Alcohol Awareness
Through the Arts
Embracing an Innovative Approach to College
Alcohol Education Through the Effective
Networking of Students and Faculty

 Pattie Carr, MA, LRD
 Director, Wellness Program
 Faculty, Fine and Performing Arts
 Hal Haynes, ABD
 Vice President for Student Development
 Division of Student Development
 Carrie Knudson, RN
 Director, Student Health Service
 Certified Alcohol Educator

Alcohol Awareness Through the Arts
Program – Dickinson State University
 History
 Rival university 90 miles east
 Student deaths – both football players
 Drunk driving accident
 Alcohol toxicity
 Major impact among our students
 Focus: students asked how they could improve
our alcohol education program to make a real
difference among their peers

The centerpiece of the new program is the Alcohol
Awareness Through The Arts program (AATTA)
• Creative writing
• Dance
• Film making
• Music
• Oratory
• Play writing
• Poetry
• Theatre
• Visual arts

ASSESSMENT
 To date:
 Reflective Thinking Assessment Tool
 In what ways, if at all, has alcohol negatively
impacted your life?
 What negative impacts of the use of alcohol
were presented in the performance?
 What are your reactions to this performance?

Student Voices
 1. “Very moving. A lot of emotion in the art. It has
made me realize that it is not worth it to drink in order
to have fun.”
 2. “Sad, but it is all true.”
 3. “I didn’t feel as if I was being lectured.”
4. “I wanted to see more.”
 5. “I think this is a positive thing. The only way
people will eventually learn is if they are constantly
reminded.”
 6. “I think it was very effective.”
 7. “It makes you think about your choices.”
 8. “The art work is incredible.”

2007 – 2008 Assessment
 Confidential; not anonymous
 Pre-performance questionnaire
 Post-performance Reflective Thinking Tool
 Immediately following performance
 Post-performance Focus Groups
 Pre-performance questionnaire
 Peer led discussions using specific and
pointed pre-determined questions

Dickinson State University Major
Players
 Administration
 Visible support
 Financial support
 University Relations
 Marketing
 Student Development
 Programming opportunities
 Financial support
 Department Chairs
 Encourage faculty participation
 Individual Faculty members
 Serve as project mentors - KEY
 Coaching Staff
 Student Leaders

Summary
 The Alcohol Awareness Through the Arts
program uses all of the arts to discuss the
potential negative results of binge drinking
 Student Driven
 Student Directors
 Student Artists
 Student to Student
 Questions or thoughts