Student Engagement

The programming options below were developed by staff members in Cornell Health's Skorton Center for Health Initiatives.  

Requesting a program

To request a program or training from the Skorton Center, please complete this program request form. We require a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice to accommodate requests.

Please note:

  • In-person programs are available to groups of 30 individuals or more
  • Online and pre-recorded materials are available for anyone (Cornell NetID required for Canvas courses)

Program descriptions (2024-2025)

Cornell Health overview videos 

We offer two videos designed for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in Ithaca: 

Both videos provide information about the medical, mental health, and support services available to students at Cornell Health. They also highlight when and how to access services, cost for care and using insurance, along with 24/7 resources.

Bystander intervention programming

Intervene

"Intervene" is both a video and a workshop:

  • Video: The online 20-minute video Intervene includes brief filmed scenarios demonstrating ways in which student bystanders can successfully intervene in problematic situations. Seven different situations are addressed, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence (emotional abuse), hazing, alcohol emergency, emotional distress, and bias. Characters in the film represent the diverse identities of college student populations including race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. View the Intervene video.
  • Workshop: A 60-minute in-person workshop provides an opportunity for students to view the video with others and engage in a facilitated conversation to reflect upon the attitudes and behaviors that influence the process of intervening as an individual or with assistance. Participants also discuss additional related scenarios not included in the film and resources available to support them and their peers.

> Learn more about Intervene

Notice and Respond: Friend 2 Friend (undergraduates)

  • In-person training that includes a filmed scenario, facilitated discussion, practice asking directly about suicide and review of specific resources (60–90 minutes).

This bystander intervention program was developed to help Cornell undergraduate students to recognize and respond to their peers (roommate or housemate, friend, classmate, or other acquaintance) who may be experiencing distress. Through didactic material and a real-life example this training provides undergraduate students with information about signs and levels of distress (concern, elevated, and emergency) they may notice in peers, as well as corresponding response options, including campus, local, and national resources.  

Additionally, students will learn when and how to ask about suicide directly, and that asking directly about suicide does not increase the risk that the person will act on these thoughts. This training covers the importance of encouraging help-seeking behavior and utilization of resources with peers.

Notice and Respond: Peer 2 Peer (graduate and professional students)

  • In-person training that includes a film, facilitated discussion, and review of specific resources (60 minutes).

This bystander intervention program will help graduate and professional students recognize and respond to their peers (housemates, friends, classmates, lab mates, or other acquaintances) who may be experiencing distress. This training provides information about signs and levels of distress (concern, elevated, and emergency) participants may notice in their peers, as well as corresponding response options, including campus, local, and national resources. Students will also learn when and how to ask about suicide directly, and that asking directly about suicide does not increase the risk that the person will act on these thoughts.

Mental Health Promotion programming

Let's CU Flourish (A Toolkit for Well-Being)

  • In-person training (60–90 minutes) that includes a combination of evidence-based interactive activities and didactic material.
  • Cornell is a place for growth and development, and stress is an inevitable part of this. Based on their social environment, strengths, and values, this program invites undergraduate, graduate, and professional students to explore different paths to support their health and well-being. Introducing concepts from the positive psychology PERMA Theory of Well-Being, this training empowers students to cultivate their own inner sense of stability and peace of mind, despite elements that are out of their control, and provides a review of resources and tools to help students flourish.

Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation 

  • In-person training (60 minutes)

Curious about mindfulness meditation? This training is a great place to start. With both didactic and experiential components, this program engages participants in learning how to practice different types of mindfulness meditation, its historical context, and evidence-based health benefits. Participants will experience a brief, guided meditation practice, discuss their experiences, and learn more about opportunities to practice meditation on-campus, including the Let’s Meditate initiative.

Sleep Education

Are you feeling tired? Do you have trouble getting enough sleep? How about getting good quality sleep? Sleep is one of the most important things you can do to promote strong academic performance and support your mental health. The good news is that sleep is a conditioned behavior that can be improved! Using a combination of interactive activities and didactic material, these trainings allow students to explore the science of sleep and learn evidence-based strategies proven to help college students reimagine rest and maximize the benefits of sleep.

Alcohol and Other Drug Education programming

Alcohol and Other Drug Education

Most Cornell students either do not drink alcohol or do so in moderation. And most do not use cannabis/marijuana or other drugs. But some students do use drugs or drink alcohol in problematic ways, which causes harm to themselves and/or those around them. This online training is designed to provide Cornell students with information to make informed decisions related to alcohol and other drugs. Whether or not you ever drink alcohol or use drugs, this information is important. This program will help you understand how to reduce risks to yourself and others that can result from alcohol and other drug use and how to recognize and respond to an alcohol or other drug emergency.

Hazing Prevention Education programming

How to Recognize and Respond to Hazing

This prevention training discusses hazing, a form of interpersonal violence. This training explores what constitutes hazing and what you can do if you or someone you know is hazed. This training will walk through various forms hazing behavior takes, the emotional and physical impact of hazing on individuals and communities, how to recognize signs of hazing, and ways to support someone who has been hazed, including an overview of campus resources available to help.

Sexual Violence Prevention Education programming

Interactive discussions are tailored for groups requesting programs on sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking. Students are given tools and information to help them understand definitions, available resources, how to respond to a friend who has shared an experience of abuse or violence, and how to recognize healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Supporting Survivors of Abuse or Violence

Through interactive discussions, students will learn recommended approaches to providing support to friends who have shared an experience of abuse or violence: listen with compassion, respond with empathy; empower the survivor to determine what’s best for them; offer confidential resources for further support. This information helps to build a culture of caring and develop skills for responding appropriately and compassionately to disclosures of harmful experiences.

The Spectrum of Relationships

Relationships- we’re all in them. We have families, roommates, friends, teammates, supervisors, mentors, advisors, and more! Learn how to recognize indicators of healthy and unhealthy relationships, key things to listen for when others reflect on their relationships, and how to build healthy and happy relationships in various areas of your life.


 

See also ...