Cabrini was awarded $30,000 on Jan. 11, 2019 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The purpose of this grant is to increase Cabrini’s knowledge of sexual harassment and to provide more resources for students who have experienced sexual assault. Cabrini is only one out of 38 college institutions to receive the “It’s on Us PA Grant.“
What is the ‘It’s on Us PA Grant?’
The grant Cabrini won was created during September of 2016 by Pennsylvania governor, Tom Wolf. In the first year, Wolf’s administration awarded 36 post-secondary institutions across the state of Pennsylvania. The goal of the grant was to expand knowledge and understanding about sexual assault. There is also a pledge that everyone can take for sexual assault.
In 2014, President Barack Obama launched the “It’s On Us” national campaign due to sexual violence. Sexual violence has been affecting an estimated one in five college women and one in 20 college men.
What does sexual assault mean for Cabrini?
The “It’s on Us PA” grant impacts more than just education majors.
“It will help all majors, regardless of a person’s employment,” Dr. Colleen Lelli, the director of education at Cabrini University, said. “We need all people to understand what it means to support each other and be good bystanders and stand up against domestic violence, physical violence and sexual assault.”
The grant is also focused on everyone in the university. Every student no matter the major can use the sexual harassment resources on campus.
How does the grants process work?
“Grants through the department of education are posted online and they have a very quick turnaround so usually we usually have three weeks to apply for the grant,” Dr. Martha Ritter, chair of the teacher education department, said.
Applying for grants is very similar to applying for scholarships for a student. A person must look at the requirements of a grant or scholarship and apply the way the grant wants the student or university to do.
If the person fulfills the requirements, he or she may win the grant.
Will Cabrini apply again next year?
This is not the first time Cabrini has won this grant, in fact, this is the third time.
“’I’m not sure if we would apply again but we have received the grant three times—all the times we have applied,” Lelli said.
