Views From the Field

The start of this academic year represents a milestone of sorts for me. I began as a first-year student at the University of Washington (UW) in September 1987; now, 30 years later, I have the honor of working in both a research capacity and a student life capacity at the very campus that shaped my professional identity. 

For many students, college marks a time in life where they have a new sense of freedom. They transition into a stage of interdependence where they are largely responsible for daily decisions that will affect their lives now and in the future. This time allows for new experiences, new friends, and new opportunities.

As faculty, we see how alcohol and other drug misuse affect students’ academic performance. For example, some students miss class, pass in late assignments, fall asleep, or rarely participate because of their substance use.

Implicit beliefs about addiction often frame access to support systems for students in recovery or in need of treatment.

When I began my career as a prevention professional at a large public university more than two decades ago, I made many of my programming choices based on an instinct that what I was implementing would reduce drug use among our students.

There was a point in my earlier days that I thought talking about strategic planning was a cure for insomnia. I recall wanting to flee strategic planning meetings in order to spend time with students “getting the work done.”

Welcome to our newest website, www.campusdrugprevention.gov, created as a one-stop resource for professionals working to prevent drug abuse among college students.