ROLE
PARTNERS
UC San Diego Health
Jacobs Center for Health Innovation
Human Healthcare Factors
State of California
BrickSimple
SKILLS
Product Design
UX Research
Human-Centered Design
Health Design
Project Management
TIMELINE
1 Year
Jan 2024 - Current
THE CHALLENGE
Skyrocketing rates of depression and suicide in the university
College students are experiencing record-high rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicidality. Traditional campus services are struggling to meet the growing demand, underscoring the urgent need for innovative approaches to support student mental health and wellness.
Despite increased awareness of mental health issues, many students face difficulties in prioritizing their well-being and often lack knowledge about available resources for effective self-care. To address this challenge, it’s essential to develop solutions that enhance access to mental health support and promote proactive wellness strategies on campus.
An innovative self-care and healthcare app personalized for students
The Joan & Irwin Jacobs Center for Health Innovation (JCHI), in collaboration with UC San Diego students, has developed a groundbreaking app that redefines student mental health and well-being support.
Willo stands out as an innovative self-care and healthcare app, offering a personalized, on-demand solution that connects students to essential campus resources. Unlike traditional approaches, Willo integrates an intuitive system aggregator that customizes recommendations for services, resources, and apps based on individual interests and goals.
“Willo is designed specifically to address the mental health needs of our diverse community,” Khosla said.
“This trailblazing app reflects the collaborative nature and innovative ethos of our campus and long history of leadership in AI. By introducing this transformative AI algorithm, we are delivering on our mission to prioritize student health and well-being, with a strong focus on mental health support.” — Khosla, 2024.
This app is set to revolutionize how students approach their mental health, aiming to inspire a cultural shift toward greater awareness, open dialogue, and proactive well-being.
With features like health analytics and motivational incentives, Willo not only breaks down barriers to mental health resources but also fosters active engagement and self-management. This app is set to revolutionize how students approach their mental health, aiming to inspire a cultural shift toward greater awareness, open dialogue, and proactive well-being.
The main features of Willo are health analytics, active and passive sensing, gamification and incentives, and a predictive algorithm for anxiety and depression
We conducted 10+ user interviews with parents and young adults to learn what both sides needed to feel connected with one another.
Willo launched in September 2024 for all UC San Diego students, including medical and transfer students.
Everyone will say spending time in person means more than spending time online. But the truth is that texting remains as a really powerful “middle space” between in-person interactions that strengthen a relationship