Reducing Underage Drinking: MU Gets Grant to Fund Educational Initiatives

Millersville University has been awarded a $50,000 Reducing Underage Drinking and Dangerous Drinking Grant from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's Bureau of Alcohol Education.

The two-year grant ($25,000 per year), which begins July 1, 2026, and runs through June 30, 2028, will support efforts to reduce underage and dangerous drinking, promote responsible alcohol use among those of legal drinking age and provide additional resources for campus and community education initiatives.

Millersville's proposal was submitted by Margo Thorwart '17, director of the Elsie S. Shenk Center for Health Education and Promotion, who will lead the grant-funded initiatives.

"This grant allows us to build on the work we're already doing to support student well-being and make an even greater impact through innovative education and prevention programs," says Thorwart.

Grant-funded initiatives will include:

1. Launching and evaluating a campus-wide social norms campaign to address common misconceptions about alcohol use. The campaign will expand on the University's Be Responsi'VILLE substance-use education efforts and use posters, yard signs and door hangers to encourage students to think critically about their choices while connecting them with campus resources and activities.
2. Creating and assessing a new asynchronous educational program each semester that uses technology-driven learning and social media engagement. The initiative will provide students with interactive educational opportunities and continue popular activities such as golf cart trivia during high-risk drinking periods.
3. Conducting research on student perspectives related to alcohol use and sobriety. This would include implementing a photovoice research project, a qualitative and participatory approach that combines photography and storytelling to better understand students' experiences and perceptions of alcohol use on campus. Findings will help evaluate the effectiveness of grant initiatives throughout the two-year period.
4. Providing professional development opportunities for project staff, including training for graduate and undergraduate peer educators, support for attendance at national conferences focused on alcohol prevention and harm reduction, and memberships in professional organizations to expand access to educational resources.