IPEC event empowers students to foster healthier relationships

"Speak About It" is designed to foster healthier relationships
"Speak About It" is designed to foster healthier relationships

More than 150 students representing several UNE programs attended the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) event “Speak About It!” on April 9, at the Harold Alfond Forum on UNE’s Biddeford Campus.

“Speak About It” empowers students to foster healthier relationships and build healthier communities by directly addressing issues of consent, sexual assault prevention and bystander intervention.

The performance-based program provided students with the tools to speak openly and honestly about sex and sexuality. 

“I think the interactive portion of this event was extremely helpful and put the topics into context rather than just giving us the facts,” noted Morgan Wray (Health, Wellness and Occupational Studies, ’20).

The three-part event began with an orientation addressing the topics of sexual assault response training and bystander intervention. The second portion, a powerful and thought-provoking show, was performed by a team of educators and actors who combined humorous scenarios and compelling monologues about consent and healthy relationships.

“The live acting was entertaining and made it real to us,” said Kaitlin Carson (Applied Exercise Science, ’19).

The performance was designed to empower future professionals with tools they can use in clinical settings when searching for nonverbal signs of assault in patients and clients, and to guide students to valuable resources both on and off campus. The event concluded with a brief question and answer session.

The events compelling presentations resonated with a simple message: “Get consent.”

This IPEC event was co-sponsored by the UNE Cultural Council, Undergraduate Student Government, Office of Student Affairs, Campus Fitness Center, Department of Intercultural Student Engagement, Women and Gender Studies, GenAction, Title IX, and the UNE School of Social Work.

IPEC events are designed to include presentations relevant to UNE students across diverse disciplines, offering team-based opportunities for students to understand roles and responsibilities of those in other professions. IPEC’s mission is to transform healthcare education by fostering community-centered, collaborative learning and interprofessional practice.

More than 150 students representing several UNE programs attended the Interprofessional Education Collaborative event
More than 150 students representing several UNE programs attended the Interprofessional Education Collaborative event

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.