NASPA Peer Education Conference
Health, Safety, and Well-being Alcohol and Other Drug Campus Safety and Violence Prevention Health, Safety, and Well-being Initiatives Student Leadership Programs Wellness and Health Promotion Graduate Undergraduate
January 15 - January 17, 2026 Chicago, IL
Join us at the 2026 Peer Education Conference (formerly General Assembly), now part of the NASPA Strategies Conferences in Chicago, IL. Students and advisors from across the nation will gather in-person to be inspired, share ideas, and build exceptional peer education programs promoting strategies in health, safety, and student leadership.
Presented By
About
NASPA's Peer Education Conference: a NASPA Strategies Conference affords peer educators and advisors a tremendous selection of learning opportunities to contribute to the development of individual peer educators, groups, advisors, and the field of peer education. The Peer Education Conference also provides pre-conference learning opportunities to enhance the conference experience, including the Certified Peer Educator (CPE) Train-the-Trainer Course.
The Peer Education Conference is the premier annual gathering for peer educators and their advisors to connect, learn, and grow. Through engaging sessions and shared experiences, attendees explore emerging campus wellness trends, strengthen practical leadership and facilitation skills, and discover innovative approaches to peer education. Whether you're looking to deepen your knowledge, bring fresh ideas back to your campus, or build meaningful connections with others doing this work, the conference offers inspiration, skill-building, and community in equal measure. You’ll leave with actionable tools, new perspectives, and renewed motivation to prioritize student well-being and peer-led impact.
To learn more about Confernce Registration, Full Schedule, Featured Speakers, Contiunuing Education, Venue, or Sponsors, click HERE to be redirected to the NASPA Strategies Conferences main page.
Conference Themes and Learning Outcomes
The 2026 Peer Education Conference themes are intentionally designed to create a well-rounded learning experience for both peer educators and their advisors. Together, the themes guide participants through understanding current trends and challenges facing campus communities, developing the individual skills needed to address those challenges, and exploring innovative, adaptable strategies that can be brought back to their own campuses. Whether you're planning to submit a session or simply looking ahead to what you'll learn, explore each theme in more detail below to see how they shape the full conference experience.
Current Trends and Emerging Issues
Sessions in this category should expose peer educators and/or advisors to emerging issues, evolving trends, and forward-facing challenges that may influence the peer education landscape. Sessions should raise awareness, spark critical thinking, and equip attendees to respond proactively to new developments affecting student wellness and peer-led initiatives.
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Identify emerging trends in campus, community, and digital wellness that impact peer education initiatives.
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Explore effective strategies for engaging a broad range of student perspectives within peer education efforts.
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Assess evolving factors influencing peer educator group development, recruitment, and retention, and discuss adaptable solutions for various campus environments.
Individual Skill Building and Leadership Development
Sessions in this category should focus on equipping peer educators and/or advisors with practical skills to strengthen their impact and confidence. Sessions may build core leadership competencies (public speaking, program planning, group facilitation, retention strategies, etc.) and/or enhance attendees’ ability to effectively engage with key content areas (mental health and well-being, substance misuse prevention, bystander intervention, sexual health, etc.).
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Build practical and interpersonal skills to strengthen a peer educator’s or advisor’s effectiveness in their role
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Evaluate current research and best practices in contemporary health education to design high-impact programming
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Develop leadership, supervision, and mentorship skills that foster meaningful connection, collaboration, and support
Adaptable Solutions and Innovative Approaches
Sessions in this category should highlight creative, student-driven programs and forward-thinking strategies that can be adapted and implemented across campuses. Topics may include successful policy advocacy, data-informed program redesign, or innovative wellness initiatives. Sessions should leave attendees with tangible tools, templates, or actionable ideas they can apply to their own peer education efforts.
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Identify innovative and promising strategies for prevention, harm reduction, and risk reduction programming
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Explore how successful peer education initiatives can be adapted across different campus contexts
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Apply evaluation data to strengthen programs, inform planning, and promote student engagement
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Demonstrate how peer education groups can foster collaboration to support students engaging in high-risk behaviors
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Train student leaders to use creative, solution-focused approaches to address campus challenges
Peer Education Awards
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Every year, the Peer Education Initiatives, a part of the Health, Safety, and Well-being Initiatives of NASPA and carrying forward the legacy of BACCHUS, proudly recognizes outstanding achievements in peer education. These awards honor peer educators, their advisors, peer education groups, and programs that exemplify the innovative spirit and commitment to student well-being that BACCHUS pioneered. Award finalists will be featured and winners will be announced during the award ceremony. To see past winners, click here. |
- Outstanding Peer Education Group Award - This award recognizes peer education groups that have done exceptional work on their campuses. Awards will be granted to peer education groups that have consistently provided health, safety, and well-being education for students on their campuses in the past year.
- Outstanding Advisor Award - This award recognizes peer education advisors' commitment to peer education efforts, unique talents as a peer education advisor, leadership ability, and presence as a positive role model for peer educators.
- Outstanding Peer Education Program Award - This award recognizes creativity and overall effectiveness in campus awareness and education. Selected programs will represent the diversity of health, safety, and well-being topics. Programs must have occurred in the 2025 calendar year. You are free to discuss the number of attendees in your application, but please note that high attendance is not as important as the creativity and overall effectiveness of the program.
- Outstanding Peer Educator Award - This award recognizes students’ contributions to campus peer education efforts, academic successes, and leadership.
BACCHUS Scholarship Application
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BACCHUS emerged in 1975, creating a pioneering peer education model focused on alcohol consciousness for university students. In 2014, BACCHUS joined NASPA, continuing to empower peer education groups and broadening it’s commitment to peer education through high-impact, evidence-based learning. Today, Peer Education Initiatives at NASPA continues to carry the mission of BACCHUS, which revolutionized student affairs, emphasizing collaboration and proactive health promotion, leaving a lasting legacy as a successful model for peer education programs. |
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It is with this spirit and the generous support from members, friends, staff & alumni, that the BACCHUS Scholarship continues to fund attendance to the NASPA Peer Education Conference (formerly General Assembly) by covering the cost of registration. Peer educators from NASPA Institutional member campuses are eligible to apply.