c/o Shannon Perry

Wesleyan’s Office of Health Education (WesWell) has hired Shannon Perry as its new alcohol and other drug specialist, beginning in fall 2023. The position was previously occupied by September Johnson, who served in the role starting in June 2020 until she was appointed director of WesWell in November 2022. 

Perry’s role primarily consists of educating students on campus about harm reduction practices regarding alcohol and drug use in various ways.

“As the Alcohol and Other Drug Specialist, I meet with students one-on-one for wellness coaching sessions, educate students on substance use harm reduction strategies, collaborate with campus partners, and help students with nicotine cessation,” Perry wrote in an email to The Argus.

Additionally, Perry will work collaboratively with Johnson, WesWell Associate Director for Sexual Violence Prevention Amanda Carrington, peer health advisors (PHAs), and WesWell interns to create and implement on-campus programming that expands health education. Johnson outlined a few of the ways in which Perry will be collaborating with other WesWell staff. 

“I picture Shannon and I working together a lot to coordinate some larger events like Party Safer Month and expanding our Recovery@ program.” Johnson wrote in an email to The Argus. “Shannon and Amanda…will have the opportunity to work together to prepare education for campus on the intersections of party culture and sexual violence prevention.”

Perry first began working at the University as a temporary, remote, information services assistant in the Office of Advancement in 2021; since then, she has completed a master’s degree in higher education at Central Connecticut State University. Her interest in wellness education began during an internship she completed in the Office of Wellness Education and Promotion at Eastern Connecticut State University.

“At Eastern, I had the opportunity to complete a year-long internship in the Office of Wellness Education and Promotion and serve on two student wellbeing committees.” Perry wrote. “Because of those experiences, I became passionate about wellness education, and knew I wanted to continue working in this area after graduation.”

Perry also cited experiences during that internship from which she gained valuable skills and knowledge of wellness education that she intends to apply to her work at WesWell.

“As an intern…I taught alcohol education classes and developed educational outreach programs,” Perry wrote. “One of the most memorable parts of my internship was writing the College Campus Gambling Prevention Initiative grant and educating students on the risks associated with gambling.”

Since beginning her work at the University, Perry has led the charge in securing the Campus Opioid and Stimulant Education and Awareness Program grant, awarded to WesWell over the summer, which she intends to use to implement initiatives including Recovery Ally trainings and programs to raise awareness of opioid and stimulant misuse. Johnson expressed her enthusiasm about the potential improvements that Perry can make to the Alcohol and Other Drug program on campus.

“Alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention and harm reduction initiatives are in great hands with Shannon,” Johnson wrote. “She has already made outstanding accomplishments in her role as she helped lead the way for WesWell to get funding to bring Narcan trainings onto campus. I’m excited to see Shannon’s leadership in collaboration with the Wes community regarding AOD initiatives, harm reduction and fostering our community of care.”

Going forward, Perry expressed her desire to collaborate with her colleagues and students to build support networks for students seeking resources for recovery and other forms of harm reduction.

“I want students [to] view me as a resource they feel comfortable seeking support from, rather than as someone they associate with ‘getting in trouble.’” Perry wrote. “I’m looking forward to learning from the WesWell interns and Peer Health Advocates, as well as students on the Student Health Advisory Committee, to help make a positive impact on students’ wellbeing.”

Sulan Bailey can be reached at sabailey@wesleyan.edu.