The Bulldog Wellness Campaign was created for California State University, Fresno’s Student Health and Counseling Center by the MCJ 149: Advertising and Public Relations Campaigns class in Spring 2021. It was designed to be implemented in the Fall 2021 semester; the campaign had to be adapted for a hybrid virtual/in-person academic session due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

 

The primary goal of this campaign is to raise awareness about the mental health services of the Fresno State Student Health and Counseling Center and encourage more conversation about mental health among students and faculty. In doing so, the Bulldog Wellness Campaign seeks to reach multiple demographics of Fresno State students, including international students, male students and student athletes. The campaign also seeks to reach a secondary audience: faculty. By educating faculty about the health center’s resources, they will be equipped with the proper information to guide students on how to foster and care for their mental health using the campus resources available to them.

 

The Bulldog Wellness Campaign was developed through situation analysis and research. The situation analysis includes an examination of the health center’s internal and external strengths and weaknesses. The research is composed of 28 case studies, evaluating mental health campaigns on college campuses through an overview, listed strategies, and campaign lessons. 

 

The Bulldog Wellness Campaign has three components -- social media and audio, a Bulldog Wellness Pledge, and encouragement for faculty. 

 

The Bulldog Wellness Pledge is a form for students to fill out, asking for their commitment to learn about and share the Student Health and Counseling Center’s resources by providing their email, pledging to follow the health center’s social accounts and committing to share the pledge with three peers. Additionally, once pledge, students will receive virtual newsletters that prompt healthy, mindful habits and foster healthy mental habits. 

 

The pledge’s success will be evaluated by both quantitative and qualitative methods. The health center can review the number of students who took the pledge (quantitative) and will send a survey for students to share their likes and dislikes regarding the pledge (qualitative).

 

Videos were created by students to thank and encourage faculty support student mental health. Materials were also created for use in an upcoming Wellness in the Classroom program being launched in Summer 2021. This will be evaluated based on the use and response of materials created. 

 

Lastly, the social media content and audio components  will be promoted through multiple platforms, including the Student Health and Counseling Center’s podcast and their social platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter.