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College of Fine Arts and Communication Center for Communication, Collaboration and Creativity
Texas State College of Fine Arts and Communication Center for Communication, Collaboration and Creativity About C3 Success Stories Project SHARE

Project SHARE

Center for Communication, Creativity and Collaboration

Success Stories

Project SHARE
SHARE stands for Sexual Health Assessment and Risk Education

Project Director: Melinda Villagran, Department of Communication Studies, Texas State University
Co-Investigators: Paul Villagran, School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Marsha Burney, Department of Communication Studies, Texas State University
Community Partners:  Stonewall Warehouse, Black Rabbit Saloon, Shade Rooftop and The Barfish Lounge
Funding Organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

Award Amount: $900,000

The Department of Communication Studies was recently awarded a near $900,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to implement programming for at-risk young adults to better understand the link between increased substance abuse and sexual health risks.

This three-year initiative is titled Sexual Health Assessment and Risk Education (SHARE), and will focus on high-risk communities, specifically the LGBTQIA and veteran populations. Through SHARE, students will receive educational programming, services, and training about substance use and how it is related to unintended sexual health issues, such as HIV and viral Hepatitis.

“Through SHARE, we are aiming to limit the negative effects of alcohol and substance use among college students.” - Melinda Villagran, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Melinda Villagran will be carrying out this collaborative initiative with the help of two co-Investigators, Marsha Burney and Lt. Col. (ret.) Paul Villagran. Burney, lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies, will act as the program coordinator for the LGBTQIA community while Villagran, lecturer in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, will focus his attention on the veteran student population in the city.

Additionally, SHARE intends to partner with SM Nightlife, owner of four popular establishments in the San Marcos Square including Stonewall Warehouse, Black Rabbit Saloon, Shade Rooftop and The Barfish Lounge.