Wellness Center receives support for campus alcohol education programs

Wellness Center receives support for campus alcohol education programs

Rice University received a $10,000 award April 15 to fund alcohol education and related programming across campus.

As part of the Jim Beam Drink Smart campaign, Robby Gordon Motorsports is making donations to support university efforts to promote responsible choices about alcohol. The award will help fund the implementation of alcohol education programs at various universities, as well as other alcohol education activities.

“It seems particularly appropriate to receive this donation during April — National Alcohol Awareness Month,” said Emily Page, director of the Wellness Center. “We look forward to increasing our alcohol education and awareness efforts long after [the month] is over.”

Accepted by the Rice Wellness Center, this award will build on the success of previous initiatives to educate students about making responsible decisions regarding alcohol. From developing non-alcoholic events to assessing campus culture, this award will accelerate the implementation of sustainable, evidence-based programs.

“Alcohol education to help students make an informed and responsible decision about alcohol is a top priority,” said Elaine Heywood, assistant director of the Wellness Center. “The Robby Gordon award is going to help us to build on our current alcohol education programs to promote a safer, more responsible campus community.”

Page and Heywood accepted the donation from Robby Gordon, driver of the No. 7 Jim Bean Chevrolet, at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Rice was the only college in Texas to receive the funding.

At the beginning of next semester, the Wellness Center will form an Alcohol Education Committee. The committee, comprised of students and staff, will develop an action plan to prioritize spending of the funds during the year. To be part of this committee, e-mail <wellness@rice.edu>.