Fresno State public health student hosted a health fair on Tuesday, Nov. 15 that aimed to raise awareness of common health issues among students.

The bi-annual fair featured new booths this year including booths about organ donation, fitness, obesity, debt awareness and grief.

“I think this was a great [event]. I think this really gives us an opportunity to practice what we learn in class before we graduate,” public health student Victoria Partida said.

In the past, people have criticized the repetitiveness of information at the health fair. However, many students felt it was not an issue this year.

“I think everybody did a really great job. You always hear people say it’s the same booths on alcohol and the same booths on prescription drugs, but everybody had their own ideas,” public health student Tina Franco said. “It wasn’t the same thing they did last year. These groups were very creative.”

“There was a good integration of topics that were unusual,” public health professor Kara Zografos said. “Bath salts, financial planning and organ donation were all covered.”

Many students felt that this year’s fair was an apparent success.

“It was the first time that anyone has done an organ donation group and a lot of people were impressed by it,” Franco said.  “What we were trying to do is promote organ donation.”

Grief management was also a popular topic.

“Two of our group members had someone who passed away last semester, so we were wondering how other students who were in similar situations were doing,” added Partida.

“Attendance was good this year.  This class gives students a chance to integrate all they have learned in other classes.  It really is a culminating experience,” Zografos added.

The wellness fair also held a vote for the best and most informative poster from the Student Health Center.  Graphic design students created the posters and the top two will be featured around campus in the coming weeks.

“[There are] different perspectives and different views, so it’s always good to check in and see and see [what’s new] in the health fair,” Partida said.