NEWTON, Mass. — The U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention has selected John Miller, coordinator of Washington State University’s Substance Abuse Prevention Program, as a center associate to help strengthen alcohol, other drug and violence prevention efforts on U.S. college campuses.
Miller, WSU Health and Wellness Services staff member, has served in his coordinator role at WSU since August 1986.
Center associates represent an elite group of alcohol, other drug and violence prevention experts from around the country. They help the center assist colleges and universities and other key stakeholders by working as trainers, consultants and evaluators.
“Center associates have proven to be a powerful way for the center to assist colleges and universities in their prevention efforts,” said Beth DeRicco, associate director for institutions of higher education at the center. “They extend our reach into many more communities that we are able to serve alone and are strong advocates for change within their own community.”
The roles of associates on campuses and communities include: health promotion and education, crime prevention, sexual assault prevention, residential life and campus safety. Every two years the center selects a group of nearly 30 associates based on their prior leadership, expertise in a specific area and success as a community mobilizer, trainer or writer.
The new group of associates has convened in Newton for a five-day workshop that includes sessions on substance abuse prevention and strategic planning. Associates also will begin working with their new partners from other campuses and organizations.
The Higher Education Center serves as the national resource center for higher education institutions concerned with reducing alcohol and other drug use. The center offers training assistance, publications and other information to assist those who want to take an active part in changing the environment in which students make decisions about alcohol and other drug use.
The center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and receives supplemental funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It is based at Education Development Center Inc., an internationally known educational research and development organization located in Newton, Mass.
For more information, contact the center, 800/676-1730, HigherEdCtr@edc.org or www.edc.org/hec.
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