Beer, Booze and Books

This dynamic non-judgmental approach to confronting dangerous college drinking includes the impact of dangerous drinking on academics, hangovers, blackouts, alcohol and sexual activity, the amount of alcohol included in various drinks (including alcoholic energy drinks), low risk drinking and much more. Students are encouraged to critically examine the role alcohol is currently playing or could play in their lives once they graduate. While presenting critical “drinking” information this program supports abstinence and stresses the reality that most high school and college students either don’t drink or if they do, they do so at a low risk level.  Jim has presented this program to more than 400,000 students at more than 400 colleges and high schools around the country. The integration of cell phone generated audience polling has added a new and exciting interactive addition to the Beer, Booze and Books program.

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WeChooze
Interactive, engaging and informative, the WeChooze program integrates cutting edge technology with traditional alcohol and health education.  Utilizing cell phone based audience polling, this program helps clarify campus and national norms regarding drinking and other lifestyle related choices.
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The ABCs of College Drinking
Best suited for small groups, here's the perfect how-to for students who wish to drink but want to avoid the problems associated with heavy drinking. This is a great follow-up to Beer, Booze and Books.
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Face to Face
Participants learn effective methods for intervening with someone they believe may have an alcohol or other drug related problem.

This dynamic non-judgmental approach to confronting high risk college drinking encourages students to critically examine the role alcohol is currently playing or could play in their lives once they graduate. Beer, Booze and Books provides clear, accurate and applicable information and is effectively enhanced by computer generated, multi-media graphics and video. This is student favorite!!! Jim has presented this program to more than 400,000 students at more than 400 colleges and high schools around the country

High school administrators take note: This is an exciting and effective addition to High School-to-College Transition Programs!!!

The Truth about College Drinking

Campus tours for prospective new students and parents often simply scratch the surface of the campus culture. This program assists parents and students in understanding what they should look for, what questions to ask, who to ask and who to believe when they are evaluating the drinking situation of a college and considering their potential $100,000 + investment.

• Waynesburg College, PA
• West Chester University, PA
• Ursinus College, PA
• Champlain College, VT
• Landmark College, VT

• Daniel Webster College
• Wesley College
• Wentworth Institute of Technology, MA
• Keystone College, PA
• Ferris State University, MI

• Louisburg College, NC
• St. Joseph’s College, ME
• American International College, MA
• National Orientation Directors Conference

• 2013 Spring Semester

• Landmark College, VT

• 2013 Fall Semester

• Waynesburg College, PA
• West Chester University, PA
• Champlain College, VT
• Landmark College, VT

Jim Matthews was the Coordinator of Health Education at Merrimack college in Massachusetts and prior to this position, he was the Assistant to the Vice President for Alcohol and Other Drug Programs at Keene State College in New Hampshire where the campus newspaper identified his courses as the “most popular courses” at Keene State. He has written three books about college drinking. His “Beer, Booze and Books … a sober look at higher education" continues to be a student favorite.

The NCAA has approved Jim’s presentations as part of its Sports Sciences Speaker Program. He has been recognized by the New Hampshire Legislature for his work in alcohol and other drug education and abuse program.

Jim has appeared on ABC-TV, WOR-TV, CNN, NBC Radio and New Hampshire Public Radio and has been featured in numerous magazines and newspaper articles. He has spoken to over 400,000 students on more than 400 campuses throughout the United States and Canada.

• I will bring my own computer (Mac Book Pro) and remote mouse.
• I will need a digital projector. I will bring the appropriate Mac adapter for the projector.
• Since the computer provides video and music support, I will also need access to a sound system. My computer has a mini-plug for sound output. I have an XLR (3 pin) adapter and/or ¼ inch adapter.
• A wireless microphone is preferred.
• I will also need a LARGE projection screen. 
• The best lighting arrangement would be having the screen area dark and the area from which I speak lit and the audience slightly lit. Obviously this is optimal so the closest we get to it the better.
• If you would like to take advantage of the text generated audience polling, I will need access to the internet (wireless or hard wired). The venue should also allow for the majority of the audience to access their cell phone connections.

Motivating students to attend lectures after class hours can be particularly difficult, to say the least. Alcohol presentations offer an additional challenge due to students’ preconceived notion as to what the information will be and how it will be presented – most notably…”Just say no!” delivered in a dry lecture. Here are a few tips that may help increase attendance at your event.

• We all know that food works!!! Try adding a theme such as Mexican Food, Tropical Drinks, Top Your Own Pizza, Make Your Own Sundae.  

• Get support from faculty by requesting they provide credit for attendance at your presentations. 

• First Year Experience courses can incorporate these and other presentations into their curriculum.

Support and certainly attendance by your campus President and other Administrators will help.  Send them an invitation.

• In order to prepare the technical equipment, I would like to get into the venue one hour before the scheduled start  time for the presentations.

• Gymnasiums are extremely poor locations for the presentations due to the difficulties in lighting, poor sound quality and uncomfortable seating.

• Please send me directions to the exact campus location.

• It would be helpful if staff and/or student hosts are available to move the students to the front of the venue prior to the start of the presentation.

• If you are using Sign-in Sheets for checking attendance, have students sign-in at the end of the presentations. This will help prevent a large crowd from forming just prior to the start of the presentations thus delaying the start time. Also, some students may leave immediately after signing-in rather than stay for the whole presentation.

• It is best that you do not combine Student Athletes or Greeks with First Year students in the same audience. Please avoid this as much as possible.

• If possible, when conducting Student Athlete or Greek presentations, I would like to conduct two presentations - one for women and one for men.