Peer Educator Outreach Request Form

Interested in Being a Peer Educator? 

Andrea Essmaker (she/her)

Andrea is a Psychology major at GVSU, with a Criminal Justice minor. She loves being a Peer Educator because she gets to make students aware of all the services the University Counseling Center has to offer. Her favorite forms of self-care are spending time with friends as well as staying in and reading a good book!

Aniya Hill (she/her)

Aniya is currently studying Public and Nonprofit Administration. She became a Peer Educator because she's passionate about spreading awareness around mental health and making sure people know they don’t have to navigate challenges alone. She loves being someone students can turn to for support, connection, and guidance to resources that can really make a difference. Her favorite self-care activity would be listening to music and having quiet time, it's her favorite way to reset!

Natalie Jock (she/her)

Natalie Jock is a junior studying Social Work with a minor in Psychology. She hopes to attend graduate school to become a licensed professional counselor with a focus in cognitive behavioral therapy. This is her first year as a Peer Educator, and she is excited to promote the University Counseling Center to other students. Natalie is passionate about mental health and is excited to leave a positive impact on her community. Her favorite self-care activities include working out, journaling, crafting, and watching Gilmore Girls!

Usha Pedapalli (she/her)

Usha Pedapalli is a graduate student studying Health and Bioinformatics with a background in Dental Surgery. Usha is passionate about healthcare and believes that mental health is just as important as physical health. As a Peer Educator, she is eager to share knowledge, along with learning from others! Usha loves interacting with people and exploring new perspectives. In her free time, you can find Usha shopping and spending time in nature for self-care.

Karly Polash (she/her)

Karly is a junior majoring in Allied Health Sciences with a Pre-PA emphasis and a minor in Psychology. She plans to attend PA school (hopefully here at GVSU) and work as a Neurology PA. She loves working as a UCC Peer Educator because she is extremely passionate about free mental health resources and she loves to be involved in campus! Outside of the UCC, Karly volunteers in the Cancer Resource Library at the Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion, serves as the Vice President of the GVSU Psychology Club, and is a part of the Women in Medicine and Science Club. Her favorite self-care activities are reading and watching documentaries with her roommate.