What is BSAN?
BSAN efforts can be classified into two broad categories. Firstly, we prepare students for necessary substance use interventions, better known as harm reduction strategies, to save lives. Our other efforts focus on combating core stigmatizing beliefs held by community members to foster empathy, thereby increasing willingness to have conversations related to SUD and encouraging those affected to reach out for help.
Our
Story
BSAN was established by three Purdue students who saw the need for SUD education on campus. The co-founders – Alyssa, Claire, and Rachel – all had diverse experiences related to SUD, ranging from academic study of addiction and biology to personal experiences with family and friends affected by SUD and mental health issues.
In April 2024, BSAN received the Lead Forward Fellowship grant from the John Martinson Honors College and began its educational efforts in fall 2024.
BSAN has grown immensely since its start as a network of just three co-founders and two faculty mentors. Through frequent tabling across campus, many cold emails to organizations within and outside of Purdue, educational presentations including guest speakers with varied connections to SUD, BSAN has become a large network of passionate students and Purdue community members all bound by a drive to save lives and support those affected by SUD.
BSAN seeks to continue expanding its educational impact. By reaching more people, we hope to create a vast “ripple effect” in the community, ensuring that all are prepared to address substance use problems in a way that is knowledgeable, empathetic, and conducive to recovery.
Initiatives
Harm Reduction Training and Distribution
One of BSAN’s largest efforts is distributing naloxone (brand name Narcan®), a medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, and training students on how to properly administer the medication at monthly tabling events. Through our partnership with state non-profit Overdose Lifeline, we are able to provide naloxone to students for free! We also provide fentanyl and xylazine test strips at our tabling events, helping prevent accidental overdoses.
Educational Presentations
We provide more in-depth presentations to organizations across campus on SUD. We cover topics such as the complex causes of SUD and SUD stigma. Additionally, we recruit a variety of speakers with experiences related to SUD to speak at our events, ranging from doctors and researchers to those with lived experiences with SUD. These speakers provide critical insights into the realities of SUD.
Workshops
We host regular workshops where members can assist in BSAN event preparation, such as a preparing naloxone kits, and be supported by the BSAN officer team in establishing their own SUD education project. Workshops also serve as a great opportunity for BSAN members to get to know each other more and have valuable conversations related to SUD on campus and in the community.
Social Media
BSAN also aims to educate beyond just formal presentations. We have created several social media campaigns, such as ‘myth busting’, ‘swipe to break the stigma’, and ‘share your why you carry Narcan’ campaigns, that have provided essential education to a broad audience. We also created a podcast on the history of Narcan policy and encourage new educational initiatives through our workshops.
Research
BSAN is currently conducting a study on knowledge and perceptions of SUD on Purdue’s campus. Through this study, we hope to gain a better a sense of knowledge gaps and the prevalence of certain stigmatizing beliefs on campus as well as contribute to the broader literature.
Leadership Team
Alyssa Collins
Co-Founder & Co-President
Vera Schafer
Treasurer
Dr. Carol Ott, PharmD, MPH, BCPP, FAAPP
Faculty Advisor
Rachel Isaac
Co-Founder & Co-President
Audrey Wise
Secretary
Dr. Mitchell Struewing, PharmD
Community Mentor
Khanh Nguyen
Co-President
Claire Wolfer-Jenkins, BS
Co-Founder
Our Wonderful Members
Lauren Kessler
Number of Events:
13
Vera Schafer
Number of Events:
5
Areeb Ali
Number of Events:
4
Nathan Behnke
Number of Events:
3
Emily Pierce
Number of Events:
3
Adeline Lair
Number of Events:
2
Daniel Wilson
Number of Events:
2
Abby Deaton
Number of Events:
2
Paige Bennett
Number of Events:
2
Alexis Alleyne
Number of Events:
8
Alex Englert
Number of Events:
4
Annakristina Oroche
Number of Events:
4
Adeline Jolley
Number of Events:
3
Tina Qin
Number of Events:
3
Navya Dashora
Number of Events:
2
Alexis Bosse
Number of Events:
2
Sophia Herr
Number of Events:
2
Vivian Chen
Number of Events:
2
Alyson Pennington
Number of Events:
7
Khanh Nguyen
Number of Events:
4
Brynn Anderson
Number of Events:
4
Emmett Williams
Number of Events:
3
Audrey Wise
Number of Events:
3
Alessia Heiser
Number of Events:
2
Kennedy Heath
Number of Events:
2
Brooklyn Ramos
Number of Events:
2
Faris Amarneh
Number of Events:
2
Jules Mendhekar
Number of Events:
6
Rebekah Ferney
Number of Events:
4
Benjamin Bakker
Number of Events:
3
Paige Rakes
Number of Events:
3
Carter McCullough
Number of Events:
3
Cody Ball
Number of Events:
2
Felix Gu
Number of Events:
2
Alyssa Gregory
Number of Events:
2
Our Partners
BSAN works extensively with partners both on and off campus. Our partners are an integral part of our work and mission, enabling sustained collaborations that expand our educational impact and infuse new ideas, experiences, and perspectives into BSAN.
