Who We Are
Who are we? What do we do?
The BURG Peer Education Network was founded in 1987, and the 2011-2012 academic year marks the 24th year of Peer Education on the Frostburg State University campus.
We are a group of peers who believe in empowering, educating and creating change among our peers and our community. We promote healthy choices on campus and provide recreational alternatives to drinking and drugging. We are a nationally Certified Peer Education group through the BACCHUS Network and serve as Peer Educators by presenting several educational programs and awareness campaigns on-campus each year.
We have received local, regional, and national recognition and awards, for our programs,awareness campaigns, as well as our contributions to peer education as affiliates to the BACCHUS Network™. At our most recent National Conference (General Assembly) in Indianapolis, Indiana, we received award Outstanding National Affiliate, and one of our sophomores, Sheldon Jackson, was elected to served as Area 12's Student Advisory Committee Representative, a national position that only twelve students a year have the opportunity to serve in. This position has been filled by a student from Frostburg State University since 2006.
And at our Area 12 Regional Conference last spring, we received the award for Outstanding Extended Program for our Red Zone Campaign!
Also, at the FSU Leadership Banquet we received the award for Outstanding Programming at Frostburg State University.
We are NOT an anti-alcohol or anti-drug organization. We believe in making healthy choices and making responsible decisions. Although many of our members do abstain from alcohol and drugs, this does not dictate our views as an organization. We believe in empowering students by helping them gain knowledge on the various topics we discuss. We don't tell students "don't do this" but rather we give them the information and let make their own decisions. We do tell students about protective factors to use when consuming alcohol (such as staying hydrated, eating, moderation, etc), but we also feel it's important to mention that the healthiest way to drink, is to not drink at all.
We’re here to break the myths about our campus. 83% of Frostburg State University students think it’s okay not to drink at parties, and 77% of students drink once a week, less or not at all. So why are we classified as a party school? Because it’s so much easier to hear about that one party that happened last night, than about the majority of students who were responsible and safe. And that's the mission and purpose of our organization. To educate students in that it's okay not to drink at parties if they don't want to, and in fact, that's what the majority of college students are doing. And we've got the data to back it up.
In our organizations there are numerous opportunities for you. You will gain lots of leadership experience, which is a highly prized skill looked at by future employers. You will also be able to gain presentation and communication skills through brainstorming, and implementing educational programs, as well as better serve your community through volunteerism and community outreach programs. Not to mention being a part of the largest student based organization at the collegiate level with over 35,000 Peer Health Educators across the country.
Along with educating students on-campus through educational programs and awareness campaigns, we also do community service, become Nationally Certified Peer Educators, go on Regional and National Conferences, bring speakers to campus, and facilitate workshops, both here at Frostburg and within our region.
And because we also need to experience things just for the sake of relaxing and having fun we also go on retreats, have socials, host dances and go on destination unknowns (a free all day event where students are given the opportunity to be taken to various unknown locations. Past DU’s have been a trip to Hagerstown, ice skating, roller skating and many others).
And believe it or not, these are only a few aspects of our organization; there is so much more! For information on joining our organization either contact our recruitment chair Sheldon Jackson, at sdjackson0@frostburg.edu, or check our our Recruitment page.