As Sexual Assault Awareness Month comes to a close, so too will Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Mollie Monahan-Kreishman’s time at this university.
After working six years to educate fraternity men and sorority women at this university on sexual assault prevention techniques, Monahan-Kreishman took a new job as director of the Women’s Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Monahan-Kreishman created the 10 Men and 10 Women plan in 2004 to fight a growing problem with sexual violence within university Greek organizations. The program selects 10 women and 10 men from selected sororities and fraternities to attend weekly meetings with a facilitator, learn skills to help sexual assault victims and find out how to prevent sexual assault from occurring within their organization.
The program was originally run through the University Health Center, but after the project lost its funding, the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life picked it up.
“By that time, fraternities and sororities were willing to try almost anything to advance the issue in the Greek community,” Monahan-Kreishman said.
Monahan-Kreishman works specifically with two fraternities, meeting weekly with members of Alpha Tau Omega and Phi Delta Theta. After six years of teaching the program, Monahan-Kreishman has become close with her participants, said Alpha Tau Omega Vice President Mark Delaney, who has worked with her for almost two years.
“I don’t have close relationships with anyone on the university administration or any staff or professor, but I know that I can always call Mollie and talk to her and be able to get things off my chest,” Delaney said. “I say stuff around Mollie that I would never say around my mom.”
Monahan-Kreishman was devoted to the program. She hosted end-of-semester dinners at her house and even counseled the entire Alpha Tau Omega chapter after one of their members fell into a coma earlier this semester.
Starting her new job in June, Monahan-Kreishman said her departure is bittersweet.
“The new position is what I’ve always wanted to do, but it comes with me leaving all these great guys that I’ve made such a connection with,” Monahan-Kreishman said.
Though sad that she is leaving, program members said they plan to invite her back to talk to new members.
“The members who knew her will remember her as someone who cared about the brothers in this chapter and who helped us become better people,” senior civil engineering major Sam Piland said.
ndesmarattes at umdbk dot com