Marina Wood, a Cal State San Bernardino advocate for survivors of sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking and sexual harassment at the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services center, has been selected to serve as the Research and Practice co-chair of the Leadership Council for the Campus Advocates and Prevention Professionals Association.
“I’m so excited to have been selected as co-chair of CAPPA’s Leadership Council,” said Wood. “This is truly an honor to serve in such a prestigious organization where I can put to use my many years of experience as an advocate in sexual/domestic violence prevention.”
As one of CAPPA’s research and practice co-chairs for 2016-2017, Wood’s responsibilities will include examining existing research on sexual/domestic violence; gathering new research, seeking best practices; cultivating networks of researchers and practitioners; and disseminating data about new and developing research. She will serve alongside Jill Dunlap (UC Santa Barbara), the director of equity, inclusion and violence prevention for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
Wood joined CSUSB in July 2015 and was hired into the newly created advocate position to assist students and employees who are victims/survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking, a result of Title IX mandates from the California State University System and its Board of Trustees.
“I have found the CSUSB community to be incredibly supportive of my role and of each other. What I have seen since arriving here is a culture of people lifting each other up, of student-centeredness, and of genuine passion for student and staff success and wellness,” said Wood.
Shelley Pope, director of CSUSB’s Counseling and Psychological Services, said, “I’m happy and proud that Marina has been chosen to serve on the Leadership Council. CAPPA’s selection committee cited her thoughtful responses and enthusiasm for the field as two reasons for selecting her from among many applicants. Clearly Marina’s talents and dedication are recognized at the highest level of student affairs leadership.”
In the short time Wood has been at CSUSB, she’s created the group VOICE (Violence Outreach Informing our Community with Education), comprised of 11 students whom she trained on the principles of violence prevention to lead prevention efforts on campus. The group has provided training to students on stalking, consent, communication, boundaries, healthy relationships and LGBTQ+ sexual violence since receiving training last December.
In her role, Wood has already trained a number of groups, ranging from resident assistants in the dormitories on observing suspicious behavior and reporting abuse, law enforcement officers of the University Police on managing information gathering during trauma, and staff members from the CSUSB DREAM Center, specifically on how to handle reports of domestic/sexual violence for undocumented students, which often go unreported for fear of deportation. In addition, she has trained Counseling and Psychological Services staff and other medical providers on resource referral and protocols for forensic exams, as well as the local Rape Crisis Center volunteers on a variety of topics.
“As an advocate in my work with students, I have found that they are struggling and scared, but they are also strong and resilient, and ready to heal and grow,” Wood said. “It takes enormous bravery to ask for help, and I find that the CSUSB community is ready and willing to do everything they can to ensure that students feel safe on this campus.”
She said that some of her favorite moments at CSUSB have been small victories, such as when students she has helped “are successful in obtaining the restraining order they applied for; when they tell loved ones about the abuse and find that they are supportive; when they go from feeling defeated about a case, yet find the energy to seek and find justice.”
Wood collaborated on creating a dating and domestic violence training video that included working with survivors who gave their testimonials. “I am just in awe of the level of courage and strength it takes to tell one’s story for the purpose of education and awareness. I will be forever grateful to those students and alumni,” she said.
The Upland resident was previously employed as the interim coordinator of violence prevention education at Cal Poly Pomona. Prior to that, she served as the prevention coordinator at the House of Ruth, a domestic violence shelter and outreach center in the Pomona Valley.
Wood earned a bachelor’s degree in women, gender and sexuality studies from California State University, Long Beach, and a master’s degree in cultural and media studies from Claremont Graduate University.
CAPPA was founded in June 2015 by a group of prevention educators and campus advocates to help educate their campuses and colleagues about interpersonal/gender-based violence in all its forms, and to advocate for and support students who have been affected by dating or domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. The organization provides a national platform for critical engagement, dialogue, solidarity, and evidence-based strategies to reduce violence and to support survivors.
Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015-2016, CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually.
For a digital photo of Marina Wood or for more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.