UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the sun sets the night of Thursday, Oct. 26, those near the Old Main lawn will notice the area actually getting brighter. That will be thanks to "Light the Night," a collaboration among Penn State’s Gender Equity Center, Residence Life, Panhellenic Council and the Centre County Women’s Resource Center, in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness month.

"Light the Night," which starts at 7 p.m., is an illuminated visual display in honor of victims and survivors of domestic and relationship violence. The event is also part of the national "Ten Points of Light to Take Back the Night," which is part of Take Back the Night Foundation, an organization that serves to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and educational initiatives. Ten Points of Light lights up the United States with ten beacons of support for survivors and healing on the last Thursday of October and April each year. Ten host sites, including Penn State, will hold a candlelight vigil or other event to show support. 

“Domestic and relationship violence truly is an epidemic that impacts people of all ages, gender identities, and backgrounds,” said Jennifer Pencek, programming coordinator of the Gender Equity Center. “It’s crucial that along with raising awareness, we also connect people with resources and build relationships in prevention efforts. We want survivors to know we honor them in our work and we wanted to have a more visual event that was focused on honoring people impacted by domestic violence and unhealthy relationships.”

For more information about this and other events sponsored by the Gender Equity Center, a unit of Penn State Student Affairs, please visit studentaffairs.psu.edu/genderequity. Learn more about the Centre County Women’s Resource Center at ccwrc.org. Both resources are free and confidential.

To request a program on domestic violence or other issues, email genderequity@psu.edu or edteam@ccwrc.org.