Chapter of the Month: University of South Florida

End Overdose's chapter program is vital to our success in equipping young people with lifesaving education and resources. Rather than proselytizing from a soapbox to Gen-Z and Millennials, we trust young people in cities and on college campuses to spread the word through a true peer-to-peer model. Our members and volunteers are committing endless hours to End Overdose's cause, so we want to highlight a chapter every month.

Today, we're proud to highlight our University of South Florida chapter! We spoke with co-presidents Brenda Guajardo and Carol Agaiby about what inspired them to join End Overdose, tabling on campus at the Bull Market and off campus at festivals like Breakaway Tampa, and much more!

What sparked your interest in overdose prevention/response and End Overdose in particular?

Brenda Guajardo: I first became interested in overdose prevention and response after watching a documentary about the fentanyl crisis in the country. The stories I heard deeply moved me and led me to do some of my own research on the topic. From this I found out that Tampa Bay had one of the highest rates of opioid overdose in the state. At this time, I was working as an opinion writer for the university’s student newspaper, so I took it as a chance to bring more awareness to the topic and encourage the university to make Naloxone more easily accessible for students. After publishing this article, I was connected with End Overdose and realized that the organization’s values and goals aligned with the change I wanted to see on campus since writing the article. Now I am so glad to have found this organization and work towards these goals that I had described.

Carol Agaiby: My interest in overdose prevention began after volunteering with Tampa Bay Street Medicine through the USF Morsani College of Medicine and shadowing in the emergency department at Tampa General Hospital. I witnessed firsthand how opioids have deeply impacted members of our community and felt a strong calling to take action.

During a summer internship at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, I attended a workshop on opioid overdose, addiction, and naloxone use. The speaker discussed the stigma and misconceptions surrounding overdose and how these barriers hinder progress in addressing the epidemic. His words truly resonated with me. That same night, I looked up ways to get involved and came across End Overdose. Coincidentally, applications were due that night, which felt like a sign that this was meant to be.

Since then, I have stayed in touch with that speaker and continue to update him on our chapter’s progress. His mentorship and insight have been invaluable as I work to make a meaningful impact in my community.

Can you describe your experience as chapter president at USF?

Brenda Guajardo: Being a chapter co-president at USF has been an extremely rewarding experience. It has given me a chance to connect with many students that have the same passion for helping the community battle the opioid epidemic. Through these connections, I have been able to form a hardworking leadership team that has put in so much effort to help our chapter reach its goals inside and outside of our university. As president, it makes me so happy to see so many people eager to join our cause while we table at different events or while we host training sessions with on campus organizations. I’m so proud to not only be a part of a community that comes together to save lives, but also have the chance to lead these passionate students through this. 

Carol Agaiby: My experience as Co-President of the USF Chapter has been nothing short of remarkable. I have had the privilege of seeing the spark ignite in students who stop by our tables, their curiosity turning into genuine engagement as they learn about the importance of awareness and education.

Some of my most memorable moments have been at events such as Breakaway Tampa, where many community members have shared their stories, thanked us for our work, and emphasized how needed it is. Hearing these personal testimonies reaffirmed why this mission matters so deeply.

Above all, I am grateful for the passion and commitment of our executive board and the overwhelming support from USF students who recognize how vital overdose prevention truly is. It is inspiring to see so many people come together for a cause that saves lives.

How have you developed authentic connections within the community?

Brenda Guajardo: With the goals we have at our chapter, authentic connections with the community are extremely valuable and one of our highest priorities. The main way we have been able to achieve this is by tabling at Bull Market, a weekly market done on campus where people and organizations from all around Tampa Bay come together and learn more about each other. This has allowed us to connect with individuals on campus and off campus so we can spread our impact to the community around us as much as possible. In addition to this, having members and a leadership team that are very involved with other organizations on campus has helped us build strong connections within our university that continues to grow each day. Carol Agaiby: Recently, our outreach has expanded more than ever, allowing us to connect with organizations that share our mission. For example, we built a partnership with the Florida National Guard, which has a substance abuse education and prevention initiative that aligns closely with what we do.

On campus, we have collaborated with student organizations, fraternities, and sororities, and have conducted training sessions for classes. We are also currently working with the Assistant Director for Substance Use Prevention at the Center for Student Well-Being to strengthen our impact within the university.

By consistently showing up, engaging with people face to face, and focusing on collaboration and trust, we have built genuine relationships with organizations and community members who truly believe in our mission. What’re the major highlights from your chapter’s work to date?

Brenda Guajardo: In just a year after starting this chapter, we have been able to grow so much. Throughout this year we have worked hard to form strong, long-lasting connections with our community so we could impact as many people as we could. With this goal in mind, we have had the chance to partner with 13 organizations on and off campus with which we hosted multiple events and plan to continue working with in the future. These connections have allowed us to train 355 people and counting, so now our goal is to maintain our relationships with these organizations and to continue working towards our cause. Carol Agaiby: We have had many incredible moments, but one of the biggest highlights for me was Breakaway Tampa. It was a day filled with meaningful conversations and stories from community members who had lost loved ones to overdose. Those conversations reminded me exactly why I do this work.

Even in the Florida heat, carrying boxes of naloxone, banners, and tables across campus was completely worth it because every interaction could potentially save a life.

Another major milestone has been our expansion beyond USF. We are beginning to bring overdose education and naloxone training into the greater Tampa Bay community, which is an exciting next step. I am incredibly proud of how far our chapter has come and even more excited for where we are heading.

What do you envision for the future of your chapter?

Brenda Guajardo: As we continue to make and maintain relationships with on campus organizations our next goal is to enter the nightlife scene in the Tampa Bay area. With this, we hope to encourage the students we inspired on campus to spread awareness for this cause outside of the university. Additionally, we hope to further expand our work to Greek life on campus. This year we have been able to start, by hosting trainings with Greek-affiliated organizations as well as some sororities. We aim to train and form strong connections with all Greek life organizations at USF. With our determined trainers and members, I know we will be able to accomplish these goals and many more that we have. Carol Agaiby: Looking ahead, I envision continued growth and broader outreach both on campus and throughout the Tampa Bay area. One of my biggest goals is to extend our efforts into the music and nightlife scene in Ybor, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, where overdoses are more likely to occur.

I would love to see us train venue staff and employees at these establishments so that they are equipped to respond in an emergency. Overdose prevention should not stop at the campus level; it should reach every part of our community.

We have built an incredible foundation at USF, and now it is time to go even bigger. With our passionate team and expanding partnerships, I am confident that we will continue to grow our impact and save even more lives.