Towson University “TU Kicks Butt:” The Tobacco Peer Educators

Public University Located in Towson, Maryland
Enrollment: 14, 311 Undergraduates
Type/Category: Student Activism

Program: The “TU Kicks Butt” program at Towson University is a comprehensive, student led prevention and cessation program offered by the Dowell Health Center. The Tobacco Peer Educators run the program and are committed to promoting a tobacco-free lifestyle by preventing students from smoking, helping current smokers quit, and reviewing tobacco policies on campus. To achieve these goals they participate in a variety of activities, including:

• Raising awareness about the dangers of smoking and benefits of quitting by hosting health fairs, speaking to student groups, organizing tobacco-related activities, and participating in campus-wide events.
   
• Assisting in revising, marketing, and enforcing the school’s tobacco policies

In order to become a Tobacco Peer Educator students must complete a two-day training event. Also, Tobacco Peer Educators have the opportunity to earn 3 credits of independent study for their volunteer work.

Future: Towson University currently has 11 Tobacco Peer Educators who have planned a variety of activities and information sessions for the upcoming semester.

Contact Information:

Ellen Snydman, MS
Health Educator, Dowell Health Center
Phone: 410-704-2945
Email: esnydman@towson.edu

This case study brief was written in December 2004.

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