“We want to make sure our college kids are informed on being safe and practicing safe habits on and off campus,” stated Canton Chief of Police Blakely.
As young adults eagerly pack their bags and excitedly embark on their journey to college life, whether it’s across state lines, international borders, or even down the road, the concern of public safety is a prominent and principal factor. College campuses are full of coed residential dorms, filled with many individuals from various backgrounds and walks of life. The matter of sharing intimate living spaces, and bathrooms, and partaking in social activities to the fullest on weekends and late nights, all make for the potential of any large or small safety threat and concern to occur. Recognizing this, Culver-Stockton is eager and determined to focus efforts toward personal safety for students, creating an environment that makes everyone’s college experience the safest possible.
Culver-Stockton maintains a prominent and very actively present campus safety body, working closely with the local Canton Police Department to ensure student security and welfare. The campus’s safety department, led by Director of Security Wilbur Lewis, consists of dedicated officers committed to protecting the school community and providing a safe environment.
Chief Blakely, along with other fellow officers, led a safety presentation at the Cat’s Pause, a well-known student gathering spot on campus, to address personal safety strategies and how students can improve their safety perspectives and scenarios. Blakely overviewed the most common safety issues and scenarios on most college campuses, including, sexual assault, hate crimes, hazing, and stalking. Following Officer Blakely’s presentation, Campus Safety Officer Steven Clark further addressed the students on Culver-Stockton’s campus specifying the bad safety habits of students he’s observed over the year. Clark highlighted the troubling trend of students not locking their dorm rooms and windows. Clark stated that students regularly do not lock their doors and often forget to take their keys when heading out, viewing it as a hassle or fear they might lose them during a fun night out. Students also worry about having the nuisance of calling assistance for campus safety if they find themselves locked out. Clark reassured and emphasized safety first and that campus security is here to help and will not be upset if they have to come to unlock a door. Keeping doors unlocked significantly increases the chances of strangers entering, and even though Culver-Stockton is on a small and secluded campus, all measures must still be just as importantly followed and considered.
To reinforce the campus’s commitment to enhancing personal safety strategies, the school is planning to introduce a self-defense course. This class will cover basic and essential strategies and scenarios, providing students with valuable education and experience in personal protection and self-defense.
The Wire had an opportunity to interview students about the safety measures, and many shared their perspectives. Junior nursing student Maggie Tuxhorn expressed her stance on the presentation, particularly, from a woman’s perspective, “As a woman, I am more likely to experience sexual assault statistically and I’m not as strong as most men. But learning ways to defend myself would probably help,” stated Tuxhorn. She further elaborated on what she gained from the presentation, “I learned the importance of being aware and having protection on campus, as 1 in 3 women will experience sexual assault in college, but also learning how to use the methods of protection, like pepper spray,” says Tuxhorn.
Another student, who chose to remain anonymous expressed their perspective on the safety presentation, highlighting its universal relevance. “I believe it is relevant in any circumstance. Students should be aware of what they can do to protect themselves whether on campus, the next town over or hometown, or even another country through the 3-week travel study.” Expanding on their thoughts, the student expressed confidence in campus safety’s commitment to student protection, stating, “Personal safety is prioritized and I believe they are working towards doing so even more to ensure no one gets hurt. Considering they are putting campus safety officer Steven Clark through a training program to allow him to train others in basic self-defence training and strategies, I can tell they value safety.”
Overall, college often becomes a second home for students, making it a top priority to ensure that the experience is both safe and comfortable for everyone. If you are interested to learn more about safety strategies please contact campus security at (217) 440-6394. Your safety is their number one priority.
