2011-2012 Peer Advocacy Center Director: Kelly Allison

Kelly Allison ’12 was recently appointed as the new director of the Peer Advocacy Center, last year known as the Women’s Center directed by Liz Jeans ’11. We interviewed Kelly about how students can take advantage of the PAC’s valuable services.

What services does the PAC offer?
The PAC is a 24 hour crisis hotline available to all Rhodes students during times of crises randing from stress and relationship problems to anxiety, depression, coming out, eating disorders, abuse, sexual harassment, and rape. The PAC promotes equality amongst students and advocates global concerns to our community such as LGBTQ identity and a stand against sexual assault and domestic violence.
 
What are your responsibilities as director?
Upon assuming my duties as director in the fall, I will be responsible for training all incoming First Responders for the hotline, maintaining contact with all faculty about ways to promote individual and sexual equality on campus, maintaining in contact with the administration regarding sexual harassment and sexual abuse cases, coordinating all other executive board members to keep a continuous calendar of First Responder schedules and planned campus-wide events such as the Clothes Line Project and speakers.
 
What’s the most rewarding part about working the PAC?
It’s an honor to serve the Rhodes community in such a vital way. Honestly, the most rewarding part about working for the PAC is knowing that what we are doing is actually making a difference on campus.
 
As the director, what new changes do you plan to introduce?
Next year, I hope to launch a Peer Advocate Center website that includes bios and pictures of every member as well as feature different articles and information about topics such as rape, alcohol abuse, coming out, etc.
 
What cool projects or events does the PAC plan to host?
On February 15^th, we are hosting a lecture by Dan Savage, the sex advice columnist of “Savage Love” who launched the “It Gets Better” video project showing LGBT youth around the world that “it gets better.” We are expecting a great turnout so be sure to get there early to reserve a seat!
 
We host The Clothesline Project every spring. This week-long event is a program started on Cape Cod, MA, in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. It is a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by decorating a shirt. They then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women. Look for this year’s Clothesline Project March 21-27!
 
Last year, we hosted a lecture by Mike Domitriz called “Can I Kiss You?” Mike spoke to both faculty and students about establishing healthy sexual relationships and creating a safe community. And two years ago, we hosted the lecture “I Love Female Organsm,” which combined sex education and women’s empowerment with playful, honest approach in order to generate healthy conversations.
 
 PAC Contact Information
PAC 24-hr Phone Number: 901-238-6504
Office: Basement of Briggs, directly under the ATM machine
Office Hours:
Sunday 7-8: Mary Godfrey
Sunday 9-10: Leigh Varley
Monday 4:30-5:30: Liz Jeans
Wednesday 5-6: Morgan Rote
Thursday 9-10: Chris Moore
 
How to get involved
We will be accepting applications for new Peer Advocates in April. New peer advocates on our 24/7 hotline will be trained in active listening and crisis response at the beginning of the fall semester. Once trained, they will be ‘on call’ a few times each month on our hotline, which students can call to talk to a Peer Advocate about anything from roommate troubles to sexual assault.
 
Seeking professional counseling can sometimes be somewhat intimidating; the PAC is here to offer confidential support on a friendship level. We are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.