Freshmen Behavior Brings Positive Outlook
Ashley Winseck Staff Reporter
Issue date: 9/22/05 Section: News
"It varies from year to year, but a huge number of freshmen have signed up to be involved."
The administration has seen a certain initiative from the class of 2009.
"The freshmen class this year seems very involved, with record numbers coming out to the activities fair," said the Director of Residential Life.
While freshmen this year have been showing a greater interest in campus activities than in years past, they also came to this university with a different type of education already implanted in them.
Janice Kessler, the Alcohol & Other Drug Program Coordinator confirmed that this year's freshmen class were different than others.
"What happens with freshmen is that they usually aren't very experienced with alcohol," said Kessler. But this past year, at orientation, Kessler gave a lecture to incoming freshmen on the effects of alcohol poisoning.
"I'd like to think that that had an impact," said Kessler.
During this lecture Kessler also found that these freshmen had already had experiences with alcohol.
"We asked how many students personally knew someone who had died from alcohol. Ninety-nine percent raised their hands," said Kessler.
Kessler, who is starting her fifth year at SHU, said the number of students who raise their hands when asked that same question has been increasing with each year. With numbers increasing, Kessler, Campbell and others have started Peer Education Coalition.
"Sometimes students don't want to go to a counselor," said Campbell. Many students were trained on how to deal with drug and alcohol related situations. The goal of Peer Education is to be available to the students and help them deal with any issues they may have.
"We know that college students are going to drink," said Kessler, "our goal is reducing that high risk drinking behavior."
So far, Sacred Heart's freshmen are off to a good start.
The administration has seen a certain initiative from the class of 2009.
"The freshmen class this year seems very involved, with record numbers coming out to the activities fair," said the Director of Residential Life.
While freshmen this year have been showing a greater interest in campus activities than in years past, they also came to this university with a different type of education already implanted in them.
Janice Kessler, the Alcohol & Other Drug Program Coordinator confirmed that this year's freshmen class were different than others.
"What happens with freshmen is that they usually aren't very experienced with alcohol," said Kessler. But this past year, at orientation, Kessler gave a lecture to incoming freshmen on the effects of alcohol poisoning.
"I'd like to think that that had an impact," said Kessler.
During this lecture Kessler also found that these freshmen had already had experiences with alcohol.
"We asked how many students personally knew someone who had died from alcohol. Ninety-nine percent raised their hands," said Kessler.
Kessler, who is starting her fifth year at SHU, said the number of students who raise their hands when asked that same question has been increasing with each year. With numbers increasing, Kessler, Campbell and others have started Peer Education Coalition.
"Sometimes students don't want to go to a counselor," said Campbell. Many students were trained on how to deal with drug and alcohol related situations. The goal of Peer Education is to be available to the students and help them deal with any issues they may have.
"We know that college students are going to drink," said Kessler, "our goal is reducing that high risk drinking behavior."
So far, Sacred Heart's freshmen are off to a good start.