Excellence in Higher Education Prevention
MEmbership Awards
Baxter Award
Excellence in Higher Education Prevention
The annual Baxter Award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of CHASCo members who have gone above and beyond their everyday work to achieve excellence in higher education prevention programming.
2026 Baxter Award Recipients
2026 Baxter Award Recipients
Congratulations Dr. Paulette O'Gilvie for being a 2026 Baxter Award Recipient!
Dr. Paulette O'Gilvie
Associate Professor & Faculty Chair, Behavior Studies
American Baptist College
Adrienne lees
Senior Prevention Coordinator
Tennessee Technological University
Dr. Paulette O’Gilvie serves as associate professor and faculty chair of the Behavior Studies department at American Baptist College, where she has shown outstanding leadership in advancing prevention efforts through the development and implementation of the institution’s first formal prevention program.
Her work has helped cultivate a campus culture focused on education, awareness, and early intervention. She has also led community-centered prevention initiatives, partnered with Student Affairs on new programs including the Flourishing Project, and shared resources on collegiate gambling prevention through CHASCo.
Dr. O’Gilvie has strengthened partnerships with community leaders, health professionals, and neighboring institutions, helping expand prevention education and outreach for underserved populations. Her leadership and commitment to student well-being have helped advance the conversation around prevention in higher education, particularly within HBCUs.
Congratulations Adrienne Lees for being a 2026 Baxter Award Recipient!
Adrienne Lees serves as a Senior Prevention Coordinator at Tennessee Technological University, where she provides strategic leadership for a robust schedule of prevention initiatives, including binge-drinking awareness campaigns, sober-living outreach, wellness programming, and Flourishing Project sessions.
Her work extends beyond campus through jail-based parenting education, coalition meetings, trainings, and regional events such as Day of Hope and Fall Fun Fest. She also plays a key role in strengthening team effectiveness through supervision, communication, conflict resolution, and operational planning.
Adrienne’s leadership, compassion, and dedication have helped expand access to prevention resources across Middle Tennessee and foster a culture of safety, well-being, and resilience.
The Baxter Excellence in Higher Education Prevention Award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of CHASCo members who have gone above and beyond their everyday work to achieve excellence in higher education prevention programming.
This year, CHASCo received the most nominations to date, resulting in a first for the coalition — a tie between two outstanding members. Dr. Paulette O’Gilvie of American Baptist College and Adrienne Lees of Tennessee Technological University were honored with the 2026 Baxter Excellence in Higher Education Prevention Award for their exceptional leadership and contributions to prevention in higher education.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. O’Gilvie and Adrienne Lees on this well-deserved recognition.
Previous Award Recipients
2025 AWARD
CLAUDIA ALONZO
Austin Peay State University
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“Claudia consistently goes above and beyond her role by ensuring that prevention programs are inclusive, accessible, and tailored to APSU’s diverse student population, particularly for nontraditional students, first-generation students, and those in need of additional support.
Her ability to build strong partnerships with local, state, and national organizations ensures that APSU remains at the forefront of best practices in prevention and student support. Claudia’s leadership, dedication, and unwavering advocacy for student health and safety make her an exceptional candidate for this award.”
2023 AWARD
NANCY TRUETT
Pellissippi State Community College
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“If she is able to attend a meeting, you can expect her to be there. PiP Conference? She will happily drive 5 hours to attend and never once complain. Nancy fosters really important relationships with her peers by being a constant supportive presence. I think she truly loves being surrounded by people and her colleagues. She will be the first to share things that have worked for her staff and students, the first to share psychoeducational materials she has learned of, and the first to listen sincerely about what others have tried in the prevention realm and is quick to think of ways it might work at her institution.”
2024 AWARD
Dr. SYLVIA GRAY
University of the South (Sewanee)
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“When Dr. Gray arrived at Sewanee over five years ago, there was no structure or operational plan for prevention, education, Title IX, or other matters of equity and discrimination. She spent working days, nights, and weekendsbuilding policies, procedures, plans and structure around prevention and support for the entire campus community while also mentoring colleagues on DEI and Title IX, around her state and region."
Nomination Requirements
Any individual from a CHASCo member institution may nominate themselves or any other individual from a CHASCo member institution:The nominee must be from a CHASCo member institution that is in good standing.
Factors for nominating should be specific to events, activities, or actions that go beyond the scope of the nominee’s normal duties and address the prevention of issues including, but not limited to:
Substance use prevention
Mental health promotion
Sexual and interpersonal violence
Other intersecting issues
Nominees should be known for striving to foster cross-campus collaborations and relationships at the local, state, and/or national level.
Nominees should embody the vision of CHASCo by “empowering our campuses and communities to engage in positive health and safety behaviors.”
The nominee has not been a recipient of the Baxter Award in the past five years.
Dr. Susanna L. Baxter joined the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) in 2000 and became its Chief Operating Officer in 2007. During this time, she networked with a multitude of Institutions of Higher Education in Tennessee and identified a need for providing additional support and resources related to substance use and misuse on campus.
Through her passion for substance abuse prevention in higher education, she helped coordinate the formation of the Coalition for Healthy and Safe Campus Communities (CHASCo) and is celebrated as one of its founders. When she left TICUA, the Susanna L. Baxter Award was created in honor of her and her work.
AWARD HISTORY
CHASCo presents superlative awards at our annual Partners in Prevention Statewide Event!
Superlative Awards
2026 Superlative Winners
2026 Superlative Winners
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BEST PROGRAM FOR SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH
Columbia State Community College
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MOST CREATIVE CAMPUS OUTREACH
Columbia State Community College
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BEST PROGRAM FOR SUPPORTING SELF CARE
Northeast State Community College & Lipscomb University
Vote for the 2027 Superlatives!
Nominations for 2026-2027 will be open soon!
Best Program for Supporting Mental Health
If you have held a great program/event or you know of one that another institution has held – please consider submitting a nomination.
Best Self-Care Strategies
If you have held a great program/event on self-care strategies or you know of one that another institution has held – please consider submitting a nomination
Most Creative Campus Outreach
Do you know of a program or event that was really imaginative and inventive? Well, you know we want to hear about it!
Member Institutions
We are proud to collaborate with 46 institutions dedicated to enhancing campus health and safety.
By uniting our efforts, we can create a safer, healthier educational environment for all students. Join CHASCo today and be part of the solution! Join Us
Download our membership application and email it to our Director at matthews@ticua.org.