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KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 24, 2021

A team of Kennesaw State University students are volunteering to help keep their fellow Owls safe during the pandemic, as the inaugural group of student health ambassadors in KSU鈥檚 .

Now in their second semester, the student health ambassadors (SHAs) add another element to Kennesaw State鈥檚 response to the pandemic. The SHAs work volunteer shifts on campus, encouraging safety measures such as wearing masks and social distancing and giving out pre-packaged kits containing a face mask, hand sanitizer and information on .

鈥淲e wanted to add a student/peer component to the University鈥檚 pandemic plan, which also would make the overall response more comprehensive,鈥� said Andy Altizer, Kennesaw State鈥檚 director of emergency management. 鈥淭he student health ambassadors want to be part of the solution. It鈥檚 one thing to say that you鈥檙e living through history, but these young people are working through history to decrease the impact of COVID-19.鈥�

The ambassadors don鈥檛 have any enforcement or regulatory authority, relying instead on a friendly, encouraging approach to providing a mask to a person without one or offering information such as how to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The campus community鈥檚 response to the student health ambassadors has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Havan Temesghen, a student assistant in the Office of Emergency Management and the SHA program manager.

鈥淭his is relatable for students because, if you see a peer who is advocating healthy behavior, I think you鈥檒l be more willing to listen,鈥� said Temesghen, a senior majoring in . 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased that faculty and staff also have been seeking out the SHAs to talk with them or ask for a kit.鈥�

Wearing T-shirts identifying them as SHAs, the ambassadors typically walk through campus buildings and strike up conversations with students who aren鈥檛 wearing face coverings. They also can be seen manning information tables in high-traffic areas indoors or outdoors, or taking a few moments to share their message with a fellow student before or after class.

鈥淲hen I heard about being a student health ambassador, it was something that I had to do,鈥� said senior major Mikaya Franklin. 鈥淚 felt that by doing something as small as handing out masks and hand sanitizer, I was making a difference on campus. When the pandemic is all over, I'll be able to say that I played a part in helping our campus through it.鈥�

KSU senior Alexis Blackstone, a major, said she 鈥渏umped at the opportunity鈥� to be a student health ambassador because she is passionate about physical and mental health. While the program is a natural fit for Blackstone and other students in health-related majors, the SHAs represent a range of Kennesaw State academic programs such as , , , and .

鈥淗aving students from very different majors as part of our program adds to the inclusivity of what we do,鈥� Temesghen said. 鈥淧romoting a healthy environment for everybody is something that a lot of students are very willing to take on. I鈥檓 very proud to be a part of it.鈥�

The Office of Emergency Management wants to build on the program鈥檚 success and add more student health ambassadors, particularly for the Marietta Campus. The plan also is for the SHAs to continue beyond the pandemic, to serve as advocates amid any future public health concern or other emergency preparedness outreach opportunity.

鈥淲e look forward to COVID being over, but the student health ambassadors will not end with COVID,鈥� Altizer said. 鈥淭his is the beginning.鈥�

鈥� Paul Floeckher

Photos and video by Jason Getz

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 色色啦. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.