麻豆视频

Grant Awarded During National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week

VALDOSTA -- News of a grant awarded to the Office of Alcohol & Other Drug (AODE) Education for the seventh consecutive year comes during the 2010 National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, Oct. 17-23. The Governor鈥檚 Office of Highway Safety鈥檚 (GOHS) Young Adult Grant provides the office with nearly $9,000 to enhance alcohol-prevention programs and bring nationally recognized speakers to campus.

AODE Coordinator, Mark Williams, said the grant has enabled the office, in conjunction with Health Promotions and Housing, to invite Brett Sokolow, president of the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management, to speak about "Drunk Sex or Date Rape" at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21, in the Student Union Ball Room.

Beyond motivational speakers, Williams said the office also plans to use GOHS funds to expose students to DUI simulators, purchase promotional and educational items, and finance the trips of Peer Educators to educational conferences.

鈥淭he most basic goal of AOD is to let students know we are a resource available to them, and this grant helps us reach that goal,鈥� said Williams, who previously served for 11 years as a U.S. Air Force substance abuse counselor. 鈥淪tudents do not have to struggle alone; together we can sort through the compelling issues they face and identify options they can make as they decide what, if any, role substance use will play in their college experience.鈥�

Williams, who has worked at 麻豆视频 for 11 years, said substance abuse is perhaps the greatest threat to students鈥� academic pursuits. According to BACCHUS global education network, 鈥淎鈥� students average 4 or fewer drinks per week, 鈥淐鈥� students average about 7 drinks per week; while 鈥淒鈥� and 鈥淔鈥� students average 9.97 drinks per week. The network鈥檚 website, , has a variety of informational resources about college drinking and its related consequences.

For more information about the AOD鈥檚 preventions efforts, informational presentations and the student organization, Natural High, go to or call the office at 229-259-5111.