Farewell to David Jernigan, Founding Co-Director
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
For almost a decade, I have had the pleasure of working alongside Dr. David Jernigan to lead the Maryland Collaborative to Reduce College Drinking and Related Problems. He is now stepping back from his responsibilities with the Maryland Collaborative as he takes on a new role as Assistant Dean for Practice at the Boston University School of Public Health. I’m sure I speak on behalf of all the member schools when I say how much he will be missed for his enthusiasm, his keen instincts about how to navigate challenges, and his deep commitment to keeping our students safe and healthy.
I wanted to share my reflections about David’s contributions to this very successful and unique initiative. I can distinctly remember receiving the very first phone call from David as I had just left my office at the end of long day—it was pouring rain. As I stepped into my car, the phone rang, he introduced himself and told me that the Maryland Secretary of Health wanted us to figure out how to pull all the colleges in the state together to address excessive drinking. “It’ll be a great opportunity—I don’t think anyone has done it on this kind of scale—but we need to move quickly”. It was the type of phone call that stops you in your tracks. The planning phase began in the parking lot.
David has never shied away from a challenge. He is creative, quick-witted, and confronts problems with honesty and humility. As an internationally recognized expert in alcohol policy, the demands on his time were fierce, but he always had time to speak with me about something that needed his input. In short, he was proud of the Maryland Collaborative and what we were able to collectively accomplish. He immensely enjoyed getting to know all of the people involved on the campuses and in the communities. He taught me so much over the years, and I know he will be a fantastic leader in this new role, inspiring his colleagues, and encouraging the students around him to make an impact. The Maryland Collaborative is stronger than ever thanks to David’s contributions and our dedicated team stands ready, as always, to continue to follow his legacy in helping you achieve your goals in promoting student health, safety, and success.
With gratitude,
Amelia
Amelia M. Arria, PhD
Professor and Associate Chair
Department of Behavioral and Community Health
Director, Center on Young Adult Health and Development
Director, Office of Planning and Evaluation
University of Maryland School of Public Health
1234 School of Public Health | College Park, MD 20742
301-405-9795 | aarria@umd.edu
www.cyahd.umd.edu | www.sph-ope.umd.edu
Farewell to David Jernigan, Founding Co-Director
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
For almost a decade, I have had the pleasure of working alongside Dr. David Jernigan to lead the Maryland Collaborative to Reduce College Drinking and Related Problems. He is now stepping back from his responsibilities with the Maryland Collaborative as he takes on a new role as Assistant Dean for Practice at the Boston University School of Public Health. I’m sure I speak on behalf of all the member schools when I say how much he will be missed for his enthusiasm, his keen instincts about how to navigate challenges, and his deep commitment to keeping our students safe and healthy.
I wanted to share my reflections about David’s contributions to this very successful and unique initiative. I can distinctly remember receiving the very first phone call from David as I had just left my office at the end of long day—it was pouring rain. As I stepped into my car, the phone rang, he introduced himself and told me that the Maryland Secretary of Health wanted us to figure out how to pull all the colleges in the state together to address excessive drinking. “It’ll be a great opportunity—I don’t think anyone has done it on this kind of scale—but we need to move quickly”. It was the type of phone call that stops you in your tracks. The planning phase began in the parking lot.
David has never shied away from a challenge. He is creative, quick-witted, and confronts problems with honesty and humility. As an internationally recognized expert in alcohol policy, the demands on his time were fierce, but he always had time to speak with me about something that needed his input. In short, he was proud of the Maryland Collaborative and what we were able to collectively accomplish. He immensely enjoyed getting to know all of the people involved on the campuses and in the communities. He taught me so much over the years, and I know he will be a fantastic leader in this new role, inspiring his colleagues, and encouraging the students around him to make an impact. The Maryland Collaborative is stronger than ever thanks to David’s contributions and our dedicated team stands ready, as always, to continue to follow his legacy in helping you achieve your goals in promoting student health, safety, and success.
With gratitude,
Amelia
Amelia M. Arria, PhD
Professor and Associate Chair
Department of Behavioral and Community Health
Director, Center on Young Adult Health and Development
Director, Office of Planning and Evaluation
University of Maryland School of Public Health
1234 School of Public Health | College Park, MD 20742
301-405-9795 | aarria@umd.edu
www.cyahd.umd.edu | www.sph-ope.umd.edu