SHARPP Gets a Student Blog

The University of New Hampshire’s Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program, or SHARPP, has recently unveiled a new student-run blog late September. The blog, Kickin’ it with Kenna, gives advice to students who may be sexually assaulted, stalked, in an abusive relationship, and so on. Since social media and the Internet are both great ways to connect with students, SHARPP’s new student blog is convenient and easily shared 

Kenna Smith, a junior social work major, is a volunteer at SHARPP. She got into the program after taking an introductory course for her major that required 25 hours of field experience. After searching for an internship, Kenna came across SHARPP.

When she looked under the explanation of SHARPP, she found herself frozen. Smith saw the elucidation of advocate training, immediately signed up, and completed the 40 mandatory hours of instruction.

Smith has been an advocate for three years, and she has worked in the SHARPP office as a secretary since spring of 2011. “After the first day of training, I was hooked, and I haven’t left since,” Smith said. 

Smith was glad that she gets to reach out to others in different ways. She noted a video segment that will be soon making its way onto the blog where she will ask students about issues regarding sexual violence on college campuses.

As both an employee and a volunteer, Smith sees the impact that the program brings to UNH. “As a young woman, this program represents possibilities,” Smith said. “SHARPP is a starting ground for individuals who have felt something was taken from them, and, in coming here, they get to feel like a piece of them has returned.”

Although the blog started only a month ago, SHARPP staff members approached Kenna in early September asking if she would be interested in becoming a more hands on voice for their program. Mary Mayhew, SHARPP’s program director, approved the blog a week later.

According to Mayhew, SHARPP is always looking for creative ways to encourage constructive dialogue on consent, healthy relationships, and other issues that touch on students’ lives.

“We wanted [the blog] to be relevant to UNH students’ experiences, so the choice of having a student write the blog made sense,” Mayhew said. “Kenna is a really thoughtful and well informed student, who is also outgoing, and very connected to a lot of other students through her participation in student organizations.”

SHARPP’s aim for the blog is to show a real student reflecting on serious issues in a relatable way. “If a faculty or staff member wrote the blog, we wouldn’t have the perspective,” Mayhew said, “and it probably wouldn’t be something students want to read.”

Mayhew also added that Kickin’ It with Kenna can be a place where students can see how another person sees, and sometimes challenges, behaviors that sometimes feel like the norm.

The blog itself is something SHARPP has never done before. “We’re pretty excited about it,” Mayhew said. “We’re lucky enough to have a student who was enthusiastic about the idea, and who we felt was confident would do a great job.” As long as SHARPP has someone who fits the rightful criteria, the blog will definitely keep going. 

Even though the blog is not an advice column, it contains a good mix of information –  much of it supported by statistics and research obtained from the SHARPP website, the New Hampshire Coalition, and many other government abuse hotline and program sources.

Smith wants people to get information and dialogue about college campuses and the taboo issues regarding sexual violence. “When people read my blog, I want them to really learn about an issue and have a place to start a discussion,” she said.

Where the blog is only in its beginning stages, Smith hopes it becomes a forum for people to talk to her and discuss important issues in order to learn.

“I update my blog once a week, and the idea is to make it every Monday, unless an event in the news or on campus really strikes me,” Smith said.

Although geared towards the college community, Kickin’ It With Kenna can be read by anyone; the issues of sexual violence, stalking, relationship abuse, consent and rape culture are all present on every level of our society. 

“I’ve had people in their 50s and teens in high school read it.” Smith said. “It’s never too late to learn new information, especially because these issues are so prevalent.”



Published in The New Hampshire.