Photo by Nick Chismar ’20

Bethlehem, PA—Moravian University has been awarded a $40,000 grant to expand its ongoing efforts supporting an array of campus-wide measures focused on awareness and prevention of, reporting on, and response to sexual violence.

The grant is from Governor Josh Shapiro’s office and the Pennsylvania Department of Education as part of the 2026 It’s On Us PA initiative. The grant bolsters Moravian’s evidence-based prevention programming, strengthens trauma-informed survivor support services, and reinforces campus-wide accountability regarding consent, bystander intervention, and healthy relationships.

This funding builds upon a highly successful past grant cycle at Moravian, where 100% of surveyed student participants found campus awareness events engaging and informative, and 89% reported increased confidence in discussing consent and healthy relationships. This year’s grant will allow the university to deepen its institutional capacity, upgrade physical wellness spaces, and bring specialized training to student leaders and clinical staff.

“Moravian University is deeply committed to maintaining a safe, equitable, and accountable campus environment,” said Bryon Grigsby, president of Moravian University. “With the sustained backing of campus leadership, this grant allows us to fully integrate important prevention and healing initiatives into our institutional culture, ensuring every student feels safe and supported.”

The $40,000 grant will fund a series of cross-functional initiatives across three core strategic areas:

  • Student education and high-impact prevention 
  • Survivor support and enhanced wellness spaces 
  • Institutional capacity and compliance training 

Projected Impact and Community Collaboration

The upcoming program cycle aims to directly reach at least 500 students, targeting a measurable 15% increase in student confidence regarding bystander intervention. To foster deep student ownership, at least half of all program participants will represent key campus leadership organizations, including Greek Life, Athletics, and United Student Government (USG).

The grant implementation is managed by the cross-functional Sexual Violence Prevention Committee, which unites campus entities, such as the Peers and Wellness peer educators, Equal Opportunity, CAPS, Student Accountability, Gender Equity Club, USG, and faculty, with vital local advocacy organizations, including the Crime Victims Council and Turning Point. 

Implementation strategies will be directly guided by data and insights gathered from Moravian’s 2025 sexual misconduct climate survey to actively eliminate reporting barriers and target high-risk areas effectively.

For more information about Moravian University’s Title IX resources and prevention initiatives, please visit moravian.edu/title-ix.

Moravian University Contacts:

Becki L. Achey, M.S.
Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator
Email: acheyb@moravian.edu
Phone:  610.625.7023

Rosemarie Williams, M.S, LPC
Director of Operations & Outreach – Counseling & Psychological Services
Email: williamsr2@moravian.edu
Phone: 610.861.1510 x1495  

Media Contact

Michael Corr
Moravian University
Email: corrm@moravian.edu
Phone: 610.861.1365

About Moravian University
Moravian University, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is the nation’s sixth-oldest university and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates. For more than 280 years, the university has been preparing students for reflective lives, fulfilling careers, and transformative leadership in a world of change. Moravian University is a member of The New American Colleges and Universities (NACU), a national consortium of private comprehensive colleges and universities working together to graduate extraordinary professionals for a global workforce and society. 

In 2024, Moravian University became part of a World Heritage designation when Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem, Gracehill (Northern Ireland, UK), and Herrnhut (Saxony, Germany) joined Christiansfeld (Denmark) as a single World Heritage Site—Moravian Church Settlements. Moravian is just the second university in the United States to be part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation and only the eighth university in the world to have this recognition.

Visit moravian.edu to learn more about how Moravian University prepares its students for lifelong success.