The ABC room buzzed with constant conversation between health organizations and students.

Special Populations, a McKinley Health Education program, hosted its annual Health Fair at the Illini Union on Tuesday. The event featured over 80 vendors, ranging from chiropractors to insurance providers to McKinley’s sexual health program.

Haihley Connors, president of Student Populations, said the fair focused on connecting students with campus resources and educating people about improving their wellbeing.

The Health Fair is the largest event Special Populations organizes, she said.

“We really take pride in doing this every year,” Connors said. “It’s a Special Populations tradition.”

Connors said she expected about 3000 students to attend, with about 1500 students coming for course credit. Special Populations works with professors to arrange extra credit opportunities for health students, she said.

The event also connects students with health organizations, Connors said.

“It’s definitely a really good opportunity for all students to not only network, but learn about opportunities on campus that can promote their wellbeing and general health,” Connors said.

Lauren Penick, senior in AHS, said she enjoyed getting more information on the University’s community health classes.

“It’s the first time I’ve been to (the Health Fair), and I’m actually pleasantly surprised,” Penick said.

Paige Witte, junior in AHS, said she came for extra credit and to learn more about how the health field works.

“I thought it was really cool that (Promise Healthcare) offered mental health insurance to all insurance providers,” Witte said. “Like, it didn’t matter what you had, you were about to get access to it.”

Dawn Longfellow, director of Wesley Food Pantry, thought the event was a combination of informative and fun. She hosted a table at the Health Fair and talked to students about combating food insecurity.

“With students in particular, I think they feel like food pantries are for other people,” Longfellow said. “We want to make sure our resources are specifically targeted towards them.”

The food pantries in C-U focus on students’ limited ability to cook and their dislike of large canned goods, she said. They do not want students buying unhealthy foods because of their budget.

“There’s this perception that the stereotypical ramen noodles and pizza is just fine,” Longfellow said. “That’s not enough to make you a well person.”

However, more goes into people’s health than just food and health services, said Joe Lamberson, the Champaign Police Department’s public information officer.

Lamberson said he attended the event to give students more information on identity theft, drunk driving and check washing.

“Ultimately, reaching out to our students to make sure that they are aware of what’s going on in the community … is just as important to their health as anything else going on in the room,” Lamberson said.

[email protected]