Webinars: Alcohol

This session will explore the evolution of alcohol harm reduction strategies on college campuses, emphasizing how these foundational successes have informed and supported current and future efforts, including those addressing other substance use on campuses. Topics will include the importance of messaging (particularly to reduce the likelihood of mixed messages) and actionable strategies for sustaining research-to-practice connections.

Learning Objectives

• Identify at least two lessons learned from alcohol harm reduction to inform messaging in a way that reduces mixed messages
• Understand the way in which “action stage” suggestions may lead to a harm reduction message not being followed
• Identify at least 3 strategies for reducing harms associated with alcohol and with cannabis

Alcohol misuse on college campuses has been shown to be the cause of physical, socio-emotional, and academic harm. Alcohol is also an issue for deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing (DDBHH) students. Similar to hearing students, DDBHH students may experience the “college effect” of increased alcohol use upon arrival. In addition, there are other factors unique to being DDBHH that may impact alcohol use. This presentation will highlight data found from a qualitative case study which explored staff and students’ perceptions and experiences of alcohol use. The presenter will also explore how alcohol use may be different or similar for DDBHH students who are in predominantly hearing university environments. Through this workshop, the presenter aims for participants to be able to use these insights to inform the inclusivity of interventions for deaf and hard of hearing college students, but also services for deaf and hard of hearing students in general and in the field of substance recovery.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the diversity of DDBHH students, their learning environment, and the impact of this on alcohol use
• Identify at least three similarities between hearing and DDBHH students with the “college effect” alcohol related experience
• Identify and explain at least three factors that impact alcohol use and related consequences for DDBHH students.
• Describe at least one way to increase inclusivity of DDBHH students in programming, prevention, and recovery.

Student-athletes spend significant time and energy to be the best in their sport but may not realize the ways alcohol and cannabis use can impact athletic performance and negate all those efforts. Through a real-life example from a national championship-winning coach and his partnership with campus prevention specialists, you’ll test your knowledge on the performance impacts of alcohol and cannabis use, learn how to apply this information to reach student-athletes effectively, and help create healthy, winning team cultures on campus.

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the ways alcohol and cannabis use can impact athletic performance.
• Identify student-athlete alcohol and cannabis use norms.
• Apply this information for substance misuse education for student-athletes.

Presenters:
Beth Bagwell
Dr. Molly Downing
Dr. Jim Lange

The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery (HECAOD), with support from ITGA’s 2025 Initiative, developed an online course addressing drinking harms at off-campus parties. This session will provide a background of the “Craft of Creating a Fun Party” modules and their development process, explore key components intended to train hosts and guests how to reduce harms from high-risk drinking, and discuss the outcomes from its clinical trial.

Presenters:
Jason Kilmer, PhD
Jessica Cronce, PhD
Alicia Baker, MA, MPH, CHES

Please join the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the International Town and Gown Association (ITGA), and the Higher Education Center for this informative and interactive free webinar.

CollegeAIM is a comprehensive booklet and website (https://CollegeDrinkingPrevention.gov/CollegeAIM) developed by NIAAA to help college administrators and communities identify effective evidence-based alcohol interventions. CollegeAIM was first developed in 2015 and revised and updated in 2020 to reflect the most recent research. NIAAA’s CollegeAIM booklet and website have been valuable resources for college administrators for several years. During the webinar, the panelists will discuss the recent updates and how to use the new version.

Webinar panelists will include Jason Kilmer, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington; Jessica Cronce, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services and the Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon; and Alicia Baker, Assistant Director, GatorWell Health Promotion Services, University of Florida

Presenters:
Elizabeth Allan, PhD
Lauri Sidelko
David Kerschner

Join Elizabeth Allan, PhD, Professor and Program Coordinator of the Higher Education graduate program at the University of Maine, Lauri Sidelko, Director of the Student Wellness Resource Center at the University of Maine and David Kerschner, a doctoral candidate and Waldron Fellow at the University of Maine, as this webinar provides participants with foundational information about hazing and its prevention with a particular emphasis on the intersections of hazing and alcohol misuse. Presenters will highlight research findings about campus hazing and its prevention, the Hazing Prevention Framework, and implications for the work of AOD professionals in higher education.

Attendees of this webinar will be able to:

1. Be able to define hazing and identify its three key components.
2. Gain familiarity with research findings related to hazing and college students and campus hazing prevention.
3. Be able to describe the Hazing Prevention Framework and how they can help support campus hazing prevention.