For the first time during Winter Term, Elon University is offering HealthEU courses at no cost. The one-credit courses will help students develop skills to aid in their wellness journey.
Elon University’s Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education is offering free HealthEU courses during Winter Term 2026.
The one-credit courses are designed to empower students to develop skills to aid their wellness journey. Students can enroll in courses from a variety of wellness dimensions (physical, emotional, social, financial, purpose, and community wellness). Courses address one or more dimensions, while also reflecting on the holistic and interdependent nature of wellness and well-being.
The courses are free for students during the Winter Term. Evan Small, assistant teaching professor of wellness, says Winter Term can be a tough time for students as there is less activity on campus.
“We heard from students who said that they went to class … and were looking for other opportunities to engage with their peers, and with different kinds of content,” Small said.
Small says the courses gives students the opportunity to begin forming healthy habits that are more difficult to do outside of a structured setting.
“You have to engage in a really structured way to build the habits internally,” he said. “Even our aerobic conditioning and weight conditioning courses, students say ‘I could go to the gym and learn these things, but having this formal opportunity in a one- or two-credit course provides that additional incentive and additional weight to take it seriously and learn the skills.’”
The courses, which are offered during the fall and spring semesters as well, are part of the university’s HealthEU Initiative, which aims to empower every individual in the Elon community to implement and integrate wellness values in their lives, including the six dimensions of wellbeing: community, emotional, financial, physical, purpose and social. The new HealthEU Center, a 135,000-square-foot center will be a hub for health and well-being within the university’s Innovation Quad and is scheduled to open in fall 2026.
“We know, across the board, students recognize the opportunities they can get through Health EU courses, but it provides them with a structured opportunity to engage with their peers,” said Small. “Opportunities for some connections and collaborations, meeting additional faculty and staff instructors they have interacted with across campus. But what students say a lot is it’s a structured focus time where they can engage in the skill building.”
Health EU Courses
HEU 1711: Being Brave!
This course will provide an overview of stress response and common anxious thoughts, feelings, and body sensations associated with social interactions, talking in front of others, and ‘stage fright’. We will also explore ways to self-regulate and cultivate our courage to grow confidence with our voices and our ability to speak in front of others. The goal is ‘challenge by choice’ in participating in fun and creative ways with other students that are wanting to grow their courage in an encouraging and supportive environment.
HEU 1712: Caring for the Queer Self
This class seeks to answer the question: what are the ways queer and trans people care for their selves? Is caring for the self done individually or in community? Queer and trans college student face unique stressors that their non-queer and non-trans peers do not. These stressors could be navigating the coming out process at school or at home, finding LGBTQIA-inclusive medical and health providers, financial stressors, seeing anti-queer violence on media and in real (including legislature) or feeling like they are the “only one” in classes or social groups. This course will provide students with resources and space to cultivate a practice of care that centers a queer and/or trans identity. This class will read relevant works that discuss wellness for LGBTQIA people including articles, discuss popular culture media, and hear from speakers about their own practice of self-care. *queer is an umbrella term to define those who are part of the LGBTQIA communities or identify as diverse sexual and gender minorities.
HEU 1716: Elon Friendship Lab
This course is for students seeking deeper, lasting connections on campus. Friendships and social bonds are essential to our happiness and well-being, and this class creates opportunities to connect with others who share similar values and experiences, fostering a strong sense of belonging. Through both structured and casual activities, students will explore ways to identify, form, and maintain connections at Elon. The class will feature interactive discussions, off-campus trips, and reflective activities, encouraging students to build relationships both in and outside the classroom.
HEU 1725: Beyond the Elon Bubble
Want to feel more connected to the place you’re living right now? In this course, we’ll step outside the “Elon bubble” and get to know Alamance County – our neighbors, local culture, opportunities, and challenges. You’ll learn how to enter a new community with curiosity and respect, while also building real-world skills for making an impact. Think of it as a guide to finding your place, both here and in any community you’ll call home in the future.
HEU 1726: Skills for Resilience
Setbacks are a normal part of life, but you can cultivate resilience to adapt, recover, and grow through challenges. In this course, you will learn how to build resilience and support your overall wellness through practical strategies. You’ll explore ways to manage stress, regulate emotions, practice self-compassion, and develop healthy habits that help you flourish-both in college and in life. Through assessments, activities, reflection, and peer connection, you will build your own toolkit that will help you navigate challenges with confidence and care.
HEU 1728: You Can Do Hard Things
Navigating Social Courage in College and Beyond helps students build the confidence to speak up, stay true to themselves, and engage authentically with others. Through learning and practice, students will explore strategies to cultivate social courage in everyday life and develop the skills to navigate moments of pushback or disapproval with resilience. Students will also learn how their social courage can positively impact the world around them.