Meet The Inaugural Cohort of PIVOT Peer Educators

Our first cohort of PIVOT Peer Educators represent six different majors across three different class years. While each student brings unique strengths, skillsets, experiences, and backgrounds to the program, they all share a passion and dedication to preventing interpersonal violence in the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ community. These burgeoning changemakers will begin their PIVOT internship in the Fall of 2024, so stay tuned for some exciting, new initiatives!

2024 PIVOT Peer Educators

Katy Blanchfield

She/Her

Junior, Psychology

Preventing interpersonal violence has been something that has pressed on my heart for a long time. Getting to ¶¶Òõ̽̽ and being able to connect with the domestic violence awareness movement through my sorority and the University Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force has been incredibly inspiring to see what work has been done and the passion we all need to have to continue these efforts. Being a psychology major with a minor in human development and family science, my end goal is to work in childhood psychology and advocacy, especially in cases of DV. I am so excited to be a part of the PIVOT program and I have so many ideas to share as a peer educator this fall!

Maddie Brown

She/Her

Senior, Human Development and Family Science

As a Human Development and Family Science major, in my college experience, I have spent a lot of my time learning about the importance of prevention and intervention. With a specific interest in trauma therapy, I have found the work I have done in PIVOT and in Dr. Demers’ interpersonal violence classes to be insightful. I hope to bring this new knowledge and experience into a future career working with and supporting survivors of sexual violence.

I have enjoyed learning from my fellow passionate peers who are involved in developing the PIVOT program. I look forward to working with more people in the future who share the same drive to make an impact in this field. I have appreciated Dr. Demers mentorship throughout this process, and I am excited for the prospective change the PIVOT program is going to bring to University of Vermont.

Kennedy Connors

She/Her

Sophomore, Public Communications

I learned about the PIVOT course through Student Government and instantly knew it was a program I wanted to be a part of. I’ve always been passionate about sexual violence awareness and I’m eager to see what’s in store as a peer educator. The first semester surrounded learning the facts and Dr. Demers couldn’t have taught it better. Everyone I’ve met in this course is beyond knowledgeable and thoughtful which makes it even more exciting to think about all the work we’ll accomplish. Awareness is a group effort so I’m hopeful that we can continue to spread our program's message and  encourage other students to get involved!

Aine Sponholz

She/Her

Junior, Environmental Studies and Sociology

Understanding and preventing interpersonal violence has been an interest of mine for a long time. When I first got to ¶¶Òõ̽̽, I joined the Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force for Sorority and Fraternity Life in my first semester after joining a sorority. It was through this group that I was able to meet Dr. Demers when I originally asked her to speak at an event we were having. Later that semester, when she reached out about the class she was beginning and the start of the Pivot program, I knew I would have loved to be a part of it. I am already proud of the pivot team for the dedication and commitment to helping our school, and I cannot wait to see where Dr. Demers and this team can take the peer education program.

Keiran Wackett

Keiran Wackett

Junior, Political Science

Like others on the PIVOT team, I began working on the SVPTF at ¶¶Òõ̽̽. Leading this group was very fulfilling and I wanted to continue focusing on this work within our ¶¶Òõ̽̽ community. I was recommended by some of the task force members to take the first course. I found the class to be incredibly important in the context of our community; I truly believe every ¶¶Òõ̽̽ student could benefit from the course. I'm excited to continue working with Professor Demers and the PIVOT team to further peer education at ¶¶Òõ̽̽.