FSU president receives award for diminishing role of alcohol

Jennifer Raley
Cumberland Times-News

September 05, 2008 09:23 am

— FROSTBURG — Frostburg State University President Jonathan Gibralter is the recipient of a national award that recognizes success in promoting a climate that de-emphasizes the role of alcohol.
“I was almost speechless,” Gibralter said of when he heard the news. The Presidential Leadership Award, which carries a $50,000 prize for the university, was presented to Gibralter on Wednesday at the American Council on Education office in Washington.
Creating a campus-wide Alcohol Task Force and supporting a number of community and student programs, such as Saferide, are among the initiatives that earned Gibralter the prestigious award.
“The main thing is the outreach into the local community — the landlords, the neighborhood associations, alcohol distributors and bar owners,” said Gibralter. “I am extremely grateful to the community, members of law enforcement and community leaders — this award isn’t about me.”
Although Gibralter is proud of FSU’s achievements in de-emphasizing the role of alcohol, efforts will be ongoing.
“I think this is just a starting point; every year, we get a new group of students, and we have to start all over again,” said Gibralter.
Gibralter was on a list of 18 nominees that included college presidents from institutions such as Ohio University, the University of Florida and the University of Virginia.
The annual award was developed by the American College Personnel Association, American Council on Education, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges, Gordie Foundation, NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, Outside the Classroom and United Educators.
“On behalf of all the participating organizations, I want to congratulate Dr. Gibralter for his vision and implementation of programs and policies that have helped create a campus community less defined by alcohol,” said Brandon Busteed, founder and CEO of Outside the Classroom and a representative of the Presidential Leadership Award Review Panel.
The award money will be put into an endowment fund and may be used to fund student-initiated prevention programs.
Contact Jennifer Raley at jraley@times-news.com.