Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office marks a year of education and advocacy
This fall marks the first year of Virginia Tech’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office, a trauma-informed resource within the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education that aims to empower students to help create a community free from sexual and interpersonal violence. Through the efforts of an expert staff, education, and awareness and proactive measures, the organization is making an impact on Virginia Tech and the surrounding community.
A culture of respect
The ultimate goal of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office is to foster a culture of respect and safety at Virginia Tech by cultivating healthy, supportive relationships on individual and collective levels.
With this in mind, the staff consistently works on developing and implementing educational campaigns and workshops to raise awareness about gender-based violence, its impact, and how to prevent it; establishing safe spaces for individuals to discuss gender-based violence, share experiences, and access support; implementing and encouraging bystander intervention training to empower students, faculty, and staff to act when they witness or suspect gender-based violence; and building strong partnerships.
Part of the programming includes the VOICES Peer Educator program, in which peer educators who are trained student leaders facilitate workshops, engage in outreach, and promote prevention and education initiatives. By hosting interactive workshops on topics such as consent, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention, they empower students, faculty, and staff with knowledge and resources to create lasting change.
Senior Sydney Thomas chose to be a peer educator in spring 2024 before the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office was even formed.
“I was interested in getting involved in prevention work because I had seen how devastating the impact of sexual violence can be for students and I wanted to get involved in making a difference,” she said. “I love Virginia Tech and our motto of Ut Prosim, and I wanted to serve our community by working to make VT a safer and healthier place for all Hokies.”
Additionally, the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education (SVPE) Office is part of the Safe Bars initiative, which uses innovative bystander intervention strategies to empower bar, restaurant, hotel, brewery, distillery, club, and other hospitality staff to stop sexual aggression and other forms of gender-based violence in their establishments. Local restaurant and bar owners and managers can request training for their establishments by contacting the office.
“At SVPE, our creative and community-oriented approach drives bold, transformative work focused on social change and bridge-building across Virginia Tech,” said Director Jenn Wiggins. “We lead with empathy, compassion, and thoughtful support, fostering empowerment through collaborative programming and strategies that advance sexual and interpersonal safety and wellness.”
Between September 2024 and April 2025, 93 of the office's 96 programs were developed in partnership with a variety of campus groups, she said, reflecting a commitment to building an inclusive and connected community.
About the team
The four members of the the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office's staff bring their own level of expertise to the table, enabling the office to reach across the campuses in Blacksburg, Roanoke, and the greater Washington, D.C., area.
In addition to Wiggins, the team consists of Jennifer Leili, assistant director; Madeline Cooper, assistant director of undergraduate student leadership development; and Philip Ray, community engagement specialist.
Wiggins is a licensed professional counselor who works as a well-being architect to build programming and engage in outreach to address gender violence on campus. Wiggins is passionate about transformational learning, strategic planning, and holistic care.
Focusing on education and awareness opportunities for graduate students, faculty and staff, Leili uses her Ph.D. in criminology to bring a deep understanding of the systemic factors related to sexual violence and works to develop creative and engaging programming for the campus community.
Cooper oversees the VOICES Peer Educator program, conducts the educational workshops and facilitates the NASPA Certified Peer Educator Program. Backed by a master's degree in violence prevention and advocacy, she's passionate about fostering a violence-free environment by facilitating open conversations and equipping students with the skills necessary to prevent violence in the community.
Ray serves as the community engagement specialist who focuses on bridge building and serving groups such as Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, fraternity and sorority life, athletics and recreational sports. With a Master of Social Work, he is a Ph.D. candidate in sociology and has taught a range of undergraduate courses.
“Our dynamic team has worked hard with the community to foster a safer, more inclusive environment, and to lead programs that are addressing and helping prevent gender-based violence on our campus,” Wiggins said.
Collaboration leads to impact
The creation of the office comes out of the work of the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative, which began in fall 2023 as part of an initiative by President Tim Sands to prioritize sexual violence prevention as a shared responsibility of the entire Virginia Tech community. In September 2024, the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative released a strategic plan to inform sexual violence prevention work moving forward and announced the creation of the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office.
The office has brought together those working on sexual violence prevention under one shared identity with shared resources, data, and strategies. The collaboration fostered by this office is expected to reduce duplicated effort and improve the reach and impact of programming.
“In a dynamic environment like a university, students are not only gaining knowledge and building life skills, but also shaping their identities and interactions,” said Kelly Oaks, associate vice president of civil rights and prevention education. “By teaching students about the importance of consent and addressing the realities of gender violence, we empower them to advocate for themselves and others, fostering a community where healthy relationships and personal boundaries are respected.”
Since September 2024, the Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Office has made its presence known through special events, workshops, and campus outreach.
Through April, the staff had delivered 96 programs, reaching more than 3,550 participants across a variety of workshops, trainings, and outreach events by the professional staff and VOICES Peer Education Program. This includes 67 total workshops and trainings and 29 outreach and tabling events.
Broken down, the VOICES Peer Education Program delivered 58 programs, reaching approximately 2,340 participants through 41 workshops and 17 outreach events. The office staff delivered 38 programs, engaging over 1,210 participants.
“When I present our workshops, I am always surprised by how thoughtful and attentive students are and by how many of them ask me questions about how to get involved in prevention themselves,” Thomas said. “In my experience, most students really do care about being respectful and making sure the people around them feel safe, and it is so encouraging to see their openness to the material we share.”
To start the 2025-26 academic year in August, the staff also conducted five training workshops and 16 outreach events totaling 2,271 students in Blacksburg, Roanoke, and the D.C. area.
And they hope to continue the work throughout the next year and beyond. Wiggins said she envisions a creative and intentional future, one where the Virginia Tech community is united in minimizing gender-based violence through inclusive, empowering, and data-driven strategies.
“The department aims to increase cross-campus collaborations, expand relevant programming to reach a greater number of learners, and train members of the community in trauma-informed response and bystander skills,” she said.
Visit the SVPE website for more information about the office and how to get involved.
