Are self-defense classes for women available on campus?
The Center for Women Students has offered self-defense classes for women students since fall 1996, as part of the Giardini Endowment for the Empowerment of Women Students, a gift from distinguished Penn State alumnus Carl Giardini and from Mary Ann Giardini. Currently, a collaborative effort between the Center for Women Students, Penn State University Police Services, and Rape Aggression Defense Systems (RAD), has enabled the CWS to offer courses. The objectives of these classes include the development and enhancement of self-defense skills for women, the development of confidence and proficiency in defense tactics, and the development of decision-making skills regarding resistance to attacks. The course is available without charge for any currently enrolled woman student.
