About Health Promotion
The Office of Health Promotion supports student well-being by creating opportunities, environments, and connections that help Monarchs thrive. We focus on prevention, education, skill-building, and campus-wide strategies that make well-being part of the everyday ODU experience.
Health Promotion offers programs, resources, peer education, workshops, outreach, and opportunities for students to build practical skills and connect with campus resources. We also work alongside campus and community partners to strengthen the systems, environments, and experiences that support student well-being.
Visit our Support & Services page for additional information.
No. Health Promotion is not a clinical office and does not provide medical care, counseling, diagnosis, or treatment.
We focus on prevention, education, skill-building, outreach, and creating campus conditions that support well-being. Students seeking medical care can connect with Student Health Services, while students seeking counseling or mental health services can connect with Counseling Services.
Health Promotion primarily serves ODU students, and many of our programs, events, educational resources, and opportunities are available across the university community. Faculty, staff, student organizations, and campus partners can also work with Health Promotion to request programming, collaborate on initiatives, and support student well-being.
Visit our Support & Services page for additional information.
Getting Support
That’s okay—you don’t need to know exactly what you’re looking for before reaching out.
Explore our Well-Being Topics for practical information, strategies, and campus resources related to different areas of well-being. If you’re still unsure where to start, contact the Office of Health Promotion and we can help connect you with the appropriate resource or campus support.
No. The Office of Health Promotion does not provide counseling, medical care, diagnosis, or treatment.
For medical care, students can connect with Student Health Services. For counseling and mental health services, students can connect with Counseling Services. Health Promotion focuses on prevention, education, skill-building, outreach, and connecting students with resources that support their well-being.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. ODU offers resources that can help you support a friend while also recognizing when additional support may be needed.
Explore the Well-Being Topics for information and campus resources, or contact Counseling Services for guidance if you’re concerned about a friend’s mental or emotional well-being. If there is an immediate concern for someone’s safety or an emergency, contact ODU Police.
Well-Being Topics are practical, student-friendly guides designed to help you better understand different areas of well-being, recognize when you may need additional support, explore strategies you can try, and connect with relevant ODU resources.
Topics include mental and emotional well-being, sleep and recovery, nutrition and physical well-being, relationships and sexual health, alcohol and other drugs, thriving at ODU, and finding support and community.
The Office of Health Promotion provides free wellness supplies to support students throughout the semester, including KISS Kits, menstrual products, Care Kits, and seasonal Study Break Kits.
Availability and pickup locations vary by resource. Visit the Free Wellness Supplies page for current information about what is available, where to find it, and when seasonal resources are offered.
Workshops & Programs
Faculty, staff, student organizations, and campus partners can request a Health Promotion workshop through our online workshop request form.
Our Roar & Restore workshops are facilitated by trained Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors and provide interactive, peer-centered opportunities for students to build practical skills that support well-being.
The Roar & Restore workshop series includes:
- Grow Your Peace — practical strategies for navigating life’s demands and supporting emotional well-being
- Power Your Potential — nutrition and movement strategies that support energy, focus, and well-being
- Protect Your Reign — personal safety and risk-reduction strategies
- Monarchs P.A.W.S. — practical, judgment-free strategies for safer socializing and supporting friends
- Rest Your Crown — sleep and recovery strategies
- More Than Self-Care — explores how individual well-being connects with the environments, systems, and communities around us
Visit the Workshops page to explore current offerings and request a program.
No. Health Promotion workshops are available at no cost to the ODU community.
Yes. Faculty and staff can request Health Promotion workshops for classes, student groups, programs, or other appropriate campus settings.
Because our Roar & Restore workshops are designed as interactive, student-centered experiences, we encourage requesters to select the workshop that best aligns with their students’ needs and goals.
Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors
Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors (MWAs) are trained student leaders within the Office of Health Promotion who help promote well-being across the ODU community through peer education, outreach, programs, and connection.
MWAs help make health and well-being information approachable and relevant by engaging students through a peer-to-peer lens. Visit Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors for additional information.
Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors support a variety of Health Promotion initiatives, including:
- Facilitating Roar & Restore workshops
- Supporting health promotion events and outreach
- Connecting students with campus resources
- Engaging peers in conversations about health and well-being
- Collaborating on Health Promotion initiatives and campaigns
- Helping strengthen a culture of well-being at ODU
Visit Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors for additional information.
Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors complete NASPA Certified Peer Educator (CPE) training as part of their preparation as peer educators. They also receive training and ongoing development through the Office of Health Promotion to prepare them to facilitate workshops, support outreach and programs, connect students with appropriate resources, and engage effectively with their peers.
Yes! Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors are paid student employees within the Office of Health Promotion.
Positions are posted in Handshake when openings are available. Students interested in becoming an MWA can learn more about the role, training, and experience on the Monarch Well-Being Ambassadors page and check Handshake for current employment opportunities.
Get Involved & Events
Health Promotion offers events and outreach activities throughout the year that create opportunities for students to learn, connect, recharge, build practical skills, and engage with well-being in approachable ways.
Offerings vary throughout the semester and may include wellness events, educational outreach, interactive activities, pop-ups, campaigns, and collaborative campus programs. Visit the Health Promotion Events Calendar to see upcoming events, workshops, outreach activities, and other opportunities to connect. Health Promotion events may also be available through ODU’s University Master Calendar and Monarch Groups, depending on the event.
There are several ways for students to get involved with the Office of Health Promotion, depending on their interests and goals. Opportunities may include:
- Paid student employment
- Internships
- Volunteering
- Student Health & Well-Being Coalition involvement
- Health Promotion events and activities
Paid student positions with the Office of Health Promotion, including Monarch Well-Being Ambassador opportunities, are posted in Handshake when positions are available.
Because openings vary throughout the year, students interested in working with Health Promotion are encouraged to check Handshake for current opportunities.
The Office of Health Promotion offers internship opportunities for students interested in gaining hands-on experience in health promotion, well-being, peer education, outreach, program development, and related areas.
Students interested in a future internship can complete the Health Promotion Internship Interest Form to share their interests and academic requirements with our team.
Yes. Students can express interest in volunteering with Health Promotion to support programs, events, outreach, and other initiatives.
Volunteer opportunities vary throughout the semester based on departmental and program needs.
The Student Health & Well-Being Coalition brings together students who want to help strengthen health and well-being at ODU. Coalition members can share student perspectives, contribute ideas, participate in collaborative efforts, and help shape initiatives that support the broader campus community.
Students interested in participating can complete the Coalition interest form to learn more and get connected.
Assessment & Impact
The Office of Health Promotion uses a combination of student feedback, assessment data, participation trends, campus collaboration, and evidence-informed practices to identify needs and guide our work.
This helps us develop programs, resources, partnerships, and strategies that respond to the experiences of ODU students while supporting broader campus well-being.
Student well-being data help us better understand students’ experiences, identify emerging needs and trends, evaluate our efforts, and inform priorities for health promotion at ODU.
We use these insights alongside student feedback and collaboration with campus partners to continually strengthen programs, resources, environments, and strategies that support student well-being. Visit our About Health Promotion page for additional information
The current Student Snapshot reflects findings from the American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment III (ACHA-NCHA III), Old Dominion University Institutional Data Report, Fall 2025.
The Office of Health Promotion uses these findings to better understand student health and well-being and inform evidence-informed priorities and strategies across campus.
Visit the About Health Promotion page to explore the current Student Snapshot.
Data helps Health Promotion:
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Improve programs and outreach
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Identify student needs
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Strengthen campus partnerships
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Support belonging and student success
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Guide evidence-informed wellness strategies