Stetson’s PACT wins Award at NASPA Conference

Andrea Mujica January 24, 2025
From left to right: Stetson PACT members Victoria Ramon, Corey Sipe, Sara Smith-Paez, Nina Ambrose and De'Vanese John-Baptiste representing Stetson at the NASPA Strateies Peer Education Conference.
From left to right: Victoria Ramon, Corey Sipe, Sara Smith-Paez, Nina Ambrose and De’Vanese John-Baptiste representing Stetson at the NASPA Strateies Peer Education Conference.

Stetson’s PACT peer education group recently attended the National Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) Strategies Peer Education Conference, which took place from Jan. 16 to 18 in Boston, Mass., where it was awarded with the Outstanding Peer Education Group award.

This award recognizes peer education groups that have done exceptional work on their campuses within the past year by providing health, safety and well-being education for students.

“All students are certified peer educators through NASPA and do lead the program planning and implementation,” said Sara Smith-Paez, project director of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Prevention Grant.

Depicted on this picture are all members of Stetson's PACT group. From left to right: Corey Sipe, Esther Colston, Nina Ambrose, Victoria Ramon, Mawa Toure, Asmaa Ali, Sara Smith-Paez and De'Vanese John-Baptiste.
Depicted on this picture are all members of Stetson’s PACT group. From left to right: Corey Sipe, Esther Colston, Nina Ambrose, Victoria Ramon, Mawa Toure, Asmaa Ali, Sara Smith-Paez and De’Vanese John-Baptiste.

For the last three semesters, PACT has worked on promoting its “Masculinity is What You Make It” campaign, hosting media-based field days with varying themes such as Star Wars, and Dungeons and Dragons. For the Spring 2025 semester, the theme will be Marvel.

“We also host ‘Take Back the Night’ every April, which includes music, a march and a survivor speak out,” Smith-Paez said. “PACT also is responsible for the creation of the Survivor Resource Shelf located in the back of the Hollis Center.”

Another highlight of the work PACT has done on campus is the Communication Carnival, which “focuses on developing healthy communication and conflict management skills as well as recognizing unhealthy relationship behavior, and is all done through games,” Smith-Paez added.