Like any field, alcohol studies has its “firsts,” many of which even specialists may not know the details of. In its early years the Center of Alcohol Studies’ in-house journal, the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol , highlighted early writing about alcohol and addiction in order to provide scholars with a historical perspective. The Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies––itself an important “first” in the field––continues to both make and preserve history, in keeping with the “Five Pillars” of its founders’ original vision: research, publication, education, therapy and special services.

An important educational resource for individuals in the alcohol field since 1943, the Summer School of Alcohol Studies was the first to offer a structured curriculum to participants from various backgrounds and disciplines, becoming a life-changing experience for many. The interaction between faculty and students inspired lively discussions, which resulted in the founding of major organizations related to alcohol education––including the National Committee for Education on Alcoholism, later to become the National Council on Alcoholism, under the stewardship of notable SSAS alumna Marty Mann. Another student, Brinkley Smithers, became instrumental in helping the Center of Alcohol Studies move from Yale University to Rutgers, and (with his wife Adele Smithers) donated funds to expand the Center of Alcohol Studies building into its current form.