L&C Health Promotion Shines at National Conference

Director of Health Promotion and Wellness Michelle CallahanThe upcoming NASPA Strategies Conferences will feature presentations on the innovative programming of Lewis & Clark’s Office of Health Promotion and Wellness. The conference will provide student affairs practitioners with the knowledge and skills to effectively address collegiate alcohol and drug misuse prevention, mental health, sexual violence prevention and response, peer education and well-being through a variety of comprehensive and integrative approaches.

NASPA—the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession—accepted three presentation proposals submitted by Director of Health Promotion and Wellness Michelle Callahan. Each presentation features members of the L&C community:

Empowerment in Action: Students Leading the Charge for a Safer Campus

Presenters

• Michelle Callahan, director of Health Promotion and Wellness
• Sarah Smith, psychology major and a member of Lewis & Clark’s Harm Reduction Community Outreach Club
  

This session covers a student-led harm reduction initiative targeting substance misuse and overdose prevention on college campuses. It focuses on forming a student organization to lead harm reduction efforts, implementing sharps disposal sites, and establishing Narcan distribution points. Attendees will learn how to empower students to create and manage peer-driven organizations that advocate for these measures, with strategies for collaboration and overcoming challenges related to policy, stigma, and resources.

Assistant Dean of Students Jessica CarronPartners in Prevention: Empowering Campus Communities with Harm Reduction Strategies

Presenters

• Michelle Callahan, director of Health Promotion and Wellness
• Jessica Carron, assistant dean of students

This session will examine the partnership between the Health Promotion and Wellness Office and the Community Accountability Office at Lewis & Clark College. Presenters will outline each office’s role in promoting student well-being and accountability, and how they collaborated to create a harm reduction strategy focused on student safety. Attendees will gain insights on building partnerships, engaging stakeholders, and using data to guide policy changes, with practical ideas for applying these strategies on their own campuses.

One is the Loneliest Number: Maximizing Impact of Small Health Promotion Offices

Presenters

• Michelle Callahan, director of Health Promotion and Wellness
• Mattson, director of Sexual Health, Advocacy and Relationship Education, Reed College

This session will explore the critical role of a single Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) in the Health Promotion Office at smaller institutions of higher education. We will discuss strategies for maximizing impact through cross-campus collaborations, innovative programming, and resiliency. Participants will gain insights into effectively utilizing limited resources to foster a culture of well-being and health promotion among students.

The NASPA Strategies Conferences will take place in Boston, MA, in January 2025.