Director of Student Health Center Houry Tanashian continues the legacy of hosting the Student Health and Wellness Fair at Pierce College in Building 600 on April 30, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The fair provided students the opportunity to meet with community partners and Kaiser Permanente, sharing their volunteer program with students that want to go into the medical field.
Northridge Hospital offered a presentation on Stopping the Bleed, while other community partners offered sexual assault programs.
“This is very important because this way the college and the students get to connect.” Tanashian said. “I want the students to know that we care about their well-being, they’re not just a number.”
Psychologist Anna Yaralyan from the LA County Department of Mental Health creates mental health projects for the Russian, Farsi, Arabic and Armenian speaking communities.
“I have my private practice where I see children, adults and families,” Yaralyan said. “We provide mental health services such as therapy and diagnosis and also resources for our communities, mental health resources.”
“When I was in college a lot of the health events, they’re just focused on health and physical health,” Yaralyan said. “Now it’s more holistic.”
Paralegal studies student Michelle Tumwebaze who has worked for nine years at the Student Health Center emphasized the importance of attending to provide support to fellow students and individuals who may be unaware of the health services.
“There are a little bit of struggles and there is a lot of lack of sex education,” Tumwebaze said. “There’s been an increase in STIs by young students and it is very important that we let students know about healthy sex, taking precautions about STDs. It is very important for the young students to know that it is okay for them to have a good, healthy, safe sex life.”