benefits extend far beyond the attendees. For the student presenters, many of whom are in health sciences fields, the expo serves as a vital professional development platform. Dr. Trogus explained that the experience offers invaluable practical training on how to effectively “deliver information as part of a professional job or career within the public health field.” This dual-benefit system, which educates the broader student body while providing real-world experience for aspiring health educators, is a cornerstone of the expo’s design. Dr. Rich powerfully reinforced this, expressing how rewarding it is to “see our students grow so much in their confidence and self-efficiency as health educators, just within a 2-hour event.”
Building a Framework for Success
A Collaborative Leadership Model
The flawless execution of a large-scale event like the Health and Wellness Expo is a testament to a meticulously organized team effort and a structure of clearly delineated roles. The leadership team, consisting of Dr. Rich, Dr. Trogus, and Nikki Anandan, each managed distinct yet interconnected facets of the planning process. Dr. Rich described her role as a “liaison between faculty and students,” where her responsibilities included communicating with other professors to promote the event and encourage them to incentivize student attendance and participation. In contrast, Dr. Trogus focused primarily on the logistical backbone of the event. She concentrated on implementing the necessary “structure and organization… to ensure positive outcomes,” meticulously managing the operational details that enabled the expo to run smoothly. As the student project leader, Nikki Anandan was deeply immersed in both the conceptual and practical planning stages. Her contributions included “thinking about the overarching themes of the event,” serving as the crucial communication bridge between the student body and faculty, and managing the entire physical layout, which involved creating the detailed vendor table map. This core team is supported by a wider collaborative network of volunteers, vendors, and various campus departments, making the planning a continuous, year-round endeavor.
The Importance of Institutional Buy-In
The sustained success and growth of the expo are deeply rooted in the robust support it receives from the university’s administration. The College of the Health Sciences is a major supporter, providing essential oversight, resources, and institutional legitimacy. The event is strategically held in the SECC building, a location Dr. Trogus described as “wonderful and beneficial” because it serves as the home of the college and is well-suited for hosting large, interactive groups. Dr. Trogus emphasized the critical nature of “institutional commitment from student affairs and college of the health sciences,” noting that the trust placed in the organizers allowed them to create an event widely recognized as a “valuable use of student time.” This institutional backing manifests in tangible ways, including financial support through mini-grant opportunities and the integration of academic incentives. When faculty offer extra credit to students for attending, it not only significantly boosts participation but also formally validates the expo as a legitimate and valuable learning experience, underscoring the university’s deep investment in the program’s mission and its continued success.
Evolving for the Future
Learning from Experience and Feedback
A key element of the expo’s enduring relevance is the organizers’ forward-looking perspective, which is centered on continuous improvement and adaptation. According to Dr. Trogus, the most significant challenge lies not in the initial planning stages but in the meticulous “post-event planning.” During this crucial phase, the team conducts a thorough analysis of the event’s execution to identify what can be done differently and more effectively in the subsequent year. This reflective process is heavily guided by direct feedback gathered from participants. Based on comprehensive survey data, Nikki Anandan identified several specific areas targeted for future enhancement. These included making strategic “layout changes within the SECC building and potentially finding better strategies to design a visual map layout of vendor tables” to improve traffic flow and participant engagement. This commitment to listening and responding to the student voice ensures that the expo remains a dynamic and highly effective resource, evolving each year to better meet the needs of its audience and optimize the overall experience for everyone involved.
A Vision for Broader Impact
The organizers’ ultimate aspirations for the program extended beyond refining internal operations. They envisioned a future where the expo’s influence could inspire similar wellness initiatives at other institutions. Dr. Rich expressed a strong desire to increase outreach efforts to other universities and local health departments, hoping that sharing their successful model would encourage others to create comparable peer-led events. This outward-facing goal was complemented by an ongoing internal commitment to innovation. Dr. Trogus underscored the importance of continually “reflecting the needs of students” and creatively considering how the diverse dimensions of wellness could be more effectively represented within the expo’s physical and thematic space. In the end, the program successfully demonstrated a powerful synthesis of academic goals and practical life skills. It provided a platform where students gained a deeper understanding of wellness and available resources, while future health professionals honed their educational skills. Witnessing the live interaction and the palpable growth of students during the event, as Dr. Rich concluded, instilled a profoundly “proud feeling” that validated the entire endeavor.
