Saint Mary's is the only women’s college in the state of Indiana, and one of 31 in the United States. As an institution whose mission is to empower and educate women, it is our responsibility to talk about sexual violence, to raise awareness of its impact, and support women who speak up. The conversation will continue at Saint Mary's on October 6, 2026 at this year's sixth Raise Your Voice Symposium.
October is Relationship Violence Awareness month, and marks a time of year called "The Redzone". "The Redzone" is the first six weeks of the school year that students are most likely to be assaulted. Victims and survivors of sexual violence include people of any age, race, gender, religion, and ability.
Not only is sexual violence universally common, for college and college-age students, the statistics grow even more alarming—one in four will experience some type of sexual violence in their college years up.
Schedule of Events
9:30 – 10:45 a.m. Faculty and Staff Training
Rice Commons, Student Center
Led by Beth White J.D., President & CEO of the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault
11 – 11:30 a.m. Prayer Service
Lizzy Seeberg Memorial Garden
Led by the Center for Faith, Action, & Ministry
This prayer service will provide a moment of reflection, solidarity, and hope as we kick off Raise Your Voice. Join us at the Lizzy Seeberg Memorial Garden, outside of Riedinger House, as we come together in support and empowerment, honoring those affected by sexual violence and grounding ourselves in preparation to deepen our understanding of this pervasive issue.
12 – 2 p.m. Raise Your Voice Keynote Luncheon
Stapleton Lounge, Le Mans Hall
Join us as Saint Mary's College alumna, Liz Hanlon Sands ’04, shares her story of strength and advocacy as this year's Raise Your Voice keynote speaker. Read more about her keynote, "Choosing Courage. Creating Change." Registration is required for this event, as lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. Click here to register.
3 – 4 p.m. Student Session
Rice Commons, Student Center
Presented by Saint Mary's College alumna, Connie Adams ’08.
6 – 7:30 p.m. Safety Tailgate
Library Green
Connect with campus and community resources to empower you to make safe decisions on and off campus.
“WHAT WERE YOU WEARING” EXHIBIT
Stapleton Lounge Conference Room, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
October 5 - 7, 2026
“What Were You Wearing” is an art installation that answers the question frequently asked of survivors. This display features narratives and re-creations of outfits based on survivors' experiences within our campus community. This project will be displayed during Relationship Violence Awareness Month as part of Raise Your Voice (October 6, 2026) presented by the Committee on Sexual Violence Prevention. All submissions are anonymous. The project is inspired by Dr. Mary Simmerling's poem "What I Was Wearing".
