SPARTANBURG — The University of South Carolina Upstate will join colleges and universities across the nation Monday, Nov. 2, for the National Campus Take Back the Night Rally, a collective show of solidarity with survivors of sexual violence and a call to end campus rape culture.
The rally will bring students and community members together to support survivors, raise awareness and encourage action to prevent sexual violence. The national initiative includes a keynote address, a campus march and a reading and signing of the National Student Mandate to End Campus Rape Culture.
USC Upstate’s participation reflects its ongoing commitment to preventing sexual assault, dating violence and stalking through its Connect and Protect Program, established in 2023 with a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women.
Through the program, USC Upstate has expanded prevention education and bystander intervention training, established the student peer educator program Shatter the Silence and strengthened partnerships with campus and community organizations. Since August 2025, more than 1,500 students have participated in Shatter the Silence prevention programming.
When: Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: USC Upstate's Upper Quad, in front of the G.B. Hodge Center
Who: Students, university representatives and community members
The national rally aims to unite campuses in support of survivors and advance efforts to end sexual violence. USC Upstate’s prevention efforts emphasize education, early intervention and a campus culture in which students, faculty and staff feel equipped to recognize concerning behavior, report it and connect individuals with support.
“The grant has enabled the University to create an interdisciplinary team, in partnership with community organizations, to advance the institution’s efforts around addressing interpersonal violence,” said Nicholas Kehrwald, dean of students at USC Upstate. “I am most proud of the university’s efforts around this topic, including Kendall Karpik’s leadership, and in leading bystander intervention training with peer educators for new students and student groups.”
Kehrwald said the university has seen improved comfort among faculty, staff and students in identifying and reporting concerning behavior, allowing the institution to provide support more readily and advance student and campus safety.
“Most individuals experiencing harassment and abuse want support, and USC Upstate is committed to providing that support and working across the campus to promote safety and well-being so our community is a positive place to learn, work and live,” said Lyda Kiser, civil rights and Title IX coordinator at USC Upstate. “It is important to encourage student voices on these topics, which is what Take Back the Night is all about.”
For more information, contact Kendall Karpik, USC Upstate's connect and protect coordinator, at kaw36@uscupstate.edu.
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About USC Upstate: The University of South Carolina Upstate is a comprehensive regional public university in Spartanburg, serving 5,000 students through more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs. USC Upstate is ranked No. 1 among Best Colleges for Veterans and No. 2 among Top Public Schools among Regional Colleges in the South. The George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics, now celebrating 15 years of educating and developing business leaders, reflects USC Upstate’s commitment to regional economic growth. With nearly 36,000 alumni—most living and working in the state—USC Upstate drives regional prosperity through education, innovation and service. The Spartans compete in 15 NCAA Division I sports as members of the Big South Conference. Learn more at uscupstate.edu.
