UC San Diego Unveils Willo, a Groundbreaking Wellness App for Students

UC San Diego has launched a pioneering wellness app named Willo, designed to enhance student well-being by providing easy access to mental health and wellness resources. Developed by students for students, Willo utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to integrate various on-campus services into a personalized and user-friendly platform, all at no cost to users.

“This innovative app is specifically tailored to meet the mental health needs of our diverse student body,” said Pradeep K. Khosla, Chancellor of UC San Diego. He emphasized that Willo reflects the university’s commitment to student health and its long-standing leadership in AI technology. The app aims to support students in navigating available wellness resources, underscoring mental health as a priority.

The development of Willo involved over 100 contributors and received $5 million in funding from the State of California. This initiative is the result of more than two years of collaboration among UC San Diego students, the Student Health & Well-Being department, and the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation at UC San Diego Health. The teams engaged extensively with students to ensure that the app meets their needs through interviews, workshops, surveys, and user testing.

Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health, praised the collaborative effort, stating, “This app is a testament to the dedication of our students and staff. Our goal is to provide greater access to holistic health care for our community.”

Addressing Rising Mental Health Concerns

As mental health challenges continue to escalate among university students globally, UC San Diego has seen a growing demand for wellness support. Ed Junkins, MD, the executive director of Student Health and Well-Being, noted that while the university has extensive wellness resources, many students struggle to understand how to access them.

“Despite all students contributing to mental health services through their tuition, only 10 percent of our 43,000 students utilize on-campus counseling services,” Junkins explained. He highlighted the need for a solution that simplifies access to services tailored to individual needs.

The Willo development team initially considered creating an aggregator of services but realized that a more interactive approach was necessary. The app will not only present options but also guide users through a series of questions to identify their specific needs and recommend appropriate resources.

Junkins emphasized the importance of personalized support, stating, “Today’s students prefer customizable self-help resources. Mental health and well-being services should be no different.”

A Human-Centered Design

The app was developed through a human-centered AI approach, which prioritizes user needs before technology. Student designer Manas Bedmutha, a third-year PhD student, explained that their research focused on what students wanted from a wellness app. “Our team aimed to create a comprehensive wellness ecosystem that highlights all available resources, whether it be counseling, recreational activities, or community support,” he said.

The app categorizes wellness resources into areas such as mental health, physical health, academics, and social belonging. This comprehensive approach allows students to explore various aspects of their well-being and encourages a balanced lifestyle.

To use Willo, students sign in with their campus credentials and can link their accounts to the MyStudentChart patient portal. Users then personalize their experience by selecting areas of interest from a range of categories. The app employs a recommendation engine that provides real-time suggestions and continuously learns from users’ interactions to enhance future recommendations.

Bedmutha highlighted the significance of extensive tagging in the app, which ensures that users receive the most relevant and tailored suggestions. “Willo’s ability to categorize resources accurately is pivotal to providing customized recommendations,” he stated.

Looking Ahead

As Willo continues to evolve, its creators envision incorporating features that connect users to relevant resources throughout the academic year, such as during midterms or graduation. Future updates may include push notifications and the ability to schedule appointments directly through the app.

Kyla Bruhn, a second-year student and junior UI/UX designer for Willo, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “This app has everything a student could want regarding wellness resources across the university. It opens doors for conversations and helps alleviate stress and concerns.”

Junkins anticipates that Willo will significantly improve student health and wellness on campus. “The input and effort invested in this app are substantial,” he noted. “If all goes well, it will benefit the entire community.”

Willo is now available for students to download free of charge on the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.