HOWL Peer Educator
The Helpful Outreach Wellness Leaders (HOWL) peer educator program is a Counseling Services initiative aimed at supporting college students and fostering a sense of community. Counseling Services recognizes the importance of peers supporting one another and strives to reduce the stigma around mental health on campus.
As a HOWL peer educator, you'll play an important role in shifting the campus culture around mental health. The program provides students with valuable experience in campus mental health outreach while developing essential professional skills. By participating in HOWL, you'll contribute to creating a supportive community and gain meaningful experience in addressing the unique challenges faced by college students.
As a HOWL Peer Educator, you will:
- Attend Weekly Meetings - Stay engaged and informed through regular gatherings.
- Create Marketing Content - Develop compelling materials to promote mental health awareness.
- Plan and Participate in Events - Be an integral part of exciting and impactful campus events.
- Share Mental Health Resources - Passionately advocate for mental health by distributing valuable information to your peers.
- Support College Students - Play a direct role in initiatives that ensure your peers have access to support and resources.
This Silver Paw award-winning program is open to all undergraduate students, regardless of major.
Participation requires a commitment of approximately 16 hours per semester, with meetings held every Friday from 9 to 10 a.m.
If you're dedicated to making a difference and supporting your fellow students, apply at the link below by September 8, 2024. For any questions, please contact Counseling Services at csoutreach@unr.edu.
Ryan Christian
My name is Ryan Christian and I'm a senior studying economics and math. I'm passionate about helping others who struggle with mental health, as many important people in my life, including my closest friends and siblings, have been impacted by it. Being a peer educator allows me to do just that: help and understand the UNR community, and make a positive impact on the lives of others. I enjoy listening to a variety of music, including David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Sonic Youth, and Cigarettes After Sex, and while I'm particularly interested in psychology, business, and history, I always love learning about new things.
Mio Kida
Hello! My name is Mio and I am in my senior year at UNR and new to the Wellness Peer Educator program. My major is International Affairs with two minors in Information Systems and Chinese. I am passionate about promoting mental health on the UNR campus, especially among international students like myself. In my free time I enjoy tennis, hiking, and Japanese/Chinese calligraphy!
Alex Knowlton
My name is Alex and I’ve been a Wellness Peer Educator with Counseling Services since fall 2022. I’m an environmental science major and I’m very passionate about mental health. In my position, I hope to make campus a more welcoming environment for all and a space for people to be vulnerable. In the future, I hope to better human health as a physician while studying the axis between environmental and human health. I love cooking, hiking, and playing tennis. I really want to try rock climbing and get better at crocheting!
Sydney Lu
Hi! My name is Sydney. I'm a senior studying psychological sciences with minors in applied statistics and music. I helped start up the Counseling Center's Wellness Peer Educators back in 2021. You might be able to catch me longboarding around campus. I like talking about deep stuff, going on Google Deep Dives, and finding weird media to consume. I also play the piano! In the future, I'd like to continue connecting with others, learning as much as I can, and playing cool music.
Kiana Ponce
Hi my name is Kiana and I am a senior at the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno. I’m studying sociology and minoring in entrepreneurship. As a wellness educator I hope to provide resources and support to any and all students. College is a time for growth and self discovery and I would love to make sure that mental barriers don’t hold students back from reaching new milestones. This campus has so many programs, clubs and services available no matter what your major is or what your interests include. I like to spend my free time going snowboarding, practicing yoga, discovering new music and doing arts and crafts.