AUM Hazing prevention week flyer who circulates over the week around campus
By Haleigh Bedwell, staff writer
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Sept. 21, 2026) – AUM kicked off its 9th annual awareness campaign recognizing National Hazing Prevention Week, with a full week of events to help students recognize, respond to, and prevent hazing on campus.
“Hazing Prevention Week has become more like a signature event for AUM,” said Dr. Andrea Blake, assistant director of AUM’s Office of Accountability and Advocacy (OAA). Blake said activities throughout the week give students opportunities to learn more about hazing and the resources available offered to them.
The week kicked off Monday morning in the Taylor Center Lobby with free doughnuts and coffee from 8 to 10 a.m. Students were encouraged to stop by, chat, and learn how to recognize and respond to hazing and find out what resources are available to help keep the campus community we know and love safe.
The first two awareness days, Sept. 21 and 22, were soft launching to prepare students for Wednesday’s bigger interactive hazing awareness event that was the most compelling “high emotional value” event, said Carmen Stephens, the student conduct and resource coordinator for OAA.
The events are designed to give students information about hazing while also opening opportunities to have conversations about prevention.
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, students were invited to “Lettuce Taco ‘Bout Hazing” in Taylor Center 221 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event provided free tacos as well as an interactive Q&A game designed by the OAA to promote hazing prevention awareness. The event was so popular that the organizers ran out of supplies early, leading Dr. Andrea Blake to call it “a huge success!”
As for Wednesday’s event, “Traveling Through The Haze,” took place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Taylor Center 221 and 222. The walk-through gallery exhibit featured five stations that took students deeper into the seriousness of hazing and its effects on individuals and those around them.
One station highlighted the words and experiences of people who had experienced or witnessed hazing. One quote that stood out in the exhibit came from Tyler Perino, a Miami University hazing survivor, who said, “I don’t want to be a part of this anymore; I want to leave.”
Another station gave students an opportunity to respond to a scenario involving hazing. An interactive writing wall asked, “What would you do? You see something happening that doesn’t seem right. I would…” Students were encouraged to write down how they would respond.
The final stations focused on the serious consequences hazing can have. The exhibit included a 911 call about a victim of alcohol abuse connected to hazing. The exhibit also shared and honored students who lost their lives because of hazing.
“Traveling Through the Haze” Exhibit video here
At the end of the exhibit, visitors were given an opportunity to reflect on what they had seen and how it impacted them. Counseling services were available in case emotions felt too heavy.
An AUM pre-nursing student who asked to remain anonymous said the exhibit made them think about how they would respond if they witnessed hazing. After seeing the stories of students who lost their lives, the student said they hoped others would remember that they do not have to participate in something harmful and to find a place where they belong.
“I am not the best at advice, but I want them to know out there in this fast world there is always a place that you belong to. Please like yourself and be comfortable and know that there are always people who are willing to stay by your side,” the student said.
The Stop Campus Hazing Act, signed Dec. 23, 2024, and taking effect Jan. 1, 2025, is the first federal anti-hazing law in the U.S. The Act requires colleges and universities to include reported hazing incidents in their annual security reports and establish additional hazing prevention and transparency requirements. To learn more about AUM’s resources, visit the AUM Hazing Prevention Page.
Beyond campus, the National Hazing Prevention website provides students with information about recognizing hazing, reporting concerns, and finding support. National Hazing Prevention Week extends past AUM; it is a collective effort to build safer campus communities nationwide.
