Delco Community College Gets $17K In 'It's On Us' Grant Funds

MARPLE TOWNSHIP, PA — Delaware County Community College was recently named a recipient of a grant program aimed at stopping sexual violence.

Gov. Tom Wolf said 34 institutions of higher education will receive up to $30,000 in It's On Us PA grants.

Launched by Wolf in 2016, It’s On Us PA is a statewide campaign that invites education leaders and all Pennsylvanians to be part of the solution to protect students from sexual violence.

Delaware County Community College is receiving $17,355

"Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities must be a safe space for students to learn and grow without fear of violence, harassment, or abuse," Wolf said. "Each one of us has a responsibility to promote healthy relationships, and the It’s On Us PA grant program was created to provide pathways to trainings and resources that improve campus culture and engagement."

Delaware County Community College's funds will continue the institution to focus on vulnerable populations including the LGBTQIA+ community and dual-enrollment high school students.

The college will present a series of programs and activities that provide safe spaces to for students to talk about consent and trainings for college staff to better understand consent and be able to provide counseling, tools, and resources to students.

"The Pennsylvania Department of Education strongly supports any effort to create inclusive, welcoming, and safe learning environments," said Secretary of Education Dr. Noe Ortega. "It’s On Us PA has cultivated change across the commonwealth by investing in targeted resources, supporting students and faculty, and reminding Pennsylvanians that sexual violence will not be tolerated on our campuses."

Since 2016, the Wolf Administration has awarded 184 It’s On Us PA grants totaling nearly $6 million to post-secondary institutions, including public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities.

The It’s On Us campaign is a national initiative to raise awareness about sexual assault; teaching participants that assault includes non-consensual sex, advising them on how to identify dangerous situations, empowering them to intervene, and urging them to create an environment of support for victims and survivors.