The Be Wise peer education team within the Office of Health Promotion in the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience is recruiting new peer educators for the 2017-2018 academic year. As peer educators, students work with the Office of Health Promotion to provide educational presentations and outreach to increase awareness about alcohol use and alcohol poisoning.
Be Wise Peer Educators share their knowledge through tabling.
The award-winning Be Wise campaign has three pillars: BE Real and know your limits; BE There and make the call when someone needs help; and BE Aware by knowing the signs of alcohol poisoning. The campaign uses the acronym C.U.P.S. to remind students of the signs of alcohol poisoning: cold skin, unresponsiveness, puking and slow breathing.
“Being a Be Wise peer educator has allowed me to engage with students in a way that promotes their well-being,” says Taryne Chatman ’18, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences and a peer educator. “I had a deep interest in the student experience, and through my involvement I have played a role in creating a more conscious and proactive student body when it comes to safer drinking practices. On a personal level, Be Wise gave me a platform to help my community and develop my advocacy and presentational speaking skills.”
Peer educators are currently raising awareness for National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, which takes place from Oct. 15-21. Peer educators are tabling in the Schine atrium on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Throughout the week, they will also provide information and tips about responsible drinking on social media via the Be Well SU Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
“The creation of the Be Wise peer education program several years ago really expanded the depth of the Be Wise campaign, allowing trained peers to provide educational programs for classes and student organizations,” says Katelyn Cowen, director of the Office of Health Promotion. “The peer educators utilize their experience as students and their training on substance use to share information and strategies that students can really connect to and understand.”
New members are accepted on an ongoing basis. If students are interested in joining, they are welcome to attend Be Wise peer educator meetings on Fridays from 3-4 p.m. in the Office of Health Promotion conference room in the lower level of 111 Waverly Ave, suite 006.
For more information about the Be Wise peer educator program, email healthpromotion@syr.edu.
