Our HERO staff provides health education and programming on a variety of health topics but the following are our top priority areas:

Alcohol

• Disseminate information about alcohol use and misuse
• Advocate for responsible drinking and use of protective behaviors

Tobacco

• Motivate and support those who use in becoming tobacco-free
• Advise others of the policy on campus regarding tobacco use

Other Drugs

• Provide education on drugs such as stimulants, depressants, and Opioids
• Inform others of the dangers of current drug trends, especially marijuana

Sexual Health

• Encourage safer sex practices and STI testing
• Validate the characteristics and traits of a healthy relationship

Nutrition and Weight Management

• Promote healthy eating and offer a variety of options
• Support weight management through the My Plate program and portion control education

Stress Management

• Suggest tips and tools for managing stress
• Share information about the importance of sleep

We offer presentations on various health topics for a variety of settings. Call 785-864-9570 at least two weeks in advance to request a presentation to ensure availability of a health educator. This will also allow time to customize presentations for your specific needs.

Cook Well Live Well Classes are FREE for all KU students. Each class includes nutrition education, a hands on cooking lesson, cooking giveaways and a chance to win a copy of The Healthy College Cookbook. Classes are offered on a first come first serve basis and students must RSVP.  Refer to the calendar of events for upcoming classes.   For more information or to RSVP, contact Kelsey Fortin.

A 6-week weight management program FREE for all KU students. The program is designed to provide nutrition education on an individual basis to help students reach personal health goals while developing tools for a healthy lifestyle change. Measurements for body fat percent, weight, waist circumference, and other measurements available upon request.  For more information, contact Kelsey Fortin.

A 6-week tobacco cessation program FREE for all KU students. The program is designed to help tobacco users identify a quit date and develop a plan of action.  For more information, contact Karen Grajczyk.

Heartsaver CPR classes are offered periodically as requested for KU students, faculty, and staff. There is a charge for the classes. For more information, contact Karen Grajczyk.

Peer Health Educators are volunteers that provide peer-to-peer health education, under the direction of the Health Education Resource Office.  PHEs support healthy lifestyle behaviors and promote those behaviors to their peers.  Other benefits of being a PHE include:

• Increasing knowledge within health and wellness
• Gaining experience with public speaking
• Acquiring volunteer hours
• Networking and making connections

For more information, contact the Peer Health Education Coordinator.

The American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment II (NCHA) is a national research survey created to assist institutions of higher education collect data about their students’ habits, behaviors, and perceptions of prevalent health topics. HERO has collected NCHA data since 2003. Data collection occurs every two years in the Spring semester when HERO staff surveys a random sample of student participants. KU’s survey results can be compared with the national dataset, which includes over 100,000 students at 153 institutions of higher education. These reports summarize the latest findings:

• University of Kansas NCHA Spring 2013 Data Report (PDF)
• University of Kansas NCHA Spring 2013 Summary of Highlights (PDF)
• University of Kansas NCHA Spring 2015 Data Report (PDF)