1997

Position: Prevention/Education Specialist

Organization/Company: Twin Lakes Center For Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation

Qualifications Needed: A bachelors degree in a human service field and experience in programming as well as knowledge of drugs and alcohol.

Primary Job Responsibilities
"My prime responsibilities are to go in to school districts and talk with teens about drugs and alcohol. It's almost guest speakers in all the districts of Somerset County. I also work very closely with all the county SADD teams to help them campaign about destructive decisions. Although my primary area is Drug and Alcohol prevention, I also touch on areas including AIDS prevention as well as suicide and violence prevention. I also talk with at risk youth regarding their drug and alcohol problems. I teach the drug and alcohol curriculum at the county Partial Hospitalization program with mostly at risk youth. I work with all community organizations including human services, victim services, Communities that Care and Big Brother Big Sister to name a few. I am also active on a state level working with the PA Driving Under the Influence Association, Commonwealth Prevention alliance, and the Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Prevention. I teach an adult first offenders group for those Somerset Countians that were arrested for their first driving under the influence charge."

How did your SRU education prepare you for this position?
"SRU prepared me by mostly the entire Community Health curriculum. I use all aspects from programming to evaluation."

If you could pass on any advice for career success it would be:
"Work hard and never give up."

If you could sell Community Health as a major for a prospective student, what would you say?
"If you like to work with people and are interested in the field of public health, community health is the way to go."