Heidelberg University receives $300k grant

TIFFIN, Ohio (WTVG) - The Center for Survivor Empowerment at Heidelberg University is a three-year-old program. It provides resources for campus victims of sexual assault, dating or domestic violence and stalking.

“We’ve been able to expand a lot of our programs and initiatives all around topics of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and stalking,” Heidelberg University Director of the Center for Survivor Empowerment Ronee Rice said. “We’ve been able to do more programming, more awareness events, more prevention specifically and also more support services and advocacy services for survivors.”

Now, this program has three more years of funding thanks to a $300,000 grant from the United States Department of Justice.

“Feels amazing to know that our students are going to be supported here,” Rice said. “Sexual assault is a problem across our country at campuses all across the country. But here on our campus we are actively, diligently combating that. With these funds, we’re hoping that sexual assault will never be tolerated here.”

“Especially during the pandemic, we’re in a time where colleges around the country are cutting faculty, cutting student support,” Heidelberg University Associate Professor and Director of Counseling Marjorie Shavers said. “Colleges just don’t know what to expect. So for us to get $300,000 that we know that is going to go directly in to supporting the goals of the university, particularly as it relates to sexual violence on campus, is really important.”

The grant funding will provide for a new position on campus providing advocacy and counseling support.

“Out of all the universities in the (United States), only 50 got it,” Shavers said. “Small liberal arts schools in rural Ohio, it’s even smaller. People in the federal government and the people there see that Heidelberg University has something really special to offer. Hopefully, that convinces students and parents that we take this really seriously on our campus.”