Last week, I spoke at Kutztown University and they took an unique action. When I travel to campuses, they can utilize my program up to 3 times during the day. Typically, they have me do a "Train the Trainer" session for a more targeted campus group/leaders and then have me present my "Can I Kiss You?" keynote to a large audience (ranging from general student populartion to athletes, Greek LIfe, residence life, etc…).
Kutztown University (their Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance in conjunction with Residence Life) used one of those 3 sessions to invite the local Upward Bound program to experience their own private session of the "Can I Kiss You?" presentation. Upward Bound is a federally funded TRIO program that offers pre-colle
ge student services at Kutztown University since 1999. Participants from Allentown and Reading high schools receive academic reinforcement in subjects including math, science, composition/literature, foreign language, geography and study skills. UB also features a unique program of organizational training that includes keeping and using a day planner. Upward Bound provides after school tutoring, a full-day Saturday academic program, and a five week summer residential program that offers our students a high level of secondary school enrichment. Along with cultural experiences that include field trips to locations such as the Smithsonian Institute and the Philadelphia Art Museum, seminars and training experiences such as job shadowing are also part of the program.
Often campuses ask me how they can get their local community involved? Kutztown University is a great example. They took one of their spots for the day and invited Upward Bound to bus their students to the campus to hear the program. They provided pizza for the students when they arrived and so everyone was having fun and excited to be there. The feedback from the students afterwards was inspiring.
With April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month, what will you do to work together with someone in your area (schools, colleges, community organizations)? Regardless of which type of organization you are involved with, teamwork is always possible. I’ve seen Sheriff’s Departments help sponsor a speaker on sexual assault. Local rape crisis centers have funded presentations given in 3 different high schools in one day. Colleges have teamed with multiple high schools. Last year, Wartburg College helped lots of high schools get the "Asking First" message (1200 high school students were bused in from area high schools to hear the program at Wartburg College).