Program director for sexual violence prevention and education begins work

In one year’s time Augustana went from filing a grant to fund sexual violence prevention programs on campus to receiving the grant for $298,827 from the Department of Justice (DOJ), and now welcoming the new program director for sexual violence prevention and education — Zachary Draves.

In this role, Draves will work with others from across campus to coordinate and enhance Augustana’s response to sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. 

“The DOJ requires that campuses who are funded with a grant develop and implement targeted and campus-wide initiatives for students, faculty, staff and administration to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking,” Draves said.

He aims to enhance mandatory prevention and education programs for all incoming students, and promote sexual violence prevention strategies and bystander intervention programs.

As a requirement of the grant, Draves must develop and lead a Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) of campus and community stakeholders to focus on prevention efforts. And he will ensure that victim services, law enforcement and student conduct experts are involved, too.   

Taking on an entirely new position requires building it from the ground up. For Draves, that’s exciting.

“What inspired me to take this position at Augie, beyond work and education, was my deep commitment to social justice,” Draves said.

“My passion for social justice goes back as far as I can remember. My deep affinity for college campuses really stems from the fact that campuses were very much the epicenter of many of the prominent social movements in history, from the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960s to the anti-apartheid movement of the 1970s-1980s, to the present-day organizing around issues such as campus sexual assault. 

“The spirit of young people coming together to effect positive change is where I want to be,” added Draves.

Draves' office is in Sorensen Hall, Room 146, and he can be reached at zacharydraves@augustana.edu.