The phased roll-out will begin with faculty and staff in spring 2019, while students 鈥渨ill begin to see signs of the program on campus in fall 2019,鈥� said Leda Werner.

She manages a multi-year grant EMU received through the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to combat sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on campus. The first year of the grant, 2017-18, was devoted to needs assessment and planning.

The bystander training is one of several initiatives to be implemented in the next two years.

Empowerment to act

The imagery of the Green Dot program is simple: If a red dot on a map represents an individual act of sexual violence, a green dot can represent any individual choice that builds community safety and cultivates intolerance for sexual violence. That could mean actions such as defusing a situation through distraction, showing concern for someone who is being harmed, or asking someone who is causing harm to move away.

A key difference from other programs is that it goes beyond typical awareness-raising measures. The training empowers participants with 鈥渘ew actions and new ways of seeing and engaging that can enhance a community鈥檚 capacity for response and change,鈥� said associate dean of students Jonathan Swartz.

鈥淭o keep people safe, it is necessary to widen the circle of responsibility,鈥� Swartz said. 鈥淭o me, that鈥檚 basically a call to all of us for active involvement in the safety and well-being of all of us.鈥�

Equipping members of the campus community to step up in harmful situations is key, as 鈥渁 lot of the time, the reason people don鈥檛 intervene to prevent or deescalate a situation of sexual harm is because they鈥檙e not sure what to do or say,鈥� said Werner. 鈥淭hrough Green Dot trainings, confidence to step up in these situations will increase.鈥�

Launched in 2006 at the University of Kentucky, the Green Dot curriculum has been used in more than 300 colleges (including James Madison University), 50 middle and high schools, 50 communities and across other entities on four continents.

Initiative begins with faculty and staff

The five staff attending the training include counseling services director Tempest Anderson, housing and residence life assistant director Matt Hunsberger, applied social sciences associate professor Carolyn Stauffer, Swartz and Werner.

The group will help to anchor further efforts on campus with faculty and staff in spring 2019. These discussions will include strategizing about听 ways to bring Green Dot to life on campus through, for example, course content, awareness campaigns and programming.

Later in the semester, bystander trainings will be extended to all faculty and staff. Participants will learn how to recognize warning signs, identify barriers to action, and reinforce social norms that are intolerant of sexual violence and foster 鈥渁 community of safety and respect,鈥� Werner said.

Beginning in fall 2019, the process will start over with students. By fall 2020, all incoming students will receive Green Dot鈥檚 bystander training.

鈥淥ur overarching goal is to shift the campus culture around response to and prevention of sexual violence,鈥� said Werner. 鈥淲e look forward to working with faculty and staff this spring on creating a strong foundation for that goal.”

For more information or to find out how to get involved, contact Leda Werner at leda.werner@emu.edu.

The first exhibit opens Wednesday, April 4, at EMU’s Sadie Hartzler Library. An opening reception hosted by the will be Friday, April 6, from 5-8 p.m. at the Frame Factory in downtown Harrisonburg. Exhibits at Bridgewater College and James Madison University begin April 9. All exhibits are open to the public.

Each location will feature a different display with narratives from real survivors of sexual assualt describing what they were wearing and what they experienced. Although the items displayed are not the actual clothes worn, they match the narratives to give a visual impact to the viewer.

The first survivor art installation originated at the University of Arkansas in 2013. Created by Jen Brockman and Mary Wyandt-Hiebert, the project was inspired by Mary Simmerling鈥檚 poem, 鈥淲hat I Was Wearing.鈥� The installation allows participants to see themselves reflected in not only the outfits, but also the stories.

This is the Collins Center鈥檚 22nd Annual Sexual Violence Awareness Art Exhibit, but the first installation of its kind in the Shenandoah Valley. The nonprofit offers sexual assault crisis services, prevention and education, and trauma-informed therapy.

鈥淪exual violence has far more to do with a person鈥檚 need to assert power and control over another than it does with the clothing worn by the harmed individual. However, the question of 鈥榳hat were you wearing?鈥� persists as one of the most victim-blaming questions we hear,鈥� said Rhoda Miller, crisis response coordinator at the Collins Center.

鈥淚t is our hope that survivors who experience the installations feel heard, believed, and know that the assault was not their fault, and that all who attend might begin to see the absurdity of the question, 鈥榃hat were you wearing?鈥� after an assault,鈥� said Jackie Hieber, JMU鈥檚 assistant director for sexual violence prevention and survivor advocacy.

The exhibit marks the first year the local nonprofit has collaborated with local universities on the event.

“We are honored to be a part of this project,” said EMU Counseling Center Director Tempest Anderson. “With the recent awarding of a grant to bring awareness to and decrease gender-based violence on college campuses, it is our goal to be involved in bringing light to this issue.”

EMU was recently awarded a $300,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that focuses on connecting with community partners to combat sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on campus. The Collins Center is one of the grant partners.

EMU was among 53 colleges and universities 听around the United States to be selected for funding.

The grant is for $300,000 over three years.

EMU was among 53 colleges and universities 听around the United States to be selected for funding. The Department of Justice (DOJ) administers authorized by the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and subsequent legislation. This particular program 鈥� 鈥淕rants to Reduce Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking on Campus鈥� 鈥� was allocated a total of more than $5.7 million.

Werner was previously director of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Peacebuilding Leadership Program. Since its founding, 50 women from Africa and the South Pacific have earned a graduate certificate in peacebuilding leadership.

鈥淎long with her work with peacebuilding leaders, many of whom were working on issues of sexual and domestic violence, Leda brings considerable experience in grant implementation, collaboration with partners and monitoring and evaluation,鈥� said EMU鈥檚 Title IX Coordinator and primary grant writer .

EMU鈥檚 long-standing relationships with the Harrisonburg Police Department and the Collins Center may have contributed to the university鈥檚 successful bid, Kniss said. , a nonprofit sexual assault crisis center, has provided trainings to EMU students for the past five years.

鈥淭he grant requires that campuses create and support external partnerships with at least one criminal justice system and one sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking victim service provider within the community,鈥� Kniss said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a partnership we already had in place and we鈥檇 like to see grow, for the benefit of the EMU community but also of the Shenandoah Valley community at large.鈥�

The representatives from HPD and the Collins Center will be part of a core group, called the Community Coordinated Response Team (CCRT), which will meet monthly.

During the first year of strategic planning, this team will attend three DOJ-mandated workshops, followed by two more in 2020 as initiatives continue to be implemented.

The CCRT team will work with a coalition of internal partners including, among others, representatives of student life, residence life, faculty, human resources, Multicultural Student Services, International Student Services, student clubs and athletics. Undergraduate and graduate student representatives will also be included.

The collaborations will serve to strengthen current programming and develop new initiatives, Werner said.

Some of those programs are conducted by the EMU Counseling program, which has been undergoing an expansion of services under Director of Counseling .

鈥淭his grant will enable us to review and develop our prevention education trainings for new students, student-athletes and coaches, as well as our men鈥檚 program focused on healthy masculinity,鈥� said Anderson, also a member of the CCRT.

Other program requirements include training for campus security; services such as a 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling services, medical attention and legal assistance; and campus bystander training, offered through a globally known prevention program, Alteristic-Green Dot.

The grants support the health and wellbeing of local and state residents through such initiatives as improving behavioral health treatment and counseling to underserved populations; creating mentoring networks for pastors; increasing awareness of and proactive responses to sexual violence in the community; and working on social justice issues with marginalized communities.

On a global scale, EMU鈥檚 peacebuilding work supports citizens, including youth, in conflict areas in the Middle East and Africa by increasing both human capacity and academic infrastructure.

鈥淭his record of grant-writing success is outstanding for school of our size,鈥� said Provost . 鈥淚t’s a testament to the strength of our faculty and staff and the relevance of the programs they offer.听 It is gratifying that so many external funders want to partner with us in the significant work we do for our students and the world.

Following is a sampling of grants.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: $1.2 million
鈥淓xpansion of Counseling in Underserved and Rural Areas鈥� program
MA in Counseling degree program

This four-year grant aids the in providing increased behavioral health treatment and counseling to underserved populations in the Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia and beyond. Pre-professional counselors in the graduate program, who will provide the services as part of their requisite 600 hours of field placement, will also benefit from specific training and practical experience.

Lilly Endowment Inc.: $999,893
鈥淪trengthening Foundations for Thriving in Ministry鈥� program
Eastern Mennonite Seminary

has received a grant of $999,893 from . in support of a national initiative to help organizations create and launch programs that support pastors as they move through professional transitions and face challenges posed by their particular ministry contexts.

The Rev. Dr. Brenda Martin Hurst will direct the five-year grant. Hurst, who holds a doctorate from Union Theological Seminary, was pastor of Frazer (Pa.) Mennonite Church for 10 years, and a professor of practical theology at EMS for nearly six years.

The seminary is one of 24 organizations 鈥� including seminaries, universities, retreat centers, denominational judicatories, faith-based agencies and other interdenominational and non-denominational organizations 鈥� representing diverse Christian communities to be selected to help establish the.

National Science Foundation: $644,944
鈥淪TEM Scholars Engaging in Local Problems鈥� program
Multi-departmental grant

This innovative new program will provide for academically talented students with financial need studying in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The grant funds 14 scholarships as well as other support services for students, including peer tutoring, attendance at conferences, and stipends for student clubs.

U.S. Department of Justice: $300,000
Office on Violence Against Women Campus Project
Counseling Services

EMU is one of several college and universities nationwide to be awarded this grant focused on interdisciplinary resources and trainings for students, faculty and staff. The project is being overseen by the newly named grant coordinator Leda Werner, as well as Title IX Coordinator and Director of Counseling Services . An announcement of a committee of community partners, including representatives from the Harrisonburg Police Department and The Collins Center, will be made shortly.

听United Nations Development Programme/Iraqi Al-Amani Association: $112,000
Youth Peacebuilding Development and Trainings Related to Peacebuilding Curriculum in Iraqi Universities
Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

Several Center for Justice and Peacebuilding alumni and faculty are involved in this multi-phase grant. Two separate cycles of youth peacebuilding trainings, one now in progress, develop young leaders and support community peacebuilding projects.

Another grant phase provides training to academics from five Iraqi universities to develop a common peacebuilding curriculum.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation: $10,695
鈥淩estorative Justice in Education Pilot Program in Jackson, Mississippi Public Schools鈥�
Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

This grant is continued support of a 15-month planning grant involving Center for Justice and Peacebuilding staff and faculty from the MA in Education program, as well as school officials and community leaders in Jackson, to strengthen youth engagement and use of restorative justice practices in the classroom and community.

Additional grant funds

Other supporting organizations providing grant-funding during the year include the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the JustPax Fund, the Center for Performance and Civic Practice, the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities and the Arts Council of the Valley, among others.

Other donations

EMU is the annual recipient of numerous endowments and generous gifts.听More than 230 endowed scholarships benefit current undergraduate, graduate and seminary students.听.

A recent $672,000 bequest from the Virginia College Fund by the Guy E. Beatty Revocable Trust will also be used primarily for student scholarships.

EMU receives $672,000 bequest through Virginia College Fund

That support is needed, said , vice president for student life. 鈥淣ationwide, 28 percent of students report higher than normal levels of stress, 19 percent report sleep difficulties, and 19 percent high levels of anxiety. We want the center to be a place that supports students in a variety of proactive ways so they can be successful here at EMU.鈥�

A 2011 mental health survey at EMU, he said, indicated that 17 percent of the student body reported some level of depression or anxiety disorder, 14 percent reported some form of non-suicidal self-injury in the past year, and 43 percent reported body shape and weight among the most important things they think about.

The increased services mean that students in need or looking to receive some sort of support will receive prompt, skilled care. 鈥淚f students need any support, whether it be for crisis or knowledge of resources, we want to make sure they have those immediately,鈥� said Anderson. 鈥淚f students need support for two or three sessions, the sooner they can get those sessions, the better. If students have ongoing struggles, it makes all the more sense that they get into counseling as soon as possible.鈥�

The benefits are academic, as well. 鈥淪tudents who access counseling services return to school in subsequent terms 鈥� and graduate 鈥� at higher rates compared to the general student body,鈥� said Smucker.

The increased services are the result of a new collaboration between the center and the (MAC) program, a vision of previous center director Pam Comer, who retired in June. Anderson, a graduate of the MAC program who has worked in multiple university counseling settings, will now help to carry out the plan.

The partnership expands services to the student body 鈥� and provides MAC practicum and internship students with a placement that offers 鈥渢he opportunity for consistent skill development as a training site in a university context,鈥� said MAC director Teresa Haase. 鈥淲e are excited to partner with Tempest and see this all come to fruition.鈥�

Four second-year master鈥檚 in counseling students who have completed 30 hours of graduate counseling coursework and a 100-hour clinical practicum, and who have been approved for internship by MAC faculty, are each offering 240 direct service hours 鈥� and 360 hours of indirect clinical work 鈥� this academic year.

鈥淭his is high quality, supervised care,鈥� said MAC instructor . Each week, each intern receives one hour of individual face-to-face clinical supervision and two hours of group supervision, and attends counseling center meetings. Their supervisors are Haase, Dr. Nate Koser and Dr. Annmarie Early.

In addition to one-on-one sessions, the counseling center offers:

• Group counseling
• Depression and anxiety screenings
• Classroom presentations about topics such as suicide prevention or sexual assault awareness.
• 30-minute one-on-one mentoring sessions for any student through the , which is geared toward helping undergraduate students adjust to life away from home.

A Richmond native who graduated from Mary Baldwin University鈥檚 social work program in 2010 and from EMU鈥檚 graduate in 2016, Anderson has ample experience in the higher education environment: She has interned or worked at Shenandoah University, Bridgewater College, James Madison University and EMU.

At a time when among college students, Vice President of Student Life says the director of counseling provides 鈥渟ervices that are crucial to the health and well-being of our students.鈥�

鈥淲e did an extensive search, and the committee was unanimous in our selection of Tempest,鈥� Smucker said. 鈥淪he has shown herself to be invested and proactive in working with students in the higher education environment, and we think her leadership in providing existing services and establishing new services will make a great contribution to the campus community.鈥�

In her role, Anderson is responsible for administrative coordination of all counseling services provided to students, faculty and staff. In addition to providing direct clinical services, she will facilitate a that includes partnering with the master鈥檚 in counseling program to place interns and practicum students in center-based clinical training.

Among other initiatives, Anderson envisions 鈥減orch programming鈥� 鈥� literally, on the Suter House porch 鈥� for students to get to know the center staff.

Drawn back by ‘family feel’

While working in child protective services at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Department of Social Services from 2010 through 2013, Anderson was often asked by colleagues about pursuing a counseling degree.

Eventually she did start looking into graduate programs, and, with encouragement from a co-worker, decided to visit EMU. She attended an addictions class that she remembers was 鈥渆nlightening,鈥� and that same day spoke with Teresa Haase, director of the master鈥檚 in counseling program.

鈥淚t was a conversation that was very life-changing,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淪he really spoke to my vision for life, and my hope and joy that I have in empowering and encouraging people. She encouraged me to apply, and I was like, 鈥楥an I do it today?鈥� It just felt very much like a family.鈥�

That feeling of 鈥渇amily鈥� is one that drew her back to EMU, and has shaped her work with young adults. Belonging in a community is the basis for thriving, Anderson said. 鈥淚t is in community where you learn how to establish healthy relationships, explore mentorship, and learn to grow to your fullest potential. We are not meant to live this life alone. We are meant to live together, love one another, support one another, and affirm each other in our purposes.鈥�

‘A greater future’

听Anderson sees working with people in hard times as a mission of hope. 鈥淗ope does not mean ignoring your present circumstances. On the contrary, it dares you to embrace them with faith that there is a greater future in store,鈥� she said. Her previous work experiences at different universities, she believes, gives her a 鈥渇resh perspective鈥� about running a college counseling center and responding to students鈥� needs and desires.

鈥淐ollege is such a time of exploration, discovery, and transformation,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a time of vulnerability but also amazing opportunity. My hope as a director is to provide a safe space for students to take advantage of this great opportunity and learn healthy ways of establishing their identities.鈥�

Anderson and her husband Marcus both provide leadership at n Harrisonburg. Marcus is also the chaplain for JMU football and men鈥檚 basketball programs.