DUBOIS – A $10,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board will help to educate students at Penn State DuBois and the community about responsible drinking, alternative social activities, and the health and legal dangers of alcohol misuse.
Penn State DuBois is one of only six of Penn State campuses and among only 64 organizations statewide to receive this competitive grant. The efforts are aimed to reduce high-risk alcohol consumption.
According to Libby Hoover, Penn State DuBois campus nurse, the main emphasis of the programs and awareness campaigns that will be funded by the grant will be dispelling myths about the supposed norms involving alcohol and socialization. Such incorrect preconceptions include the idea that excessive drinking is necessary to foster socialization, Hoover said. Student surveys actually show that drinking in excess is the exception, rather than the trend.
“We’re targeting freshmen with incorrect preconceived ideas of socialization on campus. However, we’re really reaching out to all the students with help of faculty and staff, with input from community leaders and businesses,” Hoover said.
Other plans include alternative social events, such as featuring mixer events with alcohol-free drinks and recipes, and a poster campaign to be disseminated throughout the community with pictures of Penn State DuBois students advocating the responsible use of alcohol, Hoover said.
“We are very lucky to have received the money,” Hoover said. “But this initiative also is going to impact the community because our students are part of the community. It’s a special opportunity for the campus to demonstrate that we can make a difference on our campus and community about responsible alcohol use.”
According to PLCB board member Patrick J. Stapleton, the total grant funding amount of $664,000 is part of the PLCB’s comprehensive approach to fighting alcohol misuse.
“The PLCB recognizes that strategies which change the college environment affect a change in perception about alcohol among young adults,” Stapleton said. “Providing funding to support these environmental changes is one of the best ways the PLCB can help prevent lifelong alcohol misuse.”