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Grant will enhance campus sexual assault programming

December 20, 2017

(This story originally appeared on GVNext)

Grand Valley received a $39,472 grant from the Michigan State Police to bolster its campus sexual assault programming.

Jessica Jennrich, director of the Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity, said the grant will continue Grand Valley's bystander intervention program by training peer educators under a national model, funding a graduate assistant and student stipends, and supporting performances by the student theater troupe ReACT.

Under the 2016 MSP grant, nine students were trained as peer educators using the national "Bringing in the Bystander" model. Those students provided training for 244 students in classes, fraternities/sororities, living centers and student organizations.

Allison Metz, associate professor of theater, has led ReACT since it was established in 2011. ReACT actors are trained in interactive theater programming aimed at preventing incidents of violence against women. Metz said the grant will help expand the number of performances for general university audiences.

Grand Valley's grant was one of 13 funded for a total of $600,000 by the MSP Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program, an initiative established in 2015 by first lady Sue Snyder. 

For More Information Contact: Michele Coffill in University Communications - (616) 331-2221

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Page last modified December 20, 2017