The HBCU Wellness Project

Our Students

Student Health Ambassadors

Student health ambassadors (SHAs) are full-time students who attend one of the participating Historically Black Colleges or Universities associated with the HBCU Wellness Project. SHAs are exposed to service learning pedagogy that will enable them to work with local health and social service agencies in addition to serving as community representatives. In this role SHAs will positively impact the health and well being of underserved community residents in culturally sensitive and culturally relevant ways.

SHA Key Roles:

  • SHAs are health promotion and disease prevention advocates.
  • SHAs are change agents who work with community partners and residents.
  • SHAs are trained to investigate key community health issues through extensive study.

Student Research

The SHAs take pride in being able to touch the community through their research of disparities plaguing the minority communities. As health promotion and disease prevention advocates, they disseminate health information on topics associated with health priority areas for communities of color using evidence based methods shown to be effective in targeted communities. While conducting research the SHAs participate in community and campus events to further increase their knowledge on their particular research by working within the local communities. With access to the community the SHAs are able to disseminate information on local resources that will provide guidance to community participants. The local resources are usually local nonprofit organizations that focus on particular disparities that affect minority communities. These organizations are identified as community partners.

The community partner helps the SHA identify underlying causes of health inequalities in communities of color. With this partnership, the community partner is able to gain an outside perspective on their resources while giving the SHA insight on their research. Together the goal is to increase health protective behaviors in communities, empower residents through education, information and skills; building activities that will lead to long-term solutions for social and/or environmental factors that contribute to disease development, disability and early death.