Texas State to host Peer Education Regional Spring Conference

By Alec Jennings
University News Service
March 26, 2009

Texas State University-San Marcos will host this year's BACCHUS Network Area 6 and Peer Education Regional Spring Conference March 27 and 28 at the LBJ Student Center.

With the theme Journey to Success, this year's conference will highlight mental health issues and college students. Julie Eckert, advisor for the Network and Men Against Violence at Texas State, said with the conference held at a different institution annually, having this year's in San Marcos is a good fit.

"We're holding the regional conference at Texas State because we have two very active peer education programs on our campus: The Network and Men Against Violence," Eckert said. "Both groups deliver approximately 150 health and wellness presentations to 8,000 Texas State students each year."

Expecting approximately 125 peer educators and their advisors from throughout the five-state region (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas), programs will be delivered related to nutrition, stress, sexual health, violence prevention, alcohol, body image and eating disorders. Training for the event will take place March 27 with the conference being held the following day.

BACCHUS (Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students) is a network of student leaders and advisors who promote student leadership regarding high-risk behaviors such as safe lifestyle decisions, alcohol abuse, tobacco use, illegal drug use, unhealthy sexual practices and others.