Survivor Love Letters: A show of support in honour of Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative team (Left to right, top to bottom): Dee Dooley, Sally Oppong, Jordyn Monaghan, Krystal Lowe, Olivia Landy

April was Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a time for communities to come together to talk openly about sexual assault, increase knowledge and awareness, and help to make survivors feel acknowledged and supported.

As part of the annual awareness campaign, the Saint Mary’s Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative (SVPI) participated in a movement called “Survivor Love Letters”.

The initiative was started by artist and survivor, Tani Ikeda, who has become a well-known spokesperson for the survivor community. In 2012, Ikeda penned a letter to her younger self that closed with the words, “This is my survivor love letter.” From there, a letter-writing campaign rippled through survivor and ally communities.

This year, the SVPI encouraged members of the SMU community to pen similar letters to survivors sharing their heartfelt messages of support and validation. Faculty, staff and students submitted anonymous messages which were then posted around campus to demonstrate support and help start open conversations.

“We wanted to engage in the Survivor Love Letters movement at SMU to foster a sense of community while letting survivors know that they are not alone and that they are believed,” explains Krystal Lowe, Coordinator, Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative. “By sharing these letters and talking openly about sexual violence, we help create survivor-centered resources and reinforce messages of resilience, resistance and hope that can be accessed all throughout the year”

The Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative, under the Sexual Violence Support Centre (SVSC) is a team of students who are passionate about the education and prevention of sexual violence at Saint Mary’s and beyond. “Creating awareness at an institutional level is crucial,” explains Dee Dooley, Sexual Violence Advisor, SVSC. “Campaigns like Sexual Assault Awareness Month and support initiatives like Survivor Love Letters help bring these issues to light and improve perceptions that can lead to a shift in cultural attitudes towards sexual violence.”

The SVPI received overwhelming support in the Survivor Love Letters movement. “The community engagement throughout this initiative has highlighted how much power there is in our collective voice,” states Lowe. “It honours survivors in the community and emphasizes the importance of sharing experiences in a way that lets survivors empathize with one another and realize that they are not alone.”

The letters resounded with expressions of affirmation that survivors are valid, loved, worthy and believed. “Regardless of what happened, your experience, emotions, and trauma are valid,” shares one anonymous author. “Our experiences do not define us,” writes another author. “Our voices matter.” The letters will be made available for viewing through the Sexual Violence Support Centre.

The Sexual Violence Support Centre at Saint Mary’s provides support, learning resources and events for students.

Fulfilment through research: Bernice Perry’s journey at Saint Mary's University

Bernice Perry

In 2021, Bernice Perry applied for a summer research assistantship to learn more about a topic of keen interest to her—the history of Northern Canada. Working alongside SMU History professor Dr. Heather Green, Bernice researched the High Arctic relocations of the 1950s, a Government of Canada effort to establish sovereignty in the Far North through the relocation of Inuit families from northern Quebec to the region.

The outcome of her research is a story map detailing the 1953 relocation as part of a teaching module created by the Northern Borders Project. Bernice’s project focuses on the experience of Markoosie Patsauq, who survived the relocation at the age of twelve and went on to become a pilot, novelist and activist lobbying for government reparations.

For Bernice, this research opportunity reaffirmed her decision to pursue post-secondary education as a mature student at the age of 56.

Growing up in a rural community on the East Coast, pursuing academic research was not presented to Bernice as a realistic or sustainable option. Instead, she spent much of her adult life caring for her family, volunteering in her community and working at flexible, low-wage jobs around her husband’s unpredictable schedule as a truck driver. Through those years, she always knew she had more to offer, but lack of education and financial means limited her opportunities.

It wasn’t until she was an empty nester and had faced and beaten cancer—twice!—that she was able to explore what was next for her. Those experiences, she says, led her to question her purpose in life.

Bernice’s daughter, a Saint Mary’s graduate, inspired her to attend university. With trepidation about being a mature student, Bernice applied to Saint Mary’s, was accepted, and proudly entered the classroom in January 2020.

Spurred on by her love of learning, her passion for history and the thrill of research, Bernice works hard to balance the demands of a full course load. She proudly holds a 4.22 GPA, which she says is the result of “long days and late nights of studying.”

But it hasn’t been easy. Along with the rigorous demands of her studies in the Bachelor of Arts program, Bernice has keenly felt the financial challenges of being a full-time student.

“Scholarships and awards have played a crucial role in my academic achievements, reducing my financial stress and anxiety while navigating through my education,” she says.

This support has also given her greater freedom to focus on her research, and in turn, contribute to the awareness and understanding of the Indigenous experience in Northern Canada.

“The injustices and lack of knowledge of the High Arctic relocations have led me to broaden my research to unveil other Northern narratives lacking attention,” she says. “I have been educated beyond my imagination, conversing and sharing information with those who are willing to listen.”

New award aims to help solve wicked problems

Diego Rodrigues and Douglas Coll BComm’89

As one of the first recipients of the LeaderVision Atlantic Wicked Problems Award, Diego Rodrigues has a unique opportunity. The award provides financial support to students pursuing projects related to tackling some of society’s most pressing—and most challenging—problems. For Diego, this means finding a solution to the issue of young men joining the drug trade in the slums of his home country of Brazil.

Douglas Coll BComm’89 was inspired to establish the award when he read about Saint Mary’s University’s Wicked Problems Lab in the summer of 2021. As President of LeaderVision Atlantic Ltd., Douglas works with clients around the world to develop their skills in issue-framing and divergent thinking—skills that students develop at the Lab. 

“It’s my absolute pleasure to support these incredible students at Saint Mary’s,” says Coll. “I am blown away by their intellect and the creativity of their ideas. The skills they are building through the Wicked Problems Lab will set them up for huge success in whatever career they pursue – and I’m honoured to have played a small part in their endeavours.”

The recipients of the awards will continue their work throughout the school year, and will share their findings publicly through the Wicked Problems Lab website.

For his part, Diego is grateful for the opportunity the award provides.

“Alumni and donors like Mr. Coll have a significant impact on the lives of us students,” he says, “because of their generosity in investing their time, money and, most importantly, knowledge with future generations.

“In my case, as an international student, this award allowed me to continue my studies and gain some breathing room in my tuition fees. It was a true miracle for which I will be eternally grateful.”

Student Success Week: March 27-31

Student Success Week schedule

The Student Success Centre (SSC) at Saint Mary’s University is excited to announce the first annual Student Success Week!

From March 27-31, 2023, the Student Success Centre will host a variety of engaging, informative and fun events to introduce students to the team and the vast array of resources available to help set students up for success throughout their time at Saint Mary’s and beyond.

“The Student Success Centre reflects the university’s commitment to excellence in student support,” says Amy McEvoy, Manager, SSC. “Our goal for the Centre is to become a hub for students to connect, get involved, learn new skills and strategies and make the most of their university experience.”

Join the SSC for a meet and greet Monday morning, visit the info booths in the Student Centre lobby from Tuesday through Thursday, check out the workshops to help prepare for the end of term and sing your exam stresses away at the Karaoke and Games Night!

“As a graduating Peer Success Coach, I am so excited for Student Success Week,” says Maria Donovan, soon-to-be BComm’23. “There are so many resources under the Student Success Centre that I wish I knew about back in my first years at Saint Mary’s. The week’s events have everything from informative sessions to help you prepare for the end of term, to opportunities for just plain fun!”   

Check out the full Student Success Week schedule here and find more information on the Student Success Events Calendar. Follow @SMU_StudentLife channels for daily updates.

Announcing the launch of the newly designed Sexual Violence Support Centre website

Saint Mary’s University is proud to launch a new website for the Sexual Violence Support Centre under Student Affairs and Services (SAAS).

The Sexual Violence Advisor, in conjunction with members of SAAS and the Saint Mary’s web team, have been working over the past year to develop a new website that enhances the user experience, aligns with more intuitive web navigation and better showcases the supports, education and initiatives within the centre.

“With the full overhaul of the SVSC website, the content structure is more intuitive making it easy to quickly navigate to supports or resources,” says Dee Dooley, Sexual Violence Advisor. “This helps ensure the SMU community has access to comprehensive, accessible and survivor-centric information and supports.”

The refreshed website derived from a need to present written and visual content that was trauma-informed and survivor-centric. Vector graphics replaced stock photography to reduce potential visual triggers for survivors, content was modernized to reflect evolved understandings of sexual and gender-based violence and harassment, and pages were audited to ensure accessibility and ease of use.

“This renewed website is a tremendous upgrade to the experience of people using the site,” says Tom Brophy, Associate Vice-President, SAAS. “We want survivors to know that we are here for them, and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to access supports. The refreshed content also makes it easier for members of the SMU community to get informed, educated and involved in initiatives.”

The new website comes on the heels of the revised Sexual Violence and Harassment policy that was announced at the end of January. “Our understanding of sexual and gender-based violence have evolved significantly over the past several years,” says Mark Moffett, Associate Vice-President, People and Culture. “It is important that we continue to adapt our efforts to reflect this new insight in order to better respond to the needs of our Saint Mary’s community.”

New Website Highlights

1.     Enhanced user experience: removing stock photography in favour of vector graphics means reducing the risk of potential content triggers for a survivor. The vectors quickly and accurately depict sub pages for an easier web journey.

2.     Updated navigation: the SVSC landing page creates an intuitive interaction opportunity with audience sub-page architecture to help each user find the information they need more intuitively and efficiently.

3.     New Ways to Explore: users can now explore supports, resources, forms, policies, initiatives, programs and education through the vector card landing page and the simplified mega menu navigation bar.

“This was a huge labour of love for me,” says Dooley, who has been working on the web updates since last July. “This website is a digital doorway to the vast array of offerings we have, so these updates are an important step towards ensuring our campus is a safe and respectful culture for students, staff and faculty.”

The Turner Bursary for African Canadian and Indigenous Women

Keisha Turner BA’12.

Saint Mary’s is proud to offer a new bursary to African Canadian and Indigenous women through the generosity of SMU alumna, Keisha Turner BA’12.

The Turner Bursary reflects Keisha’s identity as a community leader and her own lived experience as a Black female entrepreneur:

"I am so excited to be able to offer this bursary over the next five years. It was bursaries just like these that allowed me to succeed and finish my degree with the stability and support I needed to get where I am today.  It is with great pride and gratitude that I am able to do the same for the next generation of Black and Indigenous leaders."  

During her time at Saint Mary’s, Keisha studied Sociology and won an AUS Championship with the women’s volleyball team in 2010. She has since established an impactful career as an entrepreneur and consultant in Ontario and Nova Scotia. With her husband Michael Polak BComm’14, she has formed Akwekon – a consulting firm that guides Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations in the reconciliation of colonial and Indigenous practices.

It is in this spirit of cultivating positive change that Keisha invests in Saint Mary’s students, and in turn strengthens our community and the world beyond.  

Read more about Keisha’s story in Maroon + White

New award will help support grieving students

Paul Hollingsworth BA’94

Saint Mary’s alumni Paul Hollingsworth BA’94 is giving back to support new students who have experienced the loss of a sibling or parent. 

Paul knows well the impact of such grief. He was young student in the Faculty of Arts at Saint Mary’s when his older brother Bryce took his life in 1991. 

He credits the support he received from professors and the Saint Mary’s community as integral to helping him move ahead and continue pursuing his degree as he navigated his loss. 

Paul went on to graduate and now enjoys a successful career as a well-known reporter for CTV Atlantic and TSN.   

Last year, Paul suffered another loss in his family, with the sudden passing of his sister Lauren. Motivated by grief and memories of how the Saint Mary's community supported him 30 years ago, he decided to establish an award which would help future students going through the same thing. 

Each year, the Hollingsworth Family Award, valued at $1,000, will be given to a first-year student who has lost a parent or sibling.

On February 1, Paul spoke movingly on-air about his decision to establish the award. The story clearly struck a chord with many in the community; since the award was announced, several donations have been received, including one of $5000. To date, the total donations top $8000, an amount that Hollingworth plans to increase with his own fundraising efforts.  

“I love Saint Mary’s,” he said in an interview with CTV writer Alex MacIssac. “So to do this and to put some of the pieces back together from my family’s life and to do it and wrap it around my university, Saint Mary’s, I’m so pleased.” 

 Give to the Hollingsworth Family Award 

Black joy on campus: Reflections from student Fisson Tibbo

Fisson Tibbo

Fisson Tibbo is a fourth-year student taking a double major in Psychology and in Social  Justice and Community Studies. She also holds three roles at Saint Mary’s: as a Residence Assistant; as a Residence Services Officer and as the Student Coordinator for the Racialized Student Academic Network (RSAN), which focuses on the academic wellbeing of BIPOC students.

During the lead-up to Black History/African Heritage Month, Tibbo took some time to reflect on what it means to be a Black leader at Saint Mary’s, and what Black joy looks like in the SMU community.

“As a Resident Assistant, I am a leader who can give representation for Black students, promote events and help foster the love we have for one another.” Tibbo shares. “I bring my experience and knowledge into my role, helping to raise awareness, share resources, initiate discussions and connect Black students from all different backgrounds to the best of my abilities.”

“As the Student Coordinator of RSAN at Saint Mary’s, creating a safe space is one of my priorities,” Tibbo explains. “Those spaces give us the opportunity to come together, to celebrate one another and celebrate the histories of our ancestors.”

Imani Tribe performs at International Night at SMU

When asked what Black joy at SMU means for Tibbo, she describes it as, “Seeing my people and having the community to walk into a space where I feel safe, seeing people coming together, playing music, dancing...even complimenting on each other's hair and understanding hair struggles,”

In addition to her roles at Saint Mary’s, Tibbo is also a member of the Imani Tribe, an African Christian acoustic musical group at SMU. The group recently took to the stage to perform at the 27th Annual International Night at SMU, an event that showcases and celebrates the incredible cultural diversity of the international community at Saint Mary’s.

Thank you Fisson for your thoughts on living and sharing Black joy, and your contributions to helping your community thrive!

Earthquakes in Syria and Turkey: supports for students

It has been devastating watching events unfold in Turkey and Syria following the earthquakes earlier this week. We have a number of students who call those places home and have been keeping them in our thoughts. Large-scale tragedies are felt far and wide and can impact anyone’s well-being.

Beneficial service supports can be accessed through Student Affairs and Services, including the International Student Centre, Counselling Centre and the International Wellness Ambassador through the Counselling Centre, and teams within the Student Success Centre.

There are also a number of free mental wellness supports available within SMU and throughout the HRM, which can be found on the Counselling Centre’s Resources page. We also encourage you to connect with your faculty’s academic advisors where needed. 

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Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative team shares importance of bystander training and understanding of shared responsibilities

The SVPI team

Over the past academic year, four of Saint Mary’s University’s spring graduates worked together as part of the Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative (SVPI), a student-led prevention and awareness program. Hailey Saunders, Krystal Lowe, Lucinda Laskey and Tala Aisheh formed the SVPI team and worked closely with the university’s Sexual Violence Advisor, Dee Dooley, to offer education on bystander intervention, harm reduction, consent and healthy relationships.

“We strive to empower and educate the community towards making change,” says Lowe, who will return to Saint Mary’s this fall as a master’s student in applied psychology while continuing in her role as Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator through Student Affairs and Services. “It is important for us to challenge the status quo and many of the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.”

Over the last year, the SVPI team delivered training and special events for the Saint Mary’s community, with more than 100 students participating in prevention and response education. Through this training, students learned how to identify and intervene in problematic situations and support those who are affected.

“We want to create a community of support, respect and safety,” says biology and forensic science graduate Laskey.

Programming offered by the SVPI is based on a sense of shared responsibility—namely, the belief that creating a safe campus and preventing sexual violence is everyone’s responsibility. Workshop topics included Bystander Intervention Training to introduce bystander intervention techniques and an Alcohol & Sex workshop to take a harm reduction approach to the issue of alcohol-facilitated sexual violence.

“By spreading awareness on campus, we are making everyone accountable for fostering a safe community,” says criminology graduate Saunders.

The SVPI members also recognize an important link between their educational efforts on campus and the broader community.

“Halifax is a close-knit community, where many people know each other,” says psychology graduate Aisheh. “Our work has helped to create safer spaces and equip students to mitigate situations that could escalate.”

Though the original SVPI facilitators have recently graduated, Student Affairs and Services is currently hiring a new team of facilitators for the next academic year. Lowe will also continue working over the summer, in her capacity as Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator, to develop a new curriculum and expand SVPI offerings for Saint Mary’s and the broader community.

Krystal Lowe

Much like her fellow original SVPI members, her dedication to sexual violence prevention work continues beyond her role with the initiative. When Lowe returns to Saint Mary’s this September as a Master of Science student in Applied Psychology (Forensic Psychology), her research interests will include gender-based violence.

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• Students who are interested in getting involved in the SVPI are encouraged to email svpi@smu.ca.

• For resources for people who have experienced sexual violence or who want to know more about available supports, visit the Sexual Violence Support section.