June
Tobacco-Free Colleges Grantee Networking Event, June 25
The Health and Wellness Trust Fund Tobacco-Free Colleges Initiative grantees gathered
on June 25 at the UNC Department of Family Medicine for a day of learning and networking
about tobacco-free campus policies. Dr. Warren Newton, Chair of the UNC Department
of Family Medicine, welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Vandana Shah, Executive Director of the NC HWTF, applauded the efforts and remarkable
successes of the Tobacco-Free Colleges grantees now 19 months into their programs.
Six colleges adopted 100% tobacco-free campus policies in year one and beginning
of year two! Shah unveiled the newly created Tobacco-Free Colleges logo and announced
that a phase II RFP would be issued in July.
Dr. Michael Taylor, President, Stanly Community College, captured the audience with
his tale of growing up in eastern NC on a twenty-eight acre tobacco farm, watching
his father die three months after being diagnosed with lung cancer and then growing
up to lead Stanly Community College to adopt a 100% Tobacco-Free Campus policy.
"That legacy," he said, "is fine with me."
Grantee presentations by Ned Fowler, representing Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community
College, and Beth Graham, for Mecklenburg County Health Department, shed light on
issues around tobacco-free policy advocacy and mini-grants.
