“The Holy Hill Presents” Conference: Bringing Campus and Community Together for Wellness

Hosted by: American Baptist College (Nashville, TN)

American Baptist College hosted “The Holy Hill Presents: Campus and Community United for Wellness” (Nov. 15, 2025), a student-led conference designed to build awareness of preventing alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorders.

Held at the Lewis-Scruggs Conference Center, the event brought together students, faculty, families, and community members for a day of learning, discussion, and reflection focused on prevention and overall well-being.

“Campus and Community United for Wellness” was less about responding to a single moment and more about strengthening a culture of awareness and shared responsibility. Organizers recognized that prevention work requires sustained attention to keep conversations visible.

What the Day Looked Like

Throughout the day, sessions combined education, lived experience, and practical prevention strategies. Speakers and presenters focused on building self-awareness, understanding the risks of early substance use, recognizing when to seek help, and using self-reflection as a tool to support well-being.

An engaging student-only presentation (“The Influence of Music in Prevention: Highs and Lows”) explored multiple music genres and how music can influence behavior in different ways—encouraging risky behaviors or serving as a source of connection, expression, and prevention.

A first responder gave a practical demonstration on the use of naloxone to stop an overdose and save a life.

Students hosted a table stocked with materials and supplies on prevention, spirituality, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and other resources—creating opportunities for informal conversation and follow-up.

What Was Heard and Learned

Through live discussions, interactive panels, and informal exchanges, organizers engaged directly with attendees. Many participants shared that this conference was a “first” for them—their first substance use prevention-focused event; first exposure to student-led programming of this kind; or their first time seeing prevention framed through music, lived experience, and faith-informed dialogue.

Building on the momentum of this first Communities Talk experience, American Baptist College is continuing to support prevention initiatives that keep students engaged, informed, and empowered to have a voice in promoting well-being on campus and in the community.