It's On Us video to play at halftime of football game

Grand Valley's first home football game of the 2015 season will highlight a sexual assault awareness campaign through a video featuring student and campus leaders.

The "It's On Us" video will be shown at halftime of the game on Thursday, September 3, between Grand Valley and Southwest Baptist University. The video and other campaign materials are products of a collaboration among multiple university departments, including Athletics, Women's Center and the Division of Inclusion and Equity.

Doug Lipinski, associate director of athletics for marketing, said the collaboration has allowed an important initiative to move forward. 

"Our football home opener is traditionally the most attended student event on our campus," Lipinski said. "There is no better place to debut the It’s on Us video."

It's On Us was launched nationally last year by President Obama as an initiative to stop sexual assaults on college campuses. The NCAA and many colleges and universities, and other nonprofits have since put individual stamps on the campaign.

Ashley Schulte, victim advocate and Violence Against Women Act grant coordinator, said students on campus brought the idea forward.

"This came from our student leaders who wanted to make a positive change," Schulte said.

More information is online at www.gvsu.edu/itsonus.

The first 1,000 students at Thursday's game will receive free t-shirts courtesy of Meadows Crossing. Gates open at 6 p.m. for the 7 p.m. start.