Our History

The BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network began in 1975 as a student leadership organization at the University of Florida founded by Gerardo Gonzalez and Tom Goodale as a response to the need for alcohol awareness and abuse prevention needs on their campus. This first group chose to call themselves "BACCHUS", an acronym for Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students. This was the first student organization of its kind, and word quickly spread throughout higher education and the term "peer education" was born. Thanks to wide acceptance in the student affairs profession and through our early government and corporate supporters, the organization incorporated in 1980 as BACCHUS of the U.S., Inc., and we began to offer services, educational materials and training conferences to a fast growing network across the country.

In 1985, as an outgrowth of an effort to welcome more fraternity and sorority students into the peer education umbrella, GAMMA (Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol) was begun and soon, hundreds of campus Greek systems were organizing peer education efforts known as GAMMA affiliates. In recognition of this, the organization name was changed in the early 1990's to The BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network. This name also reflects the fact that peer education has become an international effort, with more than 1,000 active affiliates throughout the United States and in several other countries.

Just as our name has changed over the years, so has our focus. What started as a student led alcohol abuse prevention effort at one campus has grown to the largest active student organization in Higher Education today. Peer Education has literally become an expectation of any comprehensive campus health prevention program and BACCHUS and GAMMA continues to provide cutting edge resources and programs for students on a wide variety of health topics on alcohol issues and beyond. Peer Education programs focusing on alcohol, tobacco, violence prevention, sexual health and safety and justice issues all find a home in our network. BACCHUS and GAMMA affiliates operate successfully on any type of campus and are reflective of the diverse student population on campus. There is no other student organization like it anywhere. Indeed, the BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network is the home for peer education!


How can you get involved on CPP's campus?
Contact the Chair Tania Nazemzadeh at tawnrocks@yahoo.com