The HEART Project, a key advocacy group on campus focused on sexual violence prevention and support, is expanding its efforts by partnering with the TEAL Project. This collaboration is spearheaded by Morgan Wofford, president of the HEART Project and Sophia Odland, vice president of the HEART Project. The TEAL Project’s goal is to increase student involvement and enhance access to critical resources for survivors. “The Vanguard” spoke with Wofford, Odland and Candice Selwyn, director of the HEART Project, about the new initiatives and future plans.

Odland explained why they decided to expand student engagement. “We knew that me and Morgan are seniors and she’s graduating in December, I graduate in spring, so we just wanted to push a campus organization and just extend The HEART Project into something that is more student-friendly,” said Odland. By branching out into the TEAL Project, the HEART Project creates more opportunities for students to participate in advocacy and support work.

“We had a lot of students asking us, ‘What can I do? How can I get hired by the HEART Project?’” said Odland. “It wasn’t the HEART Project’s role to hire all these students, but we thought, okay, let’s start something students can be part of.”

With this new focus, students can now volunteer with the HEART Project,  gaining hands-on experience in community service, supporting mental health initiatives and promoting overall well-being. By engaging with peers and offering support, they help to create a healthier campus environment while ensuring that students are aware of the resources available when they need assistance.

The HEART Project aims to connect students with the resources they may need. “The main new resource we added was access to medical care immediately after a sexual assault,” said Selwyn. Through partnerships with the Student Health Center and the Counseling and Wellness Center, the HEART Project ensures that survivors not only receive immediate care but also have access to follow-up medical services, including trauma-focused treatments. “We work closely with campus advocates and organizations like Lifeline at the Rape Crisis Center, providing long-term support and even accompanying survivors to court if needed,” Selwyn added.

Looking ahead, the HEART Project is preparing for its biggest event—a Fall Festival on Oct. 23, in collaboration with the TEAL Project. The event will take place at the Student Center Amphitheater and will feature various community partners such as Prism United and the Student Nursing Association, offering education and resources on sexual violence prevention and support.

One of the project’s unique educational efforts includes training in various areas, such as sexual violence, trafficking and victim support. Both Wofford and Odland have completed extensive training on topics like human trafficking, sexual assault nursing exams and working with marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ survivors and individuals with disabilities.

“We’ve done training on so many topics, from labor trafficking to victims with intellectual disabilities,” said Wofford. “This knowledge helps us educate students and ensure we can provide accurate support.”

Wofford and Odland’s long-term vision is clear. “Our goal right now is just to bring students in and to make campus safer,” said Odland. With the addition of the TEAL Project’s advocacy work to HEART Project’s awareness efforts, the campus community is on its way to becoming more informed and prepared to address issues of sexual violence.