According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, while roughly half of America’s college students reported consuming alcohol in the past month roughly half did not. But for many students embarking on their university careers, consuming alcohol can feel like a rite of passage or perhaps something they need to do to fit in on campus. The perception is that everyone drinks in college, even though the reality is a much smaller number.
UT’s Center for Health Education and Wellness is currently deploying a two-pronged approach to help college students feel emboldened in their choice to abstain from alcohol and to recover from alcohol or substance abuse if they develop an addiction.
Education Module for First-Year and Transfer Students
While the center has been offering alcohol education for years in conjunction with new student orientation, in 2023 the center partnered with the Office of Title IX to offer an AlcoholEDU course through a virtual format along with a sexual assault prevention course.
The courses were offered during the summer to all first-year and transfer students entering UT in the fall, and more than 90% of students invited to take the AlcoholEDU module completed it. The course also included a pre-test and post-test to see what students knew at the start of the module and what they learned throughout. Students who completed the module were also sent a short survey 30 days after completion, which for many coincided with their arrival on campus or within a few weeks of arriving on campus. This survey gauged what knowledge students retained from the course, with 52% of students completing the post survey.
“Providing this education to students through a virtual format before they ever step foot on campus is a much more comprehensive approach to capturing incoming students.”
– Matilene Osho, assistant director for the Center for Health Education and Wellness.
Overall, the results were significant, with students retaining important knowledge that can help them make healthier decisions on campus regarding alcohol.
“Offering these online modules will continue in future semesters, including spring 2024 for new students and transfer students, along with the pre- and post-surveys to assess what they’ve learned,” added Osho.
In 2023 the center saw significant improvement in the knowledge of first-year students who completed AlcoholEDU. Whenever students’ behavior results in misconduct, some first-year students even referenced AlcoholEDU in their screening assessments, which are also conducted by the center.
“We can definitely tell that this program is helping students make better decisions, and even when they’ve made a poor decision they can revert back to that knowledge so that they don’t repeat that same mistake again,” concluded Osho.
Rocky Top Recovery Supports Student Sobriety
The Center for Health Education and Wellness also facilitates the Rocky Top Recovery program that helps students in recovery find community, solidarity, and persistence.
“While collegiate recovery programs are relatively new and not very common, the existence of one can determine whether some students apply to the university at all because it’s a service they need,” said Nicole Wiggs, wellness coordinator for Rocky Top Recovery. “When students see Rocky Top Recovery on our website and they’ve struggled with addiction, they know they can find support for their unique needs.”
Originally, Rocky Top Recovery was a student-run organization but struggled as students matriculated. In 2022–2023, student ambassadors reformed Rocky Top Recovery through UT’s Institute for Public Service. Finally, in mid-2023, grant funding was secured through the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to support a full-time coordinator and supply program funds.
From alcohol addiction to substance use disorder, students at varying places on the recovery journey can find support and community on campus. The Center for Health Education and Wellness also employs students who serve as peer support for students and are available to students at risk for alcohol addiction, too.
“Through Rocky Top Recovery, we support an all-recovery model, which means supporting students who are dealing with mental health diagnoses or process addictions like gambling, shopping, eating disorders, or sex addiction,” continued Wiggs.
Together these programs aim to help students make healthier decisions related to alcohol and substance abuse and find greater levels of overall well-being.