University to award $25,000 for healthy campus ideas

By Alesia Sullivan, January 29 2015 —

Champions for a Healthier Campus, a new Wellness Centre initiative, , will award $5,000 to five groups of students for ideas to make the University of Calgary healthier.

Wellness Centre health promotion coordinator Russell Thomson said it’s important to take student suggestions into account when making changes to campus.

“[Students] being able to implement their own ideas on campus, giving back to their own community, that’s huge,” Thomson said. “I think it’s important for students to have a say in how health policies and health programs are delivered and disseminated in their community.”

The contest is open to all students. Groups of three to seven must submit  proposals outlining how they plan to make campus healthier. Some students, like third-year urban studies major Erin Lloyd, are already formalizing their ideas.

“Maybe a campus tax system. If you go for the sugary Gatorade over water, you’d pay extra, and that extra would go towards [something] like helping fund the reconstruction of MacHall,” Lloyd said.

Students’ Union vice-president student life Jonah Ardiel said restrictions are loose. He expects students to submit lots of ideas.

“When you provide an opportunity like this and they give you the money to do it, they’re more likely to take the effort,” Ardiel said.