Students learned how to recognize alcohol abuse and help friends with alcohol problems when Carolyn Cornelison visited Mississippi State University Tuesday.
Cornelison, who earned her doctorate in physical education from Florida State University, presented her “Courage to Care” program at Humphrey Coliseum.
She outlined a three-point plan for students to help friends who have problems with alcohol: knowledge of out-of-control behaviors and what to do about them, sensitivity to such behaviors in yourself and in the people around you and the courage to help peers who have alcohol problems.
Cornelison raises awareness by telling stories of her own college experience as an athlete and member of the Delta Zeta sorority at Georgia State University. Though many of her stories are humorous, her message is serious: although it can be difficult, it is “absolutely essential” for students to confront friends with alcohol problems.
She adde, “When we start talking about alcohol and alcohol problems, we want it to be anything but what it is. But, sometimes it can just be the alcohol.”
Cornelison said she would probably have avoided a lot of pain if her friends had confronted her about her alcohol abuse. She praises the increases in alcohol awareness in the years since she left college.
Cornelison said that 75 percent of college students are moderate, infrequent or non-drinkers. She charged those who do drink to use designated drivers.
She also urged students not to leave each other alone during parties, citing that all 21 alcohol-related deaths on college campuses last year occurred when students who drank too much were left alone.
Sophomore Amanda Harrell, who attended the program, believes that the message “got to a lot of people.”
She began speaking as a part-time job while a graduate student at FSU and for the past four years has been speaking full-time to students about dealing with peers who have alcohol problems. This was her first visit to MSU.
Cornelison’s visit was sponsored by the local Anheuser-Busch wholesaler, Cash Distributing Co., Inc. Anheuser-Busch leads the nation’s alcoholic beverage industry in combating alcohol abuse through community programs and speakers such as Cornelison as well as through national advertising campaigns. More information can be found at www.beeresponsible.com.