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EIU Illinois Higher Education Center

IHEC Can Help You

What people are saying about IHEC...
"I am so grateful for IHEC"
 "Low cost and high quality! It doesn’t get better than that anywhere!"
 "Hands down, IHEC should be the #1 resource a new professional consults when entering the AOD field in higher Ed."
"The people involved with IHEC have become a great support network."
 

 

Lyndsey Hawkins, MA, CPS

Interim Director of Wellness

Bradley University

How long have you been a part of IHEC?

For about 8 years.

What motivated you to work with IHEC?

My supervisor encouraged me to attend events with her. I am continually motivated to work with IHEC because of the valuable training that is offered and the personalized attention I receive from the staff. When I first started, I needed the help so badly...especially at such a low cost!

How has IHEC helped you in your position?

When I started, there was not a lot of guidance for what my position should be doing. I heavily relied on IHEC's recommendations to implement the best programs at Bradley.

How has IHEC benefited your institution?

Because of different projects with IHEC over the years, I have developed invaluable relationships with our city's police and our neighborhood associations. Also, because of attendance at trainings and affiliate meetings, I have networked with such wonderful/intelligent/caring professionals around the state. I have been able to use their expertise to improve programs on my own campus.  

How could IHEC benefit a new professional in AOD prevention?

Hands down, IHEC should be the number one resource a new professional consults when entering the AOD field in higher Ed. IHEC is always willing to come to your campus and help you assess what needs to be accomplished; the trainings lead you on the right path of how to implement the best programs; the affiliate meetings keep your spirit up and motivate you to overcome all the obstacles along the way. I cannot say enough good things about working with IHEC.

 


Amy Sims

Coordinator of Student Activities and Holistic Wellness

Joliet Junior College

How long have you been a part of IHEC?

My relationship with IHEC developed while I was an undergrad at EIU in 2001.  I became involved in SONOR, a social marketing club on campus.  I later learned that the IHEC staff had invested a lot of time and energy into the development of these type of student groups on Illinois college campuses.  During my senior year of college I was seeking graduate opportunities.  While applying to EIU’s College Student Affairs Program in the spring of 2003, IHEC staff was considering hiring a new staff member for their social norming efforts.  I took the opportunity to ask if they would consider a graduate assistant.  Becky Markwell, IHEC Director at the time, looked into the possibility.  They were able to gain approval for the new graduate position and I soon became a member of the IHEC team in the Fall of 2003. 

What motivated you to work with IHEC?

After leaving EIU I took a position at Benedictine University as the Coordinator of Student Life and then at Joliet Junior College as the Coordinator of Student Activities and Holistic Wellness.  In both roles, I have been able to maintain my connection with IHEC due to my responsibilities.  Because all of their affiliates have such a vital role in their success, I still feel like I am treated like a part of the team! 

How has IHEC helped you in your position?

In my current role I have multiple responsibilities, as do many of us.  What I appreciate most about the IHEC staff is that they are familiar with new trends and best practices.  This is important for me, because I often don’t have the time to do the research to develop new efforts on my own.  Not only can they provide the information about these efforts, they can also provide some practical information on how to implement the new strategies on my campus. 

How has IHEC benefited your institution? 

In the past Joliet Junior College has received grant funding, participated in the CORE Survey, and received training for staff.  In addition, the staff is always willing to review ideas and provide feedback. 

How could IHEC benefit a new professional in AOD prevention? 

Networking!  The IHEC staff’s greatest strength is providing the platform for networking and supporting continuing education of its affiliates. 

 


Debra Disney, MSEd, LCPC

Counselor

Methodist College of UnityPoint Health

How long have you been a part of IHEC?

1.5 years, since May 2013

What motivated you to work with IHEC?

May of 2013, I received an introductory email from Dr. Davidson inviting me to visit the IHEC website. There I found out about the programs, trainings, webinars, and services IHEC offers. I was also set up as IHEC’s primary point of contact at Methodist and joined their Listserv.

Then, in July, IHEC sent me an email inviting me to the Suicide Prevention workshop they were holding at the Alumni Center on the campus of ISU. Since that time, I have attended multiple trainings.

How has IHEC helped you in your position?

When I started at Methodist College, I was a seasoned counselor. However, my knowledge of the needs of college students was fairly limited. I truly did not know what I did not know! I did not even know the term “helicopter parents”. I didn’t know how Bystander Training could help students help each other to prevent sexual assault. I didn’t know how BASICS could help me to help students to make informed decisions about their drinking. I didn’t know how to use Social Media in Wellness campaigns. I didn’t know there was a Core Survey that would help me gather statistics about alcohol use on my campus that would then help me with a Social Norming campaign. I didn’t even know the term “Social Norming”. IHEC has helped me “know what I didn’t know”!

How has IHEC benefited your institution?

Representatives from IHEC (Eric and Cherise) came to our campus and did a site visit. They then wrote a report for us of their observations of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). We did not know there was a mandated report called the Biennial Report. They helped us become compliant with that IMMEDIATELY!

How could IHEC benefit a new professional in AOD prevention?

A new professional in AOD prevention might be like I was – they might not even know what they don’t know. IHEC has extensive experience and keeps abreast of the latest developments. They help the professional in AOD prevention to KNOW what they need to know, and they provide quality training to help the professional to meet their goals.  I am so grateful for IHEC. They are professional, personable, and I would not be nearly as effective in my job without them. The added bonus is that they provide forums for professionals in AOD prevention to network with one another. All of this is provided with little or no cost to the professional. Low cost and high quality! It doesn’t get better than that anywhere!

 


Sarah Jiter

Assistant Dean of First-Year Programs

Eureka College

What is your position?

I currently serve as the Assistant Dean of First-Year Programs at Eureka College.  I am a Eureka College graduate and started working at the institution professionally in 2008.  In my current role, I coordinate the First Year Experience Program, First-Generation Program, Parent’s Weekend, New Student Orientation, and Health & Wellness Programming for the entire campus. I also serve as the Designated School Official for International Students. 

How long have you been a part of IHEC?

I have been a part of IHEC since the Fall of 2008.  

What motivated you to work with IHEC?

I was motivated to be a part of IHEC to learn more about the Health Promotion field.  I have always naturally been interested in Health & Wellness topics, but I had no formal education and/or training in the field except for a Wellness course at Eureka College as an undergraduate student.    

How has IHEC helped you in your position?

IHEC has been a great asset to me professionally and personally.  I have learned so much about the Health Promotion Field and continue to learn new information at each Affiliate Meeting, Webinar, Training, Symposium, and Conference.  My favorite trainings so far have been Motivational Interviewing, BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students), CASICS (Brief Cannabis Screening and Intervention for College Students), and Certified Peer Educator Training through BACCHUS.  On a personal level I enjoy catching up with the "regulars" and meeting new people at each event.  The people involved with IHEC have become a great support network.

How has IHEC benefited your institution?

Because of my work with IHEC our institution has completed the Biennial Review and Core Survey every other year with guidance and support from the IHEC staff.  Also, Eureka College went through a major revision of the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy in 2011-12, which had not been reviewed since 2005.  The new policy includes BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) and CASICS (Brief Cannabis Screening and Intervention for College Students) through the Sanctioning process. 

How could IHEC benefit a new professional in AOD prevention?

If everything I listed above was not enough to convince a new professional to join IHEC, I have one more point.  IHEC members are willing to share anything...advise, ideas, resources...there is no need to recreate the wheel...we borrow from each other to make each institution the best it can be in regards to Health Promotion.  

 


Molly Dunn-Steinke, M.S.Ed., LPC, NCC

Director, Counseling Center

Quincy University

What motivated you to request a consultation visit?

After about three years working with Eric through IHEC I realized a few key things that were missing on our campus. The first was that no one on campus had any idea what the Biennial Review was and why it was important. Secondly, AOD is the area of my job that is the most visible to faculty, staff, studentsand the board of trustees. It is also the area I am least trained to deliver. 

Money is tight everywhere so I really needed those in charge of the purse strings to understand the need for resources in the area of AOD prevention. We have many traditions on campus and not all of the healthy or beneficial to students. I needed Eric and Cherise's expertise to put best practice in the front of my VP and others in charge of my AOD budget. 

What did you think about the report IHEC provided?

AMAZING, AWESOME, PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!

The report was laid out in a very comprehensive manner, allowing all reading it a clear picture of where we need to go in our AOD programming. The report spoke to traditions that did not promote our university mission, nor the success of our students. The report gave very concrete ideas to how we could go about making changes and what other campuses were doing in the work of AOD prevention. The report did not ask us to change everything we were doing, just to tweak some key areas. This allowed all who read it to see the progressive and positive change was a real and attainable goal.

How did the visit benefit your university and/or department?

Counseling center was given $6,000.00 to hire 6 peer educators. These peer educators would be assisting teh student AOD group as well as intentionally interact with all first year experience classrooms. 

The VP for Student Affairs was about to allocate $18,000 into a line item for Late Night Programming. The criteria that was attached to the late night was: it needed to be open to all QU students, no alcohol would be served, and the event was held between 10:00pm-2:00am. In the past few years we ahve had students bused to a haunted house, corn maze, multi-activity fun spot, movie theater, local Kroc Center, etc. 

 

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