Students Organized Against Rape (SOAR) currently is looking for men and women interested in being trained to be a peer educator for the spring semester.

SOAR is a new organization formed last semester in order to educate students about dealing and protecting themselves from rape, said Barb Zuber, SOAR organizer and a psychologist at the Counseling and Student Development Center.

“SOAR is a program for the students by the students,” Zuber said. “However, we need more student involvement, especially men, in order to help educate more students from the threat of rape.”

After the peer counselors are trained, they go to classrooms, residence halls, and Greek organizations to make presentations dealing with rape and sexual assault.

Zuber said she feels SOAR’s peer education program is very important to all students on campus because “the presentations are done by other students just like them.

“Students seem to respond best when dealing with other students,” Zuber said.

Last semester, eight peer educators were trained and will begin their presentations during the spring semester.

Junior Laura Miller decided to become a peer educator this semester for personal and professional reasons.

“It was very important to me to become a peer educator because one of my best friends was raped and also because I want to become a lawyer and this program gave me some great experience,” Miller said.

Senior Rebecca Harris, a Grant North senior staff member, became a peer educator this semseter because she felt the program would be a great experience.

“It’s been a real positive experience, especially because I’ve become very educated about sexual assault and have conducted programs in my hall dealing with some of what I have learned,” Harris said.

Students interested in becoming trained as a peer educator can attend a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the University Resources for Women Building.