#csc1is2Many: Sexual Assault Awareness Events
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n Tuesday, April 28, more than 150 men and women from Connors State College gathered on two campuses to rally against sexual violence and take back the night, chanting “even one is too many.” At noon, at the Muskogee West campus, Lisa Wade Berry, Student Government Association Advisor, Mike Jackson, Director of Campus Life, and numerous other faculty and staff worked hard to put together an assembly for the men and women on campus and in the community who wished to stand up against sexual assault. “We worked with a very dedicated crew, who came together to make this event happen,” said Berry. “Fantastic members of the Connors community, such as Mike Jackson and Chief Mendenhall, stepped up to assist us, and it’s so clear they put student safety and support at the very core of everything they do. I believe with this event we provided the students with facts
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and information and above all the sense of safety on the Connors campuses.” Jackson said he feels everyone involved did a great job spreading the message and truly believes the participants involved, and everyone in attendance, got a lot out of the day’s events. “Connors State has such good help within the community, Muskogee County District Orvil Loge, Hilary McQueen of Kids’ Space, Lincoln Anderson of the Muskogee Police Department and several others took time out of their busy lives to come to Connors and speak openly about Sexual Assault, assuring everyone this is an issue we all care about,” said Berry. “We all want to keep the community safe, and the speakers at Muskogee West met the audience members on their level and assured them it is safe to speak up if anything were to occur within their homes, at work, or even on campus.” In the evening, Julie Dinger, Interim
Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs: Assessment and Curriculum, and an outstanding support team rallied eager men and women to decorate signs, bang drums and march through the Warner campus in protest of sexual assault. “We had students from all walks of life chanting, carrying signs, and beating their buckets in support of safety for our campus and community, it was fantastic,” said Dinger. “We are helping to change the conversation when it comes to safety for all people into a proactive rather than reactive approach to sexual assault. Our students, faculty, and staff spoke boldly and clear in a single voice; sexual assault is unacceptable and even one victim is too many.” Dinger said raising awareness about safety is incredibly important for all of the students, and sexual assault is a problem which is hard for everyone to grapple with. “Sexual violence is a topic which is