Twitch Streaming: Health Promotion LIVE on Twitch
Written by: Elisabeth Cavallaro
Engaging and educating Appalachian State University students has taken a dynamic turn with the Wellness and Prevention Services' ever-growing Twitch streaming community. Since its launch in October 2021, the channel has amassed 140 followers. Streaming sessions occur twice weekly, on Mondays from 7pm to 9pm and on Thursdays from 6 pm to 8pm.
Mondays are helmed by Jay Ward, an intern at Wellness and Prevention Services and the president of We Care. Jay invites campus partners to share information about their department while playing multiplayer games like SpiderHeck and Mario Party, puzzle games like Superliminal and Limbo, and cozy simulators like The Sims 4 and Stardew Valley. Featured guests in the Fall semester included Community Engaged Leadership, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Career Development Center and the Tutoring Center.
Thursday night streams, hosted by Ella Kate Jordan, a member of We Care, focused on the neurodivergent experience at App State. Ella Kate candidly shares personal experiences, encourages viewer participation, and educates the audience about both on- and off-campus resources. A highlight of these streams was the inclusion of the Boone Barbies, who discussed how drag positively impacts mental health and serves as a means of self-expression. Ella Kate fostered a neurodivergent-friendly community space, hosting events like PowerPoint Night where viewers presented their special interests, and Dungeons and Dragon one-shots.
Next semester, Wellness and Prevention Services add an additional stream focused on recovery, hosted by Collegiate Recovery Community peer mentor Jaelin Phillips. Tune in Wednesday nights at 7pm to learn about how to maintain recovery over breaks, the role relationships play in recovery, setting boundaries, and how different identities like religion and sexuality intersect with recovery.
Thursday night streams, continuing with Ella Kate as the host, will cater to the Esports community. With over 130 members, the Appalachian Esports community is vibrant, and Ella Kate, as the co-present of the Appalachian State Esports club, is excited to play popular games like Valorent and Rocket League, while discussing themes such as forming friendships offline, knowing the warning signs of gaming addiction, and navigating the Esports world as a woman.
Jay will continue hosting the Monday night streams, offering a mix of general wellness discussions and neurodivergent topics. Expect appearances from the Office of Diversity, the Collegiate Recovery Community, the Makerspace and more.
Streams kick off on Monday January 22nd and will run three times a week, through April 29th. Join us on Twitch, where health education meets innovation!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Justin Parks, Coordinator for Wellness Promotion ([email protected]).