Peer Advocate informs about
alcohol risks
By Sarah Szczepanski
Assistant
Features Editor
Last year when other freshmen were still learning
their way around campus, Mary Nesbit was selected to lead other Purdue
students only two weeks after she began school at the University.
Nesbit, now a sophomore in the School of Liberal
Arts, was asked to be a Peer Advocate, a member of a group of Purdue
students who serve as role models to inform and educate college students
about the consequences, risks and challenges that surround alcohol consumption.
Because of Nesbit's demonstrated leadership skills
at the Recreational Sports Center, where she began working the summer
before her freshman year, Nesbit's boss recommended her to the Purdue
Health Center Student Wellness Office, which was in charge of selecting
participants for the program.
When she was chosen, Nesbit became part of the
first group of Peer Advocates at Purdue.
"We look for primary student leaders that
will make a good representation of the University," said Tammy
Loew, the alcohol risk-reduction coordinator for the Student Wellness
Office. "We want people committed to remaining responsible. We
don't want anyone whose name is going to end up in the arrest records."
Although the position would mean a large time commitment,
Nesbit was not deterred. She had her own important reasons for wanting
to accept it.
When Nesbit was a sophomore in high school, Nathan,
one of her classmates, was killed by a drunk driver. Nesbit had to walk
into her classroom every day and stare at the empty chair where he used
to sit.
This experience was enough to convince Nesbit that
people needed to consider the dangers of consuming alcohol.
"I'm not telling people not to drink,"
she said. "I'm telling them to be aware of what goes on when that
happens."
Nesbit says educating people around campus who
asked her questions about the Peer Advocates is one of the rewarding
responsibilities of the job.
After pictures of all of the advocates went up
around campus, she said more students recognized her and she was able
to connect with more people.
"People would say, ‘Oh, I've seen your
pictures,’" said Nesbit.
Besides becoming an informant to other students,
Nesbit was also responsible for helping out with the design of a media
campaign and the production of a video that will be shown on Boiler
TV.
Nesbit said making this video was one of her favorite
experiences, even though part of the filming happened to occur during
finals week. "We brought stuff to study," she said.
If there was a lull in the action or if it was
someone else’s turn to film, Nesbit would try to prepare for her
Biology or Chemistry exams.
She said many of the students in her group got
to know each other better during this time. "It was fun working
with the other advocates and talking about all of our experiences."
As the Student Wellness Office looks for new additions
to the group, Nesbit is looking forward to another year as a Peer Advocate.
"It’s given me a lot of opportunities
that I might not have had," she said.
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