Peer Education Initiatives

Health, Safety, and Well-being Health, Safety, and Well-being Initiatives Mid-Level New Professional Undergraduate

Welcome to NASPA's Peer Education Initiatives! Since the 2014 merger of the BACCHUS Network with NASPA, our team has worked to promote student leadership and support peer educators and their advisors.

Peer Education Initiatives is a multidimensional framework that focuses on providing education, training, support, and resources to student peer educators, the professional staff members who serve as advisors, and peer education groups. Peer Education Initiatives' purpose is to create well-trained professional staff and student peer educators who can create an environment where peer-led programs, events and workshops can be a catalyst to elevate holistic well-being.

Check out the information here, and please email [email protected] with any additional inquiries!

Peer Education Initiatives - Office Hours

September 27 - December 6, 2022

Peer Education Fall Continuing Education Sessions

Division/Group Events

October 6 - October 8, 2022

NASPA General Assembly

In-Person Conferences

Certified Peer Educator

Certified Peer Educator (CPE) training is an effective strategy for building a well-educated and sustainable peer education group. CPE Training helps peer educators develop leadership skills to be able to successfully create and implement campus programs. Click here for more information!

As part of the CPE program, you can become trained to deliver the content directly to students on your campus through our Train the Trainer course. Click here to read more and register for this online, self-paced course.

Advisors

Part of our work with peer education involves supporting the professional development of peer education advisors. Our primary program in this area is Advisors Academy - a short course, offered both online and as a pre-conference session at select in-person events throughout the year. Advisors Academy is designed for newer peer education advisors or those who want to brush up on foundational skills integral to the advisor role. Click here for more information on the Virtual Advisors Academy short course!

NASPA Peer Education Advising Fall Continuing Education Sessions are meant to serve as a space for continued conversation and learning. Participants of the 2022 NASPA Virtual Peer Education Advisor Institute have a complimentary registration for all continuing education sessions as a benefit of participation.

Events

Photo of peer educators at the General Assembly opening keynote

General Assembly is a national conference held annually for undergraduate peer educators as well as their advisors. This is an opportunity for attendees to learn from each other and connect with peers and colleagues outside of their own campus. Click here to go to the General Assembly website.

We also offer the Peer Education Advisors Institute on an annual basis. This is a small, cohort-based experience for peer education advisors to take their skills to the next level and establish a strong network of colleagues. The event is facilitated by our volunteer Peer Education and Advising Faculty.

National Peer Education Study

The National Peer Education Study (NPES) is a partnership between NASPA and Michigan State University since 2004. The overarching goal of this study, administered yearly, is to understand how peer educators themselves learn and grow from their experiences. The project is overseen by Dr. Matthew Wawrzynski.

Click here to access the most recent national report released by the NPES team.

As an NPES participant, you will also receive an individualized data report for your specific campus. Click here for an example of what your institutional data report will look like.

For more information, or to indicate your interest in participating in the NPES, please email [email protected].

Peer Education and Advising Faculty

Our sincere thanks go out to the current members of our Peer Education and Advising Faculty! For more information about this group or to learn more about how to join, please contact Jazmin Jones at [email protected].

Joleen M. Nevers

Peer Education and Advising Faculty Co-Chair; Region I Consultant

Program Director for Regional Campus Wellness Services
University of Connecticut

Alicia Czachowski

Peer Education and Advising Faculty Co-Chair

Senior Executive Director of Health Promotion
Columbia University

La' Tesha Hinton

Peer Education and Advising Faculty

Director of Community Engagement and Health Equity
Tulane University

Aaron Maracle

Peer Education and Advising Faculty

Violence Prevention Specialist
SUNY University at Buffalo

Ashleigh Hala

Mentorship Coordinator, SRVPER KC

Director, Office of Wellbeing
Wake Forest University

Awards

Congratulations to the individuals and institutions who have been recognized for their excellent work at General Assembly!

2015 General Assembly

Outstanding Advisor

Kristy Sillay, Villanova University
Brittney Vigna, University of Alabama
Emily Werner, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Don Swogger, Frostburg State University
Anna Sotelo-Peryea, University at Buffalo

Outstanding Peer Educator

Brandon Piazzola, University of Montana Western
Devin Smith, Bowling Green State University
Krystle Griggs, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Brittany Hensley, University of West Florida
Maria Thaman, Butler University

Outstanding Peer Education Program

Love Your Body Day, University of Nevada Las Vegas
420 Forum, Millersville University
P.S. I Love You: Stalking Awareness Evening, Pittsburg State University
Campus Clean Up, Montana State University Billings
Step Up: Bystander Intervention, Miami University

Outstanding Peer Education Group

Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program, University at Albany SUNY
Peers Reaching Out, University of Montana
Millersville University Peer Educators, Millersville University
MU Student Wellness Advocates, University of Missouri
WellPAC, Fort Lewis College
HAWKS Peer Health Educators, Miami University

2016 General Assembly

Outstanding Advisor

Leslie Haxby McNeill, Miami University
Lexi Benson, University of Montana Western
Craig Kimmelblatt, University at Albany SUNY
Trisha Tinney, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Sandra Adams, Furman University

Outstanding Peer Educator

Robert Lemaire, Frostburg State University
Kelsey Miller, Coastal Carolina University
Tara Wong, University of Nevada Las Vegas
Margo Leitschuh, University of Missouri
Michael Romano, DeSales University

Outstanding Peer Education Program

HIV Hi/Low/No Risk, Georgia Gwinnett College
Red Watch Band Bystander Intervention Training, Northwestern University
UA Wellness Week, University of Alabama
Fall Harvest Festival, Valencia College East Campus
Wellness Fair, Radford University

Outstanding Peer Education Group

Joe's PEERS, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Gorilla Peer Education, Pittsburg State University
Health and Wellness Educators, Roger Williams University
RESPECT (Rape Education Services by Peers Encouraging Conscious Thought), University of Arkansas
UWF Peer Educators, University of West Florida

2017 General Assembly

Outstanding Advisor

Jessica Gargus, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Christine Ditter, Montana State University Billings
Cortney Heileman, Saginaw Valley State University
Aaron Maracle, University at Buffalo SUNY
Alicia Cambron, University of West Florida

Outstanding Peer Educator

Meghan Sullivan, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Suzannah Kal, Montana State University
Alexandra Harris, Radford University
Madison Turner, University of Cincinatti
Nicole Bulanchuk, University at Albany SUNY

Outstanding Peer Education Program

Project Condom, Millersville University
Sex in the Ballroom, Pittsburg State University
Message in a Bottle, Roger Williams University
So What's All the Buzz About?, University of Miami
Humans of UNLV, University of Nevada Las Vegas

Outstanding Peer Education Group

Project Health, University of Alabama
Red Watch, Stony Brook University
STEP UP BC, Bridgewater College
Bradley HEAT, Bradley University
Wellness Ambassadors, Ohio State University

2018 General Assembly

Tom Goodale Award for Exceptional Advising in Peer Education

La' Tesha Hinton, Tulane University

Gerardo Gonzalez Award for Graduate Student Service in Peer Education

Arianna Camel, Millersville University

Outstanding Advisor

Kendra Gaillegos-Reichle, Fort Lewis College
Jayme Trogus, Millersville University
Christina Cetti, Stetson University
Kennybel Pena, Manhattanville College

Outstanding Peer Educator

Katie Barnhardt, Appalachian State University
Lynn Jean-Louis, Stony Brook University
Matthew Koehl, Texas Tech University
Blake Archer, University of Alabama

Outstanding Peer Education Program

LGBTQ&A, Boston University
You Can’t Save The World Alone, University of West Florida
Social Identity, Weber State University
Be The Creed, Bowling Green University
4^th Annual Out of the Darkness Walk, Coastal Carolina University

Outstanding Peer Education Group

POWER (Peers Offering Wellness Education and Resources), Villanova University
Peer Health Advocates, University of Chicago
OWLS Care Leaders, Florida Atlantic University
Changing Carolina Peer Leaders, University of South Carolina
Health Education and Awareness Team, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

2019 General Assembly

Tom Goodale Award for Exceptional Advising in Peer Education

Mandy Parente, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Fifty Years of Exemplary Peer Education

Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program, University at Albany, SUNY

Outstanding Advisor

Melanie Perry, Saginaw Valley State University
Natalie D’Azzo, University of California, Irvine
Kelsey Lueck, Texas Tech University

Outstanding Peer Educator

Kace Garcesa, Georgia Gwinnett College
Emily Kollar, Bowling Green State University
Jordyn Livingston, University of South Carolina
Danielle Greenberg, Florida Gulf Coast University

Outstanding Peer Education Program

Can I Kiss You? Featuring Educator Mike Domitrz, Miami University
What's your Love Language?, Saginaw Valley State University
Got Your BAC & Positive Consent Orientation Workshops, Babson College
Stomp Out Stigma 5K for Suicide Awareness, St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Outstanding Peer Education Group

Health and Wellness Educators, Roger Williams University
Peer Wellness Advocates, Mount Saint Mary's University
SHORE Peer Educators, Coastal Carolina University
Health Promotion Division, Rutgers University-Newark

2020 General Assembly

Tom Goodale Award for Exceptional Advising in Peer Education

Robert Cardom, University at Albany, SUNY

Gerardo Gonzalez Award for Graduate Student Service in Peer Education

Emma Valvo, SUNY, University at Buffalo

Outstanding Advisor

Charlotte Petonic, The University of Alabama
Lori Bishop-Ley, University of Cincinnati
Nicole Giglia, Seton Hall University

Outstanding Peer Educator

Alexis Raysik, University of Central Missouri
Joyous Njoku, Texas Tech University
Bethany Tracy, University of Montana- Western

Outstanding Peer Education Program

Golden ARCHES’ Sex Week Program, University of California- Riverside
Trojan Outreach’s Interpersonal Violence Awareness Week Program, Troy University
High(er) Education, University of Miami
It's On US, Newberry College

Outstanding Peer Education Group

Student Advocates for Wellness, Springfield College
HEROES Peer Educators, Montana State University- Billings
PAWS (Peers Advocating for Wellness and Safety), Mount St. Joseph University
ROARS Peer Educators, Langston University

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