Thrive Peer Educators

 

The Thrive Peer Educators are a team of undergraduate students who work for the Department of Health Promotion at the University of Denver's Health & Counseling

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 Center. This passionate group of about paid student leaders strives to promote the health and well-being of the DU campus community through health education and engagement, developing programs and implementing outreach efforts to address sexual health, mental health, alcohol & other drug education, and interpersonal violence prevention.

Thrive Peer Educators serve as HCC ambassadors, act as liaisons between the DU community and health professionals, and facilitate Intervene: DU — a required active bystander intervention training for all new undergraduate students. This paid position requires a one-year commitment of 30 to 40 hours per quarter, with offers typically extended for students who are not graduating.

Become a Thrive Peer Educator

The Thrive Peer Educator team interviews and hires new members in the winter quarter each year. Applications for the '24-'25 year are closed, but applications for the '25-'26 year will open in January. If you have questions about the program, please email hcc.thrive@du.edu.

Note this is a year-long position and if you are studying abroad during the 2025-2026 academic year, we cannot consider you for the position. 

Meet Our Thrive Peer Educators!

 

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Gianna Bierman

  • Majors: Biology and Psychology, Concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Other Campus Activities: Member of DU First A Capella Group, Global Medical Brigades
  • Personal Interests: I love music – singing, writing and listening, especially to 90s alternative. I also ride horses.

 

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Amarri Bishop

  • Majors: Biology with a minor in Chemistry
  • Other Campus Activities: Honors Student, Medical Brigades President
  • Personal Interests: I love to write poetry and do hair, nails and makeup. I also love to read

 

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Alex Brooks

  • Majors: Public Policy with a minor in Psychology
  • Other Campus Activities: Honors Student
  • Personal Interests: I love music, I sing in the choir at DU, I was involved with show choir for 5 years, and I did the musicals every year at my high school. I also love art, drawing and painting on anything I can. I frequently customize my shoes.
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Mahlet Chaney

  • Majors: Finance and Psychology
  • Other Campus Activities: Hedge Fund club, Finance Club, Sales Club, Racial Just Learning Community
  • Personal Interests: Reading, Roller Blading, Ice Skating

 

 

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Lydia Dallapiazza

  • Major: International Studies & Business
  • Minors: Chinese & Leadership
  • Other Campus Activities: Chief of Logistics of Asian Student Alliance, Leadership Studies with Colorado Women's College, DU Club Ice Skating
  • Personal Interests: Working with my hands (Woodworking, origami, arts and crafts, drawing, etc.), reading, playing video games, cooking & eating, piano
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Mbone Elango

  • Major: Political Science with a minor in English
  • Other Campus Activities: IGNITE, Foothills Literary Magazine, Black Student Alliance, Yoga Club, Fashion and Sewing Club, and being a 4D Peer Mentor
  • Personal Interests: Reading, writing, arts and crafts, exercise thrifting, going to concerts, and music
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Manassi Gowda

  • Major: Criminology and Social Legal Studies with minors in Spanish and Leadership Studies
  • Other Campus Activities: Honors Student, Colorado Women’s College Scholar, Undergraduate Student Government (Associate Justice), Mock Trial (PR Officer), KXDU – DU Radio Station (PR and Events Manager), Campus Tour Guide
  • Personal Interests: Music! I play five instruments and mix a little. I also love to play tennis. 

 

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Tela Haskell (She/Her)

  • Majors: Sports Science & Kinesiology 
  • Minors: Biology and Statistics
  • Other Campus Activities: Hype Ultimate Frisbee
  • Personal interests: Baking, journaling, my morning routine

 

Rhianna

Rhianna Lewis (she/her/hers) 

  • Majors: Theatre & Spanish
  • Minors: Sustainability and Leadership
  • Campus Activities: Honors Student Association, DU Backstage, Club Climbing, Alpine Club, CWC Leadership Scholars
  • Personal Interests: Reading, writing, getting outdoors (hiking, skiing, kayaking, biking), and calling my dad

Chiara Lovely

  • Majors: Molecular Biology, Psychology with minors in Cognitive Neuroscience/Chemistry, Spanish
  • Campus Activities: DU Undergraduate Research Journal, Art Club
  • Personal Interests: I love movies, books, music, and crocheting!

Sara Esther Lozano

  • Majors: Psychology with a minor in Chinese
  • Personal Interests: I love love love reading, going on walks, and hanging out with friends. I also love keeping up with Harry Styles. (: 
Mia Picciuca

Mia Picciuca

  • Majors: Undeclared
  • Other Campus Activities: Honors Student, KXDU – DU Radio Station (Broadcaster), DU Service and Change Club, 
  • Personal Interests:I love listening to music and discovering new artists! I also enjoy reading and collage journaling in my free time. 
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Anna Respet (She/hers/hers)

  • Major(s): Political Science, International Studies
  • Minors: Spanish, Leadership Studies
  • Campus Activities: Tour Guide, 4D Peer Mentor, Sustainability Committee, Alpine Club, Active Minds, Greek Life, PLP
  • Personal Interests: all things stereotypical Colorado outdoor rec & nature; caamping, rock climbing, skiing, mountain biking, running, etc. and reading, hanging out with friends/family/pets 
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Osbin Reyes

  • Major(s): Accounting
  • Campus Activities: An Hermano of Latino America Unida, Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity Inc., Mentor at FRIST@DU, President of the Multicultural Greek Council 2025-26
  • Personal Interests: I like to hang out with my friends and explore Denver.

Maddox Riley

  • Major(s): International Business with a minor in Leadership
  • Campus Activities: Honors Student, Pioneer Leadership Program Scholar, 4D Peer Mentor, Hall Council (Marketing Chair), Asian Student Alliance, FLE and DUPB
  • Personal Interests: Hiking, Music, Thrifting
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Aryika Roy

  • Major(s): Psychology and Business Analytics
  • Campus Activities: 4D Peer Mentor
  • Personal Interests: I love to thrift and starting new movies and TV-shows!

 

Frankie

Frankie Stroud (she/her/hers) 

  • Majors: International Studies, Political Science
  • Minor: Spanish
  • Campus Activities: Undergraduate Student Government, DU Choirs, Delta Zeta Sorority, Honors Program 
  • Personal Interests: Hiking, running, vegetarian cooking, reading 

Lindsey Taylor

  • Majors: Psychology, intended Master’s degree in Social Work with a minor in English
  • Campus Activities: DU Active Minds President, Panhellenic Council Director of Scholarship and Leadership, Member of the Women’s Club Hockey Team
  • Personal Interests: I love to read all kinds of English, especially poetry. I enjoy cooking and baking and I love dogs

 

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Maddie Thompson

  • Majors: Psychology
  • Minor: Cognitive Neuroscience concentration, Biology
  • Campus Activities: Club Tennis, Psychology Honor Society
  • Personal Interests: Art, yoga, reading

 

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Teagan Weindel (She/Hers) 

  • Majors: Public Policy and International Studies
  • Minor: Leadership Studies
  • Campus Activities: Happy Tampers, DU Perfect Pair, IGNITE DU, Club Curling, PLP, and being a 4D Peer Mentor
  • Personal Interests: Food Justice, Cooking/Baking, Attending Farmer's Markets, and Petting Dogs
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Elana Yu

  • Majors: Biology and Chemistry with a minor in Leadership Studies
  • Campus Activities: ASA Member, CWC Scholar, AMWA Member
  • Personal Interests: I play tennis and am a music and art enthusiast