UC San Diego Unveils Willo, a Groundbreaking Wellness App

The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) has launched an innovative wellness app called Willo, designed to support the mental health and overall well-being of its student community. This pioneering platform, developed by students for students, leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline access to the university’s extensive wellness services, providing a personalized experience at no cost.

Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla emphasized the app’s potential to address the diverse mental health needs of the university’s population. “Willo reflects the collaborative nature and innovative ethos of our campus,” he stated. “By introducing this transformative AI algorithm, we are delivering on our mission to prioritize student health and well-being.”

With over $5 million in funding from the State of California, Willo represents more than two years of collaboration among over 100 contributors, including UC San Diego students, the Student Health & Well-Being team, and the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation at UC San Diego Health. The initiative involved extensive input from students, utilizing interviews, workshops, and user testing to create a highly tailored app that meets users’ specific needs.

Addressing Mental Health Needs

As mental health challenges continue to rise globally, universities face increasing demand for accessible wellness resources. According to Ed Junkins, MD, UC San Diego’s executive director of Student Health and Well-Being, many students remain unaware of the mental health services available to them. “All students pay for mental health services as part of their tuition, yet only 10 percent of our 43,000 students use our counseling services,” he noted. This highlights a pressing need to simplify access to essential support.

In designing Willo, the team initially considered creating a straightforward aggregator of wellness resources. However, they quickly realized that the app needed to function more like a guide, actively engaging users to identify their specific needs and providing tailored recommendations. “Today’s generation is very tuned into self-help resources they can drive and customize,” Junkins added.

Human-Centered Design

The app’s development was driven by a concept termed human-centered AI, which prioritizes user needs. Manas Bedmutha, a student designer, explained that the team focused on understanding what students desired before developing the technology itself. This process led to the creation of a comprehensive wellness ecosystem that includes resources such as Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), recreational activities, and peer counseling.

“Well-being is about balance across a continuum of interconnected factors,” stated Annika Nelson, manager of UC San Diego’s Craft Center. She emphasized the importance of creative outlets in promoting mental health. “Through Willo, students can access all of the resources, including the space to create art, find balance, and express themselves.”

Willo’s user experience begins with students signing in using their campus credentials, allowing them to customize their wellness journey. Users can choose from multiple categories, including mental health, physical health, and academic support. The app’s real-time recommendation engine suggests resources tailored to individual preferences, continuously learning from user interactions to improve its offerings.

The Path Ahead

As a passion project for many involved, Willo is expected to evolve beyond its initial launch. Kyla Bruhn, a second-year student and junior UI/UX designer for the app, expressed enthusiasm for the app’s potential impact. “This app has everything a student could want to find about wellness resources across the entire university,” she said. “It opens a lot of doors, helping us start conversations and ease stress in ways that students prefer.”

Future updates may incorporate additional features, such as connecting students to resources during significant times of the academic year or providing notifications for appointments and registration for classes.

Junkins concluded, “We’re hoping to achieve an overall improved level of student health and wellness. If things go as we predict, this app will impact a lot of people across the entire community.” Willo is currently available for download at no cost in the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.