Ursinus Awarded It’s On Us PA Grant

Ursinus College has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education as part of the It’s On Us PA initiative. The $1.6 million program, which supports 44 higher education institutions across Pennsylvania, is designed to help combat sexual assault on college campuses.

The national It’s On Us campaign, launched during the Obama administration, aims to raise awareness about sexual assault, educate participants on the definition of assault—including non-consensual sex—teach bystander intervention techniques, and foster a culture of support for survivors.

“The It’s On Us PA grant will allow us to expand and deepen our educational programs on sexual assault prevention, particularly for peer educators, student-athletes, and other student leaders,” said Colleen Lelli, visiting scholar for Innovation in Health and Wellness Education. “This funding will enable us to create additional training for faculty and staff beyond existing online modules, as well as develop specialized resources for at-risk student populations, including LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse students, who may face unique challenges and experiences related to sexual assault.”

The grant will fund a range of initiatives aimed at improving institutional awareness, prevention, and reporting regarding sexual violence. In addition to new training programs, Ursinus plans to host a Domestic Violence Education Symposium in the fall of 2025. The college will also hold awareness campaigns through athletic and residence hall events, the introduction of Denim Day, develop campus crises repones teams, and more.

The Montgomery County Victim Services Center and Laurel House will serve as community partners for the grant and support the efforts at Ursinus.