JEFF SCHIEFELBEIN '01

TACKLES DRUNK DRIVING

THROUGH NON-PROFIT

VENTURE

BY LINDSEY FIELDER

he filthy metal paper dispenser shot back a distorted reflection. Earlier that night at the bar, Jeff Schiefelbein had been an average college student having a few beers with his friends. Now, he was surrounded by gray, cement walls in the Brazos County Jail. He didn't want this.

Jeff Schiefelbein '01 (front) founded CARPOOL in fall 1999 to prevent drunk driving in Aggieland. The success of the program spurred him to create a non-profit organization, Closing Time Inc., which helps other universities launch similar programs. Visit CARPOOL's Web site for more information.

"I never in my life thought I could end up in jail," Jeff says, reflecting on that October night in 1997. "Being arrested was one of the biggest shocks to my self esteem. I was so determined at that second [in jail] that I was going to make my life better."

Jeff's new challenge was to redeem himself and redefine his life — without alcohol.

As part of his probation, Jeff was required to attend a victim impact panel sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). A woman spoke about her daughter who was killed in high school by a drunk driver. He realized that girl could have been any one of his friends.

At that moment, something clicked. "I thought, 'I'll just get a cell phone and I'll be on call for my friends all the time,'" says the business grad. "But I knew that wasn't enough."

From there, Jeff hatched the idea of Caring Aggies 'R' Protecting Over Our Lives (CARPOOL), a student-run program to prevent Aggies from driving drunk.

For the next three years, Jeff dedicated all of his free time to CARPOOL, soliciting sponsorships and recruiting student volunteers to run the operation. Enterprise Rent-A-Car donated cars to pick students up at local bars, while Plantation Oaks donated an apartment to use for the group's headquarters. As a free, non-judgmental service, CARPOOL has quickly become a nationally recognized drunk driving prevention program, totaling more than 21,000 rides in just three years of operation.

Numerous universities approached Jeff to assist them in starting preventive programs. CARPOOL chose the University of Georgia in Athens for its first extension program and has since assisted the University of Missouri and Southwest Texas University in adopting programs similar to CARPOOL.

The overwhelming task of setting up other programs on top of CARPOOL's own operations led Jeff to turn his organization's success into a full business venture. As a senior, he started the non-profit organization, Closing Time Inc., in October 2000.

Although these preventive programs are resource intensive — cars to shuttle students, cell phones to stay on call and an operations center — Jeff wanted Closing Time's consulting services to be free for universities and students. "I just couldn't see charging other schools for our services when I knew they could [launch a program] on their own just like I did," he says.

Yet, Jeff needed sponsors to help Closing Time get off the ground. Companies were reluctant to shell out cash right away because he didn't have a long enough track record. CARPOOL, itself, had only been in operation for a short time.

During this waiting period, Jeff graduated from the Mays College with a BBA in management and headed to the corporate world, managing employees for a manufacturing company. After a year, he simply wasn't happy. Jeff wanted to work with Closing Time full time to mold it into what he knew it could be.

In April 2002, he turned Closing Time into a full-time operation thanks to the support of Coca-Cola, which was also a sponsor of CARPOOL.

Jeff attributes the success of CARPOOL and Closing Time to the overwhelming number of volunteers. People want to help this cause because drunk driving affects people from all walks of life, he says. "What we're doing can't be argued with," Jeff says. "I honestly believe that's why people want to help us. You can't find fault with getting drunk people off the road."

Jeff's brush with the law has no doubt impacted him. That's why he hopes through Closing Time he can prevent others from repeating his mistake — or worse.

"This is just my opinion, but I don't think you are put on earth for yourself," Jeff says. "I think you're put on earth to try and make your world better."

He's certainly trying. @