Taylor Walby, a Lasell College student from Boothbay Harbor and a 2015 Boothbay Region High School graduate, is one of 19 Peer Health Educators (PHE) on the institution's Newton, Massachusetts campus.

Walby, a psychology major, was selected as a PHE for the 2018-2019 academic year through an application process run by the College's Office of Health Education. Selected students are chosen for their interest in the program and comfort in talking with their peers about topics such as mental health, substance abuse, sexual health, and safety.

Each PHE is tasked with building a health-conscious culture at the College through education, resources, peer leadership networking, and programming. They attend ongoing trainings and biweekly meetings to discuss current events and topics that relate to health, college, and campus life.

As part of this year's PHE cohort, Walby is currently developing peer health programming for the spring semester, including “Mindful Meals,” a weekly opportunity for students to gather in the dining hall for intentional conversations without the distraction of technology.

“We strive to create an awareness of preventative health strategies that serve students at Lasell, but that are also transferrable beyond college and throughout their lives,” said Allison Whitcomb, the PHE advisor and health educator and clinical counselor at the College.

Walby works with the group to run events including National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, therapy dog visits, stress-free fairs and more. On top of that, the group collaborates with other institutional organizations and clubs to sponsor or co-host events such as Take Back the Night, The Clothesline Project, and the White Ribbon Campaign.