Campus News

Gift Helps UK Alcohol Education to Grow

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 8, 2012) — The alcohol education and awareness program at the University of Kentucky will share with the University of Louisville a three-year gift from two major Kentucky distilleries totaling more than $600,000, enabling enhancement and expansion of its services to the campus and community.

Beam Inc. and Brown-Forman Corp. presented UK and UofL with the funding at a news conference yesterday in Louisville. The two distilleries have given more than $1 million to the two institutions since 2008 to fund alcohol education efforts.

The UK Division of Student Affairs Office of Substance Education and Responsibility will use the gifts to fund its evidence-based strategies, endorsed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The campus education programming will encourage and define safety and responsibility with regard to alcohol abuse. Similar programming will be increased to students living off-campus at local housing complexes. In the community, the number of local high schools and after-school programs involved with the “Leaders of Character” youth educational program will be increased.

“Since partnering with Brown-Forman, UK has seen a decrease in alcohol-related crimes and violations on campus,” said Andrew Smith, director of the UK Office of Substance Education and Responsibility.

The first effort took form in the “Question Authority” campaign, which promoted open and honest dialogue between parents and their children with regard to family histories of alcohol abuse.

In 2009, two more campaigns took shape. UK’s “Hooch” campaign focused on educating students who drink on the sociological and physiological impact of a drink called “hooch,” a mixture of fruit punch, cut fruit, lemon-lime soda, vodka and pure-grain alcohol.

The second campaign was based on a comic strip that showed a poor example against a positive example of alcohol-related behaviors ranging from bystander intervention of sexual assault to getting “blackout drunk.”

Most recently, UK has created a group of peer educators, called the Student Wellness Ambassadors (SWA), who empower peers to make educated decisions in the areas of alcohol, drugs and mental wellness issues. SWA works with fraternities, sororities and residence halls.

“Brown-Forman entrusted us to place a focus on our campus and community needs and allocate our resources in the best manner possible,” said Smith. “The relationship between the University of Kentucky and Brown-Forman has created a positive change in our institution’s environment, and while we still have a way to go, the continued support from them has helped create avenues for improvement throughout the state.”

“The continuing generosity of Brown-Forman and Beam, Inc. is helping our student-scholars develop safe and responsible behaviors early so that they graduate as engaged and accountable citizens,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “This state-wide collaboration brings together four well-known Kentucky brands in an effort to educate our next generation of leaders on essential best practices, yielding a positive impact that will extend many years.”

In the spring of 2012, UK, UofL, Brown-Forman and Jim Beam initiated a statewide partnership of other state institutions of higher education that would join the existing Kentucky Prevention Network, a substance education organization. KPN provides opportunities for institutions to collaborate with community organizations and prevention specialists within their region to reduce high-risk drinking. UK and UofL will contribute $35,000 to fund additional resources for the partnership.

“This investment will establish best practices to reduce underage and high-risk drinking throughout our home state,” said Jim O’Malley, Brown-Forman senior vice president of global corporate affairs. “We envision even greater positive impact if other states and universities beyond Kentucky adopt similar approaches.”

Matt Stanton, Beam’s vice president of public affairs and corporate social responsibility said, "Beam is proud to partner with the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky in supporting evidence-based solutions to address underage drinking on campus. It is critical that we all work together to make our colleges safe for young people."

MEDIA CONTACT:  Gail Hairston, (859) 257-3302; gail.hairston@uky.edu