Point Park University Utilizes PLCB-Funded Grant to Promote Responsible Alcohol Consumption on Campus Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Point Park University recently received a two-year Reducing Underage Drinking and Dangerous Drinking (RUDD) Grant through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The $25,000 per year grant is aimed at funding programming to “discourage and reduce underage drinking and promote a message of responsible alcohol consumption by those of legal drinking age.”
Point Park has utilized the RUDD grant to fund six Alcohol Peer Educator positions. Students selected as peer educators receive stipends through the grant and are completing national peer educator certification through NASPA, the leading association for the advancement of health and sustainability of the student affairs profession.
“Students are more inclined to listen to their fellow students, especially when it comes to sensitive areas like drinking, or problematic drinking,” said Rebecca Harper, BSN, RN, university nurse and director of Student Health Services at Point Park. “This grant allows us to empower peer educators to guide fellow students by offering resources to get help or make responsible decisions.”
Carson Burgh, a sophomore broadcasting major with a minor in entrepreneurship, is one of the peer educators. Burgh said the educators are working on planning events focused on marijuana use, alcohol poisoning, overuse and how to recognize a substance problem.
“I applied because I care about the well-being of our communities' young adults," Burgh said. "Party culture is common on college campuses, and while we can’t erase the harm it causes, we can reduce it. The more educated students are on substance use and how to safely handle themselves when they or others are under the influence, the fewer incidents will happen.”
According to Harper, the goal is to build the Peer Education program as the first phase of a larger plan for establishing a comprehensive Health and Wellness Peer Education Program at Point Park, which will also include training members of It’s on Us. It’s on Us is the nation’s largest nonprofit program dedicated to college sexual assault prevention, emphasizing peer-to-peer assault prevention and consent education, bystander intervention and survivor support. It’s on Us supports more than 250 registered campus chapters nationwide.
“A big emphasis of peer education training is to recognize that as a peer educator, you are not a medical professional. Peer educators are there to guide students in need to resources for help,” said Harper. “For most students who are experiencing problems with alcohol, or who think they might be in danger of that, talking with a fellow student could make all the difference.”
Burgh said the peer educators' message is simple: “I want people to know that there are forms of harm reduction for all substances, and whatever you’re using, you could be using it more safely.”
Point Park's first Peer Educator class through the RUDD grant will participate in tabling events on campus throughout the year, introducing their services, establishing awareness on campus and meeting with students once their peer education training is complete.