{"id":467,"date":"2016-04-07T14:05:31","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T14:05:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cehhs-sportandpeace.utdev1.wpengine.com\/?p=467"},"modified":"2016-09-28T17:38:05","modified_gmt":"2016-09-28T17:38:05","slug":"voleaders-organize-student-athletes-for-ut-sexual-assault-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/sportandpeace\/2016\/04\/07\/voleaders-organize-student-athletes-for-ut-sexual-assault-awareness\/","title":{"rendered":"VOLeaders Organize Student-Athletes for UT Sexual Assault Awareness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"VOLeaders<\/a><\/p>\n

On Friday afternoon, the University of Tennessee (UT) campus community kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness month with their second annual Hike the Hill in Heels<\/a> (H3UTK) event.<\/p>\n

More than 200 students gathered at the Europa Fountain and walked the famous\u00a0UT \u201cHill\u201d in high heels to raise awareness about sexual assault, consent, safety, and violence prevention on campus.<\/p>\n

Our Center was very proud to be present at the event and walk with roughly 100\u00a0student-athletes who collaborated to show they care about the UT community as much as any other group. We were even more proud of the work of the VOLeaders Academy<\/a>, 13 student-athletes representing 10 sports teams, for playing a large part in organizing their teammates and getting them out to demonstrate their support.<\/p>\n

“We’re not doing this to get media attention for ourselves, but really to support the cause,” said Juan Carlos Serrano, a VOLeader and member of the men’s golf team.\u00a0“This is not something we’re doing as the Athletics Department<\/a>, but as individual members of the university community.”<\/p>\n

Through VOLeaders and his role with the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), Juan Carlos co-lead the effort with Raina Hembry from volleyball. Before leaving for the walk, the Thornton Center was packed with student-athletes as Juan Carlos and Raina addressed them. Members of all the different sports teams walked together to the fountain, where they met with the rest of the campus community.<\/p>\n

During the spring semester, Drs. Hillyer and Huffman, co-directors of the CSPS, have been teaching a sports-based leadership class with the VOLeaders focusing on how they can use their platforms as student-athletes to create positive social impact. Joining with the rest of the university for a big event like the Hike the Hill in Heels and mobilizing teammates was a great way to apply the leadership skills they\u2019ve learned to rally their teams and make a difference on campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re so proud of the student-athletes that participated in the H3UTK event. And we\u2019re especially proud of the VOLeaders who took a leadership role in organizing it. It\u2019s everything we\u2019ve talked about in class \u2013 finding a way to stand up for something that you believe in and using your time and talents to make the world a better, safer, and more inclusive place. And that\u2019s exactly what they did.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Center for Health Education and Wellness will host other events all month for sexual assault awareness.\u00a0To find out more, visit its\u00a0website<\/a>.<\/p>\n