George Washington University Athletics
GW Baseball Players Serve as Title IX Mentors
9/26/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
A number of George Washington baseball players took time out of their busy schedules to help lead a series of Title IX training sessions on College Men Preventing Sexual Violence.
The sessions are required for all freshman males at George Washington. Carrie Ross, the Assistant Director for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, sought a few upperclassmen student-athletes to help lead the discussions and baseball players Eddie Muhl, Jordan Sheinkop, Brady Renner, Brandon Chapman, Tyler Swiggart, Shane Sweeney and Chance Malek jumped at the opportunity.
"Carrie thought it would be helpful to have some older student-athletes in on the discussions to help guide them, and also to further our own development as leaders on campus," said Muhl. "It is our job as students, athletes, leaders and men to bring attention to the issue of sexual assault on college campuses and to help facilitate a solution that will make our community safer."
This month marks the second anniversary of the Its on Us campaign on college campuses across the country. The awareness campaign strives to end sexual assault and is reliant on the participation of college-aged males and their willingness to be educated on how to step off the sidelines and become a part of the solution. GW's instituted these training sessions as a way to combat the issue head on.
"The sessions consisted of an interactive presentation in which the speaker used real life scenarios to push forward an agenda that centered itself on how men can lead the charge to preventing sexual assault," said Sheinkop. "By using true examples, the speaker was able to discern between actions that are looked down upon and how we as a community of young men can learn from them. The people in the room had to choose whether they were going to stay boys or become men who confront this aspect of college culture and agree to become leaders who help to prevent these actions from happening."
Recognizing their roles as public figures by virtue of participation in a varsity athletic program, the Colonials' baseball players felt it was important to step into this leadership role and help the education of their peers in an effort to improve the Foggy Bottom community.
"This issue is important to every single person who is a part of the GW community," explained Muhl. "It affects everyone personally and is a direct reflection of the values that we live out every day as members of this university. As student-athletes, there is a heightened awareness of how we carry ourselves and what we stand for. We have the perfect platform to lead by example on this issue."
For Sheinkop, the older brother to a pair of younger siblings, the issue hits close to home.
"Having two younger sisters who will soon be entering college, these sessions opened my eyes to how one can combat an issue that has been on the forefront of current events and national debate," said Sheinkop.
Senior Brandon Ritchie, a member of GW's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), is helping to spearhead a new video project that highlights GW's involvement in the Its on Us campaign for the third straight year.
"The primary goal of the video is to spread awareness of the It's On Us campaign and the motive behind the campaign itself," explained Ritchie. "We (SAAC) want to rally around this movement and make people aware that sexual assault, whether it be woman or man, will always and forever be unacceptable. Everyone has to have a part to help establish a society where individuals are aware of the dangers of sexual assault and do their part to create an environment where sexual assault will cease to exist."
For Ritchie, the dedication of his teammates and himself goes beyond being a student-athlete on campus. It is about being a better person by contributing to the cause.
"I want to be a voice and have an active role in stopping sexual assault regardless of my status as a student-athlete, and I feel that holds true for our entire Athletic Department," said Ritchie. "I have witnessed the effects of sexual assault, whether it be personal connections to an individual involved or via news outlets, and so much more has to be done to stop it. The first step is spreading awareness, whether it's this video, social media, or having a voice in the community about the It's On Us campaign. Making the pledge and becoming educated will help people realize how deep the roots of this issue extend in the world and what has to be done to end sexual assault."
