COMMEDIAN TO ADDRESS CONFERENCE AT UNIVERSITY

A 1973 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and standup comedian who blends humor into a serious message about substance abuse will be the keynote speaker April 22 when the University hosts a free mini-conference on substance abuse.

Michael Pritchard, who will speak at 9 a.m. in the University Center Ballroom, is recognized as one of the nation's brightest and most gifted humorists and is noted for his ability to get students to talk frankly about their attitudes toward drugs, alcohol, personal relationships, and pressure from their peers and parents.

Titled "Resource Survival -- Drug and Alcohol Education for Very Important People You, (RSVP)," the conference is being sponsored by the university's department of health and leisure studies, the Saint Francis Center For Recovery, the university's Students Against Drunk Driving Chapter, the Educational Talent Search U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Mental Health Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and the university's Service Master Food Services.

The mini-conference will begin at 8 a.m. April 22 in the University Center Ballroom with registration and continental breakfast. Edward Leoni, chairman of the health and leisure studies department at Southeast, will make a presentation at 8:30 a.m., followed by a welcome at 8:45 a.m. by Kala Stroup, Southeast's president.

Bob Parr, director of prevention services and biochemical testing at the Fort Riley Counseling Center at Fort Riley, Kan., will present an overview of substance abuse at 10:45 a.m. Parr will discuss "family sculpting" at 1 p.m. and adult children of alcoholics at 2:15 p.m.

Groups planning to attend the free conference should contact Southeast's department of health & leisure studies at (314) 651-2197.

"The purpose of the conference is to disseminate information about substance abuse prevention and to educate faculty and staff about how self-esteem and family affect substance abuse," said Leoni. "The conference also will focus on peer refusal techniques, family sculpturing, self-esteem, adult children of alcoholic issues and humor therapy."

The conference is being funded with $10,000 from a $50,000 grant received last year to establish a Center for the Study, Prevention and Education of Substance Abuse on the Southeast campus. The Missouri Department of Mental Health, which administers the grant, made the award to Southeast and three other Missouri institutions.

The purpose of the center is to develop a coordinated system of research prevention and intervention efforts, a reduction in use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and a dissemination program to serve members of the Bootheel Educational Consortium. The consortium provides post-secondary educational opportunities to residents in the six-county region of the Missouri Bootheel.

In addition to the conference, Pritchard will be honored later in the day at a reception from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Wehking Alumni Center, where he will be presented with an alumni certificate of merit. Classmates of Pritchard's or guests wishing to attend the reception should call (314) 651-2259.

Following the reception, Pritchard will present his standup comic act at 7 p.m. for university students and students from across the region in Southeast's Student Recreation Center. The event is free. Groups or classes planning to attend should call (314) 651-2197.

On April 23, Pritchard will address faculty, staff and students of Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff and selected Talent Search program participants in a presentation on substance abuse prevention at the community college. The event is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information on the Poplar Bluff presentation, contact Kathy Thurman at (314) 686-4101.

Pritchard has spoken throughout North America to students, from grade schools through college level, and before civic, religious, criminal justice, corporate and professional associations. He has toured nationally with Norman Cousins, participating in The Healing Power of Humor Conference.

In 1987, Pritchard was selected as master of ceremonies at a celebration that attracted more than 80,000 people in Candlestick Park when Pope John Paul II visited San Francisco. Pritchard gained additional prominence in 1987 with the airing of his PBS pilot program, "The Power of Choice." The program was highly acclaimed, and from it, a 12-part series of programs on "The Power of Choice" was completed for the PBS network's 1988-1989 season.

In "The Power of Choice," Pritchard demonstrates his special blend of humor and serious counseling that came from his 13 years as a juvenile officer in St. Louis and San Francisco. His combined serious/comedic approach encourages people to realize that they can make good or bad choices, but they always have "The Power of Choice," event organizers said.