Nov. 16, 2007 — Lydia Cuffman, a fourth-year student at the University of Virginia, was the recipient of an Outstanding Student Award from BACCHUS Network, an international organization dedicated to promoting peer-based education on health and safety issues.

Cuffman currently chairs U.Va.’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team and was nominated for the national recognition by Susan Bruce, director of the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education and advisor to ADAPT.

“As a member of ADAPT, Lydia is making significant contributions to U.Va.’s alcohol education programs, and she consistently strives to assist other students in making healthy choices,” Bruce wrote in her nomination of Cuffman.

The award was presented at the BACCHUS Network’s annual General Assembly in Atlanta earlier this month. Cuffman was one of five Outstanding Student Award recipients.

Cuffman, a history and American Studies major from Clinton, Tenn., has been an active member of ADAPT since her first year at the University and was recognized for a number of initiatives that ADAPT has instituted under her leadership. She has moderated ADAPT’s Hoos Sober listserv, a weekly listing of alcohol-free events, and has served as the ADAPT outreach chair.

“Lydia has really reinvigorated the group and has the members excited about returning to their core projects while also expanding into new areas.” Bruce said.

In addition to her work with ADAPT, Cuffman is a Jefferson Scholar and has held leadership position in a number of other organizations at U.Va. She is the philanthropy chairwoman of Chi Omega sorority, outreach co-chairwoman for the University Guide Service, a trainer for the Alcohol Risk Management program, and a member of Leadership 2007, a group of U.Va. students selected for a year-long program based on their leadership roles.

The primary purpose of ADAPT’s peer educators is to minimize the abuse of alcohol and other drugs in an effort to create a healthier environment at the University.

Earlier this year ADAPT was recognized by two national organizations for its efforts to reduce drunk driving at the spring 2007 Foxfield Races. ADAPT was one of four collegiate winners of National Youth Traffic Safety Month, sponsored by the National Organization for Youth Safety. ADAPT was also one of seven college peer education groups recognized by the BACCHUS Network for outstanding impaired driving prevention programs.

ADAPT received a $1,000 award from the National Organization for Youth Safety and will use the award funds to increase educational programming during the spring 2008 Foxfield Races as well as for Substance Abuse Awareness Week.