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PEACE TEAM

Promoting Empowerment and Community Engagement

Welcome to the Benedictine University PEACE (Promoting Empowerment and Community Engagement) team page! The PEACE team began on campus after October, 2016 when the University received the Violence Against Women Act Campus Grant from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. Starting with a small core team of staff, the team has expanded to include faculty and staff from across the University, as well as students and community partners. The responsibility of the PEACE team is to promote messages of violence prevention in connection with our University values and Hallmarks, advise on policies and procedures that reflect best practices and current legislation regarding incidents of gender-based violence (sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking), and coordinate training and communication amongst Title IX, Law Enforcement, Victim Services, and the larger Benedictine community.
 

It's On Us Benedictine University!

The PEACE Team launched this campaign on our campus in January, 2018 when three student leaders approached staff to find out how they can get more involved to educate their fellow students about violence prevention and survivor support on campus. They organized a seminar to talk about consent, bystander intervention, and survivor support; created a poster campaign; and helped direct our first It's On Us video. This passion from students led to our Prevention Peer Educator program and now we share this video and campaign with all of our Freshmen students. It is grounded in our University Mission and Hallmarks, that guide us to welcome all to campus, value every member of our community, and show each other love by treating everyone on our campus with dignity and respect. It's on ALL of us to prevent gender-based violence and create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. Find out more about how you can get involved in this National campaign at https://www.itsonus.org/

Resources and Referrals

If you have experienced or witnessed gender-based violence (sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking) on or off campus, you have resources. Learn more about resources for survivor support and reporting options here. 

WHY PEACE?

The PEACE team works to bring areas across campus together to promote a culture of violence prevention under the Benedictine University values of:

Academic Success


“Our students can only achieve their academic aspirations if they learn in an intellectual environment that is supportive, accepting, open, and safe. We are called to sustain such a space by our Benedictine Hallmarks of hospitality and community.“

 

—Steven Burgess, Faculty
Philosophy

 

Healthy Lifestyle


“We value each of our student athletes tremendously. Our goal is that we are developing mature and confident men and women who understand that violence has no place in their lives - whether it's on the court or field nor in their interpersonal relationships.”

 

—Kate Heidkamp
Athletics

Appreciation for Community


“Students participate in community as active members; appreciate the tradition and heritage of Benedictine; and contribute to the common good through purposeful action. Violence prevention is taken very seriously because each member of our community serves a unique purpose in the Benedictine community.”

 

—Monica Ragusa
Residence Life

 

Spiritual Growth


“The Benedictine Hallmark of conversatio calls us to continuingly better ourselves. We recognize the ways we are called to honor the dignity of ourselves and the dignity of others.”

 

—Carrie Ankeny
Campus Ministry

Working toward Justice


"Teaching students how to learn the skills of violence prevention, and then giving them the opportunity and courage to pass this knowledge on to others, is a Hallmark of Benedictine Education.”

 

—Officer Royce Williams
Police Officer, BenU Police Department

 

Leadership Skills

 

“Violence prevention work is an active process that requires one to be courageous in the pursuit to end gender-based violence. The courage then turns us in to leaders—pioneers, who will raise our voices on behalf of the ones who have been silenced along the way.”


--Arely Ramos '20
Former Prevention Peer Educator
Community Service Officer,
Police Department

 

 

Bernadette Ramsden, LSW
Violence Against Women Act Grant Coordinator
(630) 829-1326
bramsden@ben.edu

Tammy Sarver, Ph.D.
Title IX Coordinator
Professor, Political Science
Scholl Hall, Room 228L
(630) 829-6473
tsarver@ben.edu