Alicia Kozak, sociology senior from Deham Springs and WISE president, raises awareness about the harmful effects of sexual assault in the Student Union on Wednesday.
The student organization, Women Involved in Self-Empowerment, is working with the Women’s Resource and Services Office for a new approach to help women find their voices through activities on and off campus.
Alicia Kozak, president of WISE, said that throughout the years the organization has played multiple roles on campus. This year she wants the organization to take women’s empowerment to another level.
“Our mission is to encourage leadership, growth, activism and education,” Kozak said. “This year we really looked at these key points and decided the best way to move forward with each week.”
Each week, members of WISE will volunteer to present for the following week with occasional guest speakers. Kozak said the presentations will cover many different things that impact and educate women.
The first event that WISE will participate in is Rape Aggression Defense classes, designed to bring awareness to sexual assault and teach participants about prevention and defense. The classes will be help on Sept. 28, 29 and 30. There will be a sign up sheet in the Student Union on Sept. 27. The classes are free.
“We’re also taking a philanthropy this year and doing work with Chez Hope, a family violence crisis center,” Kozak said. “We’re going to do a Thanksgiving and Christmas year.”
Meetings for WISE are held on Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. in the Lafitte Room in the Student Union. Meetings are open to any woman who wants to attend and there are no dues.