Aspiring to Be Well

In recent years, college campuses across the nation have turned their attention to health awareness and programs that encourage student health on campus. Clemson University is no different. For several years Clemson has placed an emphasis on health and wellness programs involving alcohol misuse prevention, but it wasn’t until recently that it expanded its scope to include educating students about the effects of interpersonal violence including mental health and suicide prevention. This addition catalyzed formation of the Aspire to be Well program which is facilitated by student leaders and implemented in a dialogue-style format across the campus.

The program is more than the fall semester sessions in which all Clemson students are required to participate. The Aspire program consists of a team of student facilitators from various majors who are passionate about health and wellness. During the spring semester, student facilitators work with Chloe Greene, the Associate Director of Healthy Campus, for weekly discussions on the topics they will address in the fall. The students hear guest speakers from different departments (e.g., Gantt Multicultural Center, Counseling and Psychological Services) cover a wide range of topics.

In the fall, student facilitators work closely with Hannah Allison, Assistant Director of Healthy Campus, who is in charge of Aspire curriculum and assessment. During these months, student facilitators hold weekly sessions for their peers to discuss health topics (e.g., sexual violence, substance abuse and suicide prevention). Allison remarks, “Seeing the reactions of the student facilitators knowing they have made an impact on the student population is one of the most rewarding parts.” Student facilitators are encouraged to be a health and wellness resource to their peers even after the session by stimulating further conversation and allowing them to ask any questions they may have. Jennifer Goree, Director of Healthy Campus Initiatives, explains, “We want to challenge students to rise to the occasion as we help educate them about important health topics.”

Beyond the student dialogue, the Aspire: Developing Peer Delivered Initiatives to Foster the Promotion of a Healthy Campus Creative Inquiry team is making big leaps in undergraduate research by collecting data to assess the program and its impact. The Creative Inquiry team works closely with Dr. Martie Thompson, research professor in the Department of Youth, Family and Community Studies, and Dr. Heidi Zinzow, associate professor in the Department of Psychology. After each Aspire session, student participants are sent a survey to complete, and several months later, another long-term survey is sent out for the same student participants to complete.

The data collected are valuable for assessment of and revisions for the program as well as for future publications. The preliminary data also assisted in obtaining a national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant to implement a comprehensive suicide prevention approach on campus.

Still, the greatest accomplishment of this Creative Inquiry is the impact it has on Clemson students and student facilitators alike. Mary Catherine Harbin, an intern in her second year with Aspire, reflects, “I would work with this program for ten more years if I could. It has given me so much confidence as I am able to communicate with my peers about important health issues and how they can make a difference.” That is a testament to the heart behind Aspire. Educated students are confident students, and confidence is the key to making healthy decisions.