The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board again has awarded an $11,500 grant to Pennsylvania College of Technology to help prevent underage and high-risk alcohol use by students.
The maximum PLCB grant, part of $700,000 in funds awarded to 68 organizations statewide, will be used for a variety of outreach programs to reduce alcohol consumption among Penn College students.
"Our responsibility and commitment is to develop and/or maintain strategies that show proven efficacy with regard to reducing underage and/or dangerous drinking by the students we serve," said Morton B. Neely, assistant director of counseling. "The central theme of these strategies relates to what are called ‘social norms.’ That means we will be utilizing strategies intended to educate students regarding common misperceptions associated with alcohol consumption within college communities."
Research has consistently shown, for instance, that the majority of college students grossly overestimate the degree to which their fellow students, as a demographic, use and abuse alcohol, he said.
The grant also will help in educating students regarding the upshot of alcohol use and abuse. Such consequences include the harmful impact alcohol has on the human body, the short- and long-term negative impact legal charges can have – from suspension of one’s driver’s license to difficulty obtaining employment following graduation – an increased risk of sexual assault, and other negative consequences (including death) that can result from acute intoxication.
"The foundation of this approach is based upon faith in our student body that, when provided with accurate information, they will make healthier and more responsible choices regarding alcohol," Neely said.
For more information about Counseling Services at Penn College, visit online or call (570) 327-4765.
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