College is about having fun. But sophomore Miranda Rohlfing of the women’s golf team and sophomore Evan Garradof the men’s soccer team want to make sure their fellow University of Missouri–St. Louis student-athletes are doing it safely. The two are part of a new organization on campus called Triton Health Educators and more specifically are raising awareness on drugs, alcohol and sexual consent though an NCAA grant-funded project called CHOICES, which provides funding for NCAA member institutions and conferences to integrate athletics into campus-wide efforts to reduce alcohol abuse.
“College students have a lot of choices to make and we want them to make the right ones,” said Rohlfing. “While we focus a lot on alcohol use and sexual consent, we also try to raise awareness with other healthy behaviors such as sleep and eating right.”
The two have been giving presentations to UMSL’s different athletic teams this year, which consists of more than a just a lecture on the negative effects of drinking.
“A lot of it is also interactive,” Rohlfing said. “We have beer goggles (which simulate vision impairment from drinking alcohol) and ask them a bunch of different questions and just try to educate them on the choices they do have.”
“We are not trying to be parental figures and say you shouldn’t drink,” said Garrad. “We just want them to stay safe and healthy in college.”
Both Rohlfing and Garrad, both students in the Pierre Laclede Honors College, were approached by Harry Harris, student development coordinator and Co-SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Council) adviser about being a part of Triton Health Educators and both are grateful for the experience it has provided.
Reviewed 2015-04-07