CEDAR FALLS, Iowa, Aug. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Northern Iowa's Center for Violence Prevention (CVP) has been awarded $20,980 in scholarship funds from the Verizon Foundation to help financially support those who are involved in projects that work to prevent or respond to gender violence in Iowa communities. Scholarships will range from $1,000 to $4,000 per UNI student.
UNI's CVP has been actively involved in developing best practices for Iowa's state universities in sexual misconduct policies, as well as implementing bystander education on college campuses and K through 12 schools through its Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program.
Amy Miehe, a graduate student majoring in educational leadership: principalship, will be the first UNI student to receive a scholarship of $2,000 for the work she does in gender violence prevention while interning at East High School in Waterloo, Iowa. Miehe participated in CVP's MVP training and has assisted in student training since the program started at East High School.
"This Verizon Foundation scholarship is important to me due to the rise of bullying and relationship violence in schools," said Miehe. "The MVP program focuses on how not to be a bystander in a situation and how to help. I believe it's important that all teachers are given the tools to effectively help student leaders prevent or respond to violence in schools."
A scholarship presentation for Miehe is scheduled for 3 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the Center for Multicultural Education on UNI's campus.
Seamus Hyland, president-Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless said, "Verizon focuses not only on our business, but also on the communities we serve. We are proud to support students who are committed to raising awareness, prevention and direct services to end relationship violence."
For more information about the Verizon Foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org. For more information about HopeLine® from Verizon that turns no-longer used cell phones into support for domestic violence victims and survivors or to donate no-longer-used devices, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
For more information about UNI's Center for Violence Prevention and the Mentors in Violence Prevention program, visit www.uni.edu/cvp/.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless