鶹’s Undergraduate Student Government President, Ivory Kendrick, was recently featured on an episode of the to talk about his role in providing free harm reduction supplies to people in the community.
Kendrick launched the initiative after participating in and facilitating several Narcan training sessions on campus. He later collaborated with on-campus partners and the local health department to bring the project to fruition.
“With Overdose Awareness Day, we handed out over 200 boxes on the university esplanade in front of our student center,” Kendrick said on the show. “In addition to that, we’ve had the DeWeese Health Center reach out to the health department, adding more to their stock when it comes to Narcan distribution.”
Kendrick has been involved in student government since high school, and this new achievement is just one of the many initiatives he’s advocated for at Kent State, with his public health major at the forefront of his efforts.
As noted in the story, communities across Ohio continue working to reduce opioid-related deaths each year.
Kendrick says his efforts have led to a noticeable increase in students taking initiative, learning how to obtain Narcan and keeping it on hand in case of emergency. His work reflects a growing awareness among students about the ongoing epidemic.