THESANDLERCENTERTEAM
PeerEducators
AbiSchcolnik,AkshayAdvaney,DaphneMall,DylanSmith, KareenaPatel,MorganScola,andSydneyReavely
PracticumStudents
BenjaminKleinandMeeraPatel
TaliaKowall|StudentAffairsGraduateAssistant
ClaireTolman(Fall'22)&ColeRodgers(Spring'23)
PublicHealthGraduateAssistants
RachelAskowitzPerse|AssistantDeanandDirector
OVERVIEWOF THESANDLERCENTER
TheWilliamW.Sandler,Jr.CenterforAlcohol andOtherDrugEducationattheUniversityof Miamiisacomprehensive prevention, education,and referralprogram.Wefocus outreachandeducationonalcoholandother druguse,misuse,anddependency.
HousedintheDeanofStudentsOfficeand workingwithallmembersofthecampus community,westriveto:
Promotehealthylifestyles,aswellas personalandsocialresponsibility,by providingand/orsupportingeducational programs,trainings,communityservice, andalternativesocialactivitiesfor students.
Educatestudentsaboutthenegative healthandlegalconsequencesofhighriskuseofalcoholandotherdrugs. Increaseawarenessandcommitment withintheuniversitycommunitytosafety andintervention.
Createanenvironmentinwhichachange inattitudes,behaviors,anduseof substancesispossibleandparticipationin high-riskbehaviorsisreduced.
Throughpeereducationand collaborationwithcampuspartners, theSandlerCenterprovides outreachandsupporttoempower studentstomakeinformedand responsibledecisionsthroughout theirlives.
OVERALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Weexpandedourteamfrom5to8peereducators,thanksto adonationfromalumnus,Mr.DamianBraga
AttendedandpresentedatNASPAStrategiesConferencein KansasCity,MO
Pilotedanoverdosepreventioninitiativeandlaunchedthe "LittlePillBigRisk"Campaign
AwardedtheLaurelAwardfor"OutstandingCollaborative Initiative"forNarcanTraining
Awarded2ndplaceand$3,000intheDrugEnforcement Agency'sRedRibbonCampusPSAContest
SuccessfullymovedfromtheEverFieducationalplatformto GetInclusive
OVERVIEWOF EVENTS&PROGRAMS
HighlightedTopics Covered
Bingedrinking,tailgating safety,medicalamnesty, overdoseprevention, vaping,druggeddrink prevention,consent,nonprescriptiondrugmisuse, bystanderintervention, cannabis,cocaine,& drunkdriving
Highlighted CollaborativePartners
Orientation,Healthy 'CaneNetwork, URecovery,Housing& ResidentialLife,UMPD,It's OnUs,GreekLife,'Canes NightLive,&Miami RecoveryProject
BytheNumbers
87 TotalPrograms 133 Hoursofeducation
8,626 StudentInteractions
85% Increaseinprograms comparedtolastyear
"My role at the Sandler Center has allowed me to make a positive impact on campus, one student at a time. This job has not only contributed to my personal growth, but has also helped me discover my newfound passion for graphic design. Additionally, it has boosted my confidence in public speaking and strengthened my interpersonal skills."
-Abigail Schcolnik, Sophomore Peer EducatorOVERVIEWOF THEGREENZONE
Thisyear,wecontinuedourpop upprogramsintheresidential collegesduringthefirstsixweeks ofthesemester.Thistimeperiod iswhenmanyhigh-riskdrinking behaviorsoccur.TheGreenZone representsabloodalcohol contentwherefunctioningwon't besignificantlyimpairedandthe negativeeffectsofdrinkinghave beenlowered.Studentsare encouragedtopracticehealthy behaviorstostayintheGreen ZoneandavoidtheRedZone.
2,807 StudentsReached
6 Events
98% ofattendeesknewwaysto stayintheGreenZone
99% ofattendeesunderstoodthe dangersofmixingalcohol anddrugs
OVERVIEWOF NATIONALCOLLEGIATE ALCOHOLAWARENESS MONTH
Eachyear,theSandlerCenter joins nearly1,000collegesacrossthe countryinobservingNationalCollegiate AlcoholAwareness Month (NCAAM) throughoutthemonthofOctober.InFall 2022,peereducatorscontinuedto promotealcoholeducationina comprehensive,engagingwayby developingactivitiesandcollaborating withcampusorganizations.Thisyear,our themewas"SandlerCollection,"withour educationalactivitiesandpromotional materialsfocusingonadifferenttypeof visualarteachweek,fromgraffitito impressionism.
TopicsCovered
AlcoholSafety
MedicalAmnesty
BystanderIntervention
FakeIDs
DruggedDrinkPrevention
SexualHealthandAlcohol
OverallNumbers
504studentsparticipated Overall,93%ofattendees metthelearningoutcomes 97%ofattendees,after attendingaNCAAMprogram, feltconfidentintheirability tostaysafewhendrinking
OVERVIEWOF OVERDOSEPREVENTION INITIATIVES
Thisyear,wefocusedourprogrammingeffortsheavilyonoverdose prevention.Nationwide,fentanylhasbecomeaseriouspublichealth concern.ToaddresstheserisksandensureUMstudentshaveasmuch informationandresourcesaspossible,wetookathree-prongedapproach toaddresstheissue.
#1 AWARENESSCAMPAIGN:"LITTLEPILLBIGRISK"
Wedevelopedabrand-new"LittlePillBigRisk"awareness campaign,whichaimstoprovidestudentswithinformation aboutthedangersoffentanyl-laceddrugs,actionableharm reductiontips,andsupportfromtheirpeersandUniversityof Miamistaff.
BIG RISK LITTLE PILL
MIAMI.EDU/LITTLEPILLBIGRISK
OVERVIEWOF OVERDOSEPREVENTION INITIATIVES
#2 EDUCATIONALPOP-UPS&EVENTS
Throughouttheyear,wehostededucationalevents&pop-upsfocused onthistopic.WekickedofftheyearwithourOverdoseAwarenessDay event,whichwasacollaborativeeffortbetweenmultipleon-andoffcampuspartners.Atadaytimefair,studentslearnedaboutthe resourcesavailabletothemrelatedtodrugoverdose.Intheevening,we hostedacandlelightvigiltohonorliveslosttooverdose.
OVERVIEWOF OVERDOSEPREVENTION INITIATIVES
#3 NARCANTRAINING
Narcanisalife-savingmedicationthatreversesopioidoverdoses.In responsetodemandfromstudentsforincreasedaccessibilityto Narcanoncampus,wehavesuccessfullyrolledoutaNarcantraining initiativewithURecovery,theStudentHealthService,andalocalnonprofit,theMiamiRecoveryProject.Atthesetrainings,attendeeslearn howtospotanopioidoverdose,howtouseNarcan,andpreventiontips. WelearnedthatastudentwhoattendedNarcantrainingusedthe NarcanhereceivedtosavethelifeofastudentatanotherUniversity.
11 Trainingshosted
504 Attendees
1,694 Narcandosesdistributed
100% ofattendeesfeltmore comfortableusing Narcaninanoverdose situation
"WhatIloveaboutTheSandlerCenteristhe people.Youcan'tloveajobifyoudon'tlikethejob environment.MypeersatSandleraren'tjust coworkers;theyareloving,compassionatepeople thatIamgladtocallmyfriends.Therereallyisn't amorefunandself-fulfillingjoboncampus."
-AkshayAdvaney,JuniorPeerEducatorPARTNERSHIPWITH GREEKLIFE
Thisyear,wehavestrengthenedourrelationshipwithGreekLife,hosting manychapterpresentationsandcollaborativeevents.Twoofour collaborativeeventswereourULTRAsafetyeventsleadinguptoULTRA musicfestivalinMarch.
7Greekpresentations
3chapterNarcantrainings
2eventswithAGLOforULTRA musicfestival
AGLOco-sponsoredNarcan Training
AttendedNewMember SymposiuminFall&Spring Collaborationwith MulticulturalGreekCouncilfor vapingevent
DrunkdrivingeventwithΑΦΑ
DeanPersewontheAssociationof GreekLetterOrganizationsADDITIONALHIGHLIGHTED PROGRAMS&EVENTS
HousingStudentStaffTraining
SandlerCenterstaffpresentedtonewResidentialAssistants, CommuterAssistants,&SecurityStaffonalcoholpoisoning, medicalamnesty,&howtobestapproachconversationswith studentsaboutalcoholandotherdruguse.
NewStudentOrientation
SandlerCenterstaffjoinedothermembersoftheHealthy 'CaneNetworkonapaneltodiscusswell-beingforbothFall &Springincomingstudents.
'CanesNightLive
OnHalloweenweekend,wejoined'CanesNightLivetoeducate studentsontheimportanceofalternatingalcoholicdrinkswith water.'CanesNightLiveisalate-nightalternativeprogramfor studentsoneFridaynightpermonth.
ADDITIONALHIGHLIGHTED PROGRAMS&EVENTS
ConsciousClubbing
WepartneredwithIt'sOnUstodevelopandlaunchanew campaign,ConsciousClubbing.Thecampaignand accompanyingeventfocusedongoingoutsafetyand druggeddrinkprevention
SafeSpringBreak
IncollaborationwiththeHealthy'CaneNetwork&It'sOnUs,we hostedourannualSafeSpringBreakfairstyleevent.Students learnedaboutthevariouswaystheycanstaysafewhileon SpringBreak.
'CanesNightLive Cannabis&MentalHealth
WehostedaprograminSpringsemestertoeducate studentsaboutthelinkbetweencannabisuseandmental healthissues,suchasdepression,anxiety,andpsychosis.
OVERVIEWOF PEER-LEDWORKSHOPS
Wecontinuetoaddressalcoholandcannabis-relatedviolations oncampuswithourpeer-led workshops,High(er)Education& RethinkingDrinking.The workshops,nowbackin-personfor thefirsttimesinceCOVID-19, includeinteractivetrivia,engaging educationalactivities, opportunitiesforreflectionand goal-setting,andinformationon campusresources.Upon completingtheworkshops, studentsareempoweredasthe primaryagentsofchangein reducingtheharmsoftheir alcohol/druguse.
Asaresultoftheworkshops:
100%
ofstudentsagreedthattheyexamined theirownpersonalcannabisuse
90% 100% 95%
ofstudentsplantomake changestotheircannabisuse
ofstudentsagreedthattheyexamined theirownpersonalalcoholuse
ofstudentsplantomake changestotheiralcoholuse
CONFERENCEATTENDANCE
NASPASTRATEGIES
TeammembersattendedtheNASPA(StudentAffairsAdministrators inHigherEducation)StrategiesConferenceinKansasCity,MO.This conferenceisanopportunityforstudentsfromaroundthecountryto gatherwithpractitionersinanefforttobettertheirleadershipand organizationskillsastheypreparetopresentalcoholanddrug preventionprogramsontheircampuses.SandlerCenterDirector, DeanPerse,presentedattheconferenceasessiontitled"Bangfor YourBuck:SupervisingSuccessfulPeerEducationTeamsatAny Budget."
Attheconference,itwasannouncedthattheSandlerCenterwon2nd placeintheDrugEnforcementAgency'sRedRibbonCampusPSA Contest.OurPSAentry,entitled"SubstanceSpeedDating:Some ThingsJustDon’tMix,"showcasestheharmfuleffectsofmixingdrugs andalcohol.
PRACTICUMSTUDENTS
WehostedtwostudentsintheBachelorofScienceinPublicHealth programfortheirpracticumexperience.Thefieldpracticumisan essentialpartofthepublichealthprogramcurriculumthatblends academiclearningandpracticalfieldexperienceinpartnershipwith anagencyororganizationthatisprovidingapublichealthservice.
MeeraPatel
Meera conducted a survey on drinking behaviors and living arrangements to evaluate students' knowledge on driving under the influence. She used the survey data to develop a program proposal to address drunk driving.
Benjamin focused his project on opioids and Narcan. He created a benchmarking report on Narcan programs at other Universities. He then created an educational opioid intervention program for fraternity leadership.
I'mproudoftheeducationalimpactI'vehadontheUM populationasapeered.I'vehadseveralpeoplecomeup tomeatprogramssayinghowmuchtheyappreciate whatthey'velearnedandhowthisknowledge/education hasinfluencedtheirlifeortheirchoices.Thisalways warmsmyheartandI'mproudtohearthattheworkwe doatSandlerismakingadifference.
-MeccaMcCain,JuniorPeerEducator