SERVE Team at PUC Aims to Promote Student Awareness and Education

Thanks to a $300,000 grant from the US Department of Justice, PUC created a team called SERVE to promote education, awareness, and prevention around unsafe relationship dynamics. Applied for in 2020, only half of all grant applicants received the award that year—PUC being one of them. The Survivor Empowerment, Response to Violence, and Education team has accomplished a lot since its inception in 2022, including sponsoring student-focused activities centered on relevant awareness months and providing education on personal and relational safety and prevention.

"Applying for this grant and subsequently creating the SERVE team was optional for PUC," said SERVE Project Director Alexis Haylock. "Taking a more active approach to preventing unsafe relationship dynamics was a choice that leaders on campus made, and I'm certainly glad they did."

Haylock and Project Supervisor Michael Jefferson lead SERVE with their team of 16 members: 13 individuals who work at PUC, a student member, and two representatives from community agencies—NEWS Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Services, and the Napa County Sheriff’s Office.

Each member of SERVE is assigned to a smaller group within the team specific to their area of expertise or job description: victim services, student conduct, campus security, and prevention. They meet quarterly to discuss progress, receive additional training, and work towards meeting their long-term goal of supporting PUC students.

The SERVE team also focuses on ensuring that PUC employees responding to these types of situations or offering support to those involved are well-educated in understanding the complexities of these crimes and have the needed skill set to respond in a sensitive way.

By far the biggest part of SERVE’s work is the focus on prevention programming. “Every time the team and I put on an activity during an awareness month, I always have at least one person come up to me and say how glad they are that PUC is increasing their programming in this area,” said Haylock. “This is usually followed by them telling me a story of a situation they or a loved one has faced.”

The team’s approach to prevention programming has evolved since its inception—from putting up physical posters during awareness months to instead highlighting awareness through a month-long social media campaign, offering student activities at least once per week, and providing students the opportunity to support survivors and bring awareness through creative activities, stickers, QR codes, and more.

Haylock continues to celebrate that SERVE functions on campus and receives noteworthy appreciation from many students and faculty. “Our campus has the opportunity to make a real difference,” said Haylock. “So far, our work has been embraced with positivity and encouragement.”

SERVE looks to expand its team by including more PUC employees and having students more involved with prevention work. They seek feedback and help with activities during awareness months, and they welcome volunteers to brainstorm program activities and help implement them for the campus.

Learn more about SERVE and these issues by visiting puc.edu/serve or following @pucserve on Instagram. If you are interested in volunteering or becoming a member, email serve@puc.edu.