NCAA CHOICES Alcohol Education
Through the CHOICES program, the NCAA provides funding for NCAA member institutions and conferences to integrate athletics into campus-wide efforts to reduce alcohol abuse. CHOICES projects must partner athletics with other campus departments in the development and implementation of effective alcohol-education projects.
Certified Peer Educators
In 2010, the Mercyhurst CHOICES program graduated its second class of Certified Peer Educators. These individuals underwent an intensive training course to deal with situations that might arise with and around the use of alcohol.
This spring the Peer Educators hosted a lunch on St. Patrick’s Day. In addition to free food, the Educators conducted games and gave away prizes that promoted healthy decisions concerning the use of alcohol. The Peer Educators will continue to be a presence on campus at a number of CHOICES and CHAMPS/Life Skills events.
If you are interested in becoming a Certified Peer Educator please contact Sara Headley at sheadley@mercyhurst.edu or Dr. Judy Smith at jsmith@mercyhurst.edu.
2009-2010 Certified Peer Educators
Lewis Bennett
Jennifer Bower
Michelle Clemens
Chelsey Crawford
Sydney Cuscino
Victoria Giddens
Ashley Harper
KC Prabhat
Leanne Magestro
Jami Mattson
Maria Rambuski
Stacey Richardson
Caitlin Ross
Emily Warren
Johneisha Williams
Amanda Walker
Bethany Brun
David Haurin
Brandon Miller
Molly Keleshian
Laura Hennessey
Megan Richards
Chol John
Alyssa Katerburg
Mercyhurst Launches Laker CHOICES Alcohol Prevention Program
Mercyhurst College is one of 15 institutions nationwide to receive a grant from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) intended to help eliminate high-risk alcohol consumption on college campuses by promoting low-risk choices. The three-year, $30,000 NCAA CHOICES grant runs September 2008 through June 30, 2011.
The CHOICES program was established in 1991 to encourage NCAA institutions to implement and evaluate effective alcohol-prevention programs. Utilizing student athletes and athletic events are key elements of delivering the educational program to the entire student body.
Each institution receiving the grant is required to incorporate the word CHOICES in the name of its program. Mercyhurst has chosen LAKER CHOICES for "Laker Athletes Keep Each other Responsible." An estimated 580 students are involved in athletics at Mercyhurst, which has 24 intercollegiate varsity sports.
The CHOICES program involves training for coaches and student-athletes, as well as campus-wide events like alcohol-free celebrations after Mercyhurst sporting events. Student mentors will be trained to act as resources and to recognize and intervene with students whose choices around alcohol are unhealthy. The campus will collect outcome measures to determine how the mentors and related activities help shift student beliefs and choices about alcohol.
Sara Headley, assistant athletic director, and Judy Smith, Ph.D., director of the Mercyhurst Counseling Center, will co-direct the program. Renee Patton, a licensed counselor at the Counseling Center, will assist as co-director. Various departments will participate in helping to ensure the success of LAKER CHOICES, including Athletics, the Counseling Center, Residence Life, Student Union and Activities, Academic Support and others.
On Monday, September 29th Dr. Jarrod Spencer will be visiting Mercyhurst College to speak with the student-athletes about the dangers associated with alcohol abuse.
Jarrod Spencer, Psy.D is a licensed clinical and sports psychologist from Easton, Pennsylvania and a credentialed speaker for the NCAA. An established professional speaker, he has conducted numerous training seminars across the country on the topic of performance enhancement psychology. Dr. Spencer received his doctorate from Argosy University in Chicago, and completed his post-doctoral fellowship at Warren Counseling Center in New Jersey. He is the sports psychologist for Lafayette College, as well as a consultant for several colleges and universities including other CHOICES sites. Dr. Spencer provides a motivational, multi-media presentation on identifying and responding to alcohol use and abuse in athletes and other students. He discusses how alcohol, stress, and anxiety, and depression can intermingle, and how to use support, empathy, and concrete strategies to intervene with the student-athlete.
