Students

Commission recognizes its first-ever award recipients

University Park, Pa. -- The Commission for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) recently announced the recipients of its first-ever awards program. "PRIDE." is the recipient of the Individual or Group Award, and Penn State Lehigh Valley received the Outstanding Campus Initiative Award. The awards recognize individuals, organizations, and campuses that demonstrate exemplary actions towards promoting an environment that values healthy lifestyle choices concerning alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

"PRIDE." is a group of student leaders at University Park that came together to promote positive fan behavior at all Penn State athletic events, specifically Penn State football games. Over the past few years, behavior at Penn State football games has become unruly. Examples include a rise in the number of arrests and citations related to alcohol and the significant increase in the number of students and alumni who have had to go to the hospital as a result of alcohol poisoning. The students created "PRIDE." to "perpetuate the traditions of our University and to ensure that we have a welcoming environment for all fans," which includes creating a healthier environment with regard to alcohol use at football games. The 2006-2007 board of directors being recognized by this award includes Samantha Sirzyk, Sarah Zydney, Matthew Jennings, Trevor Tom, and Liza Vega.

Penn State Lehigh Valley, located in Fogelsville, was the recipient of the Outstanding Campus Initiative Award for the implementation of its smoke free campus policy. The policy previously designated specific smoking areas, but last spring the Student Government Association (SGA) voted to confine smoking only to parking lots. During this academic year, the revised policy was put into practice.

Another component of the campus initiative, under the leadership of the Lehigh Valley campus nurse, Arlene Quesada, was the creation of the H.E.L.P. (Health Enthusiasts for Living Positive) team. H.E.L.P. is a small group of students who attend meetings, task forces, and trainings on how to be an effective peer educator on the subject of tobacco and how to help prevent students from smoking. The students involved in the team are Adam Beani, Sara Elchin, Joseph Haines, Dave Mory, Mercendes Periera, Amanda Silfies, and Peter Wilson.

The CSAP awards program is intended to recognize individuals, organizations and initiatives that promote and apply strategies that may include, but are not limited to: alcohol and other drug free options; student leadership opportunities, or community service; social norm campaigns; intervention programs including tobacco cessation and alcohol intervention efforts; policy and procedures; enforcement efforts; and peer advocacy.

Penn State Commission on Substance Abuse Prevention
An advisory group to the Vice President for Student Affairs Vicky Triponey, the mission of the Penn State Commission for Substance Abuse Prevention is to foster an environment that does not support the abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other substances. Its membership consists of students, faculty, staff and administrators from numerous Penn State campuses. For more information, visit http://www.csap.psu.edu

Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated November 18, 2010

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