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Shaq presentation on HBCU efforts a slam dunk

NBA legend and Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility Ambassador Dr. Shaquille O'Neal presented recent efforts to curb college binge drinking on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) campuses at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 43rd Annual Legislative Conference Wednesday.

As we mentioned earlier this week, Shaq spoke with lawmakers on Capitol Hill last October to present findings from a Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility-funded study completed by Morgan State University on binge drinking among HBCU students.

After the audience heard presentations from the distinguished members of the session’s panel, which consisted of Congressman Cleaver (D – MO), Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility President & CEO Ralph Blackman, Dr. Linda Loubert and Dr. Linda Kirkland-Harris, Shaq showcased to conference attendees the efforts to combat binge drinking on HBCU campuses that came from the study’s findings.

The study findings Shaq highlighted revealed that consumption and attitudes about alcohol among the HBCU students are different than the national college students sampled. 

Here are a few of the results:

  • Two-thirds of HBCU students like to pregame versus thirty-six percent of the national sample.
  • Eighty-two percent of HBCU students have a good grasp on their drinking limits and maintain them versus seventy-eight percent of the national sample.
  • One-third of HBCU students don’t always realize how drunk they are until later compared to 39% of the national sample.
  • Nearly one-half of HBCU students who drink and go out socially report binge drinking on a weekly basis while two-thirds reported bingeing in the national sample.

In addition to this study, Shaq discussed a few findings from the focus groups conducted with HBCU students. In these focus groups, it was discovered that:

  • Students prefer to use humor in their campaigns.
  • Students reported that using social media in any campaign is a must.
  • Social media’s ability to humiliate drunken students appeared to resonate.
  • Videos need to be entertaining for students so they will share via social media.
  • YouTube is seen as an appropriate and effective online channel for these videos.

With these findings in mind, Shaq enlisted the help of Godfrey the Comedian, co-host of “Upload with Shaquille O’Neal” on Tru TV. On Wednesday, the former NBA All-Star showed the audience a mash-up of our #WatchYourself videos featuring Godfrey the Comedian, as well as the #WatchYourself ads that were featured in six HBCU campus publications and advertised on YouTube and social media.

The information and initiatives presented from each panelist in the session were insightful, and the event was a slam dunk.

On that note, we’d like to thank Dr. Shaquille O’Neal for his continued dedication to this important issue!

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