Addressing a room filled with students, faculty, staff and community supporters commemorating 15 years of prevention work on campus and the five-year anniversary of Michigan State University’s Prevention, Outreach and Education Department, Kelly Schweda reflected on its inception and its role in the university’s storied history.

“When I arrived at MSU in 2008, prevention work was often relegated to the sidelines, overshadowed by the critical and urgent demands of sexual assault response,” said Schweda, the department’s executive director. “Recognizing the need for a proactive approach, we initiated our journey with a single program aimed at providing prevention training for undergraduate students.”

This program was the Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence prevention program, or SARV, which is now one of several other training programs that POE currently offers. 

“Over time, through dedication and perseverance, we have evolved into a formidable prevention-focused department offering a diverse array of programming tailored to virtually every segment of our university community,” Schweda said. 

The office currently employs 16 full-time staff members and over 80 undergraduate peer educators who help facilitate in-person workshops and programs for all undergraduate students. Based on their experience with POE, many of these peer educators end up pursuing careers in prevention work across the country.

The department is made up of three branches, each with a unique impact and set of programs. 

• Undergraduate programs and services: Provides core services including first- and second-year programming and prevention programming designed for athletics as well as the fraternity and sorority communities.
• Employee and graduate student programs and initiatives: The newest expansion providing engagement opportunities for MSU community members not previously engaged in prevention training.
• The Climate and Response Unit: A unique program to MSU that specifically address the impact of relationship violence and sexual misconduct, or RVSM, incidents at work and in learning environments by engaging with members of various units to develop strategies to foster healing and facilitate cultural change.

Indeed, POE’s trajectory underscores its transformation from a nascent initiative to a cornerstone of MSU’s comprehensive approach to addressing gender-based violence. Through innovative programs, workshops and outreach efforts, POE has cultivated a culture of awareness, empowerment and empathy that resonates with students and employees across the university.

“This anniversary commemoration is a powerful moment to pause and reflect on how far we’ve come, while also acknowledging that there is much work to be done into the future,” said Lydia Weiss, assistant director of the Climate and Response Unit within POE. “I feel so grateful for all of the university and community partners, employees, administrators and students who have partnered with us to make great strides toward preventing gender-based violence on MSU’s campus.”

The testament to this department’s profound impact extends far beyond anecdotal accounts, resonating vividly in the tangible achievements of POE within a remarkably brief span. The findings of POE’s latest annual report show that over 63,000 Spartans actively engaged in POE’s mandatory training initiatives, with an additional 13,500 seeking out supplementary training, exceeding the bounds of obligation.

“At the core of our mission is the belief in the power of education and empowerment to effect tangible change,” Schweda emphasized. “By engaging with students, faculty and staff, we strive to challenge harmful attitudes, dismantle societal norms and foster a campus culture where every individual feels valued, respected and safe.”

POE is a branch of the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX Education and Compliance and actively fosters collaborative relationships throughout campus, working closely with groups such as the RVSM Expert Advisory Workgroup and the Inclusive Campus Initiative. These partnerships enable ongoing assessment and improvement of prevention efforts, ensuring a dynamic and responsive approach to addressing gender-based violence.