Director of Greek Affairs Gina Gregolunas and the Women’s Resource Center hosted free self-defense classes Wednesday night to promote safety for women across campus.

The Rec Center, where the classes were held, provides instructors to teach basic self-defense maneuvers.

Freshman psychology major Katie Schag found the self-defense class to be useful.

“I know if I get cornered in a dark alley, I’ll be able to kick anyone’s butt,” Schag said.

Brittney Tomter, sophomore special education major, enjoyed the class as well.

“[I like] being able to defend myself,” Tomter said.

Mitch Kazuk, junior broadcast journalism major, is one of the self-defense instructors.

“It’s about safety awareness,” Kazuk said.

He said he feels NIU can be unsafe for females.

“So we’re trying to make it safe for women,” he said.

Gregolunas agrees that NIU could be safer for women.

“One initiative is to host self-defense classes for Greek row. We’re trying to have women increase their safety,” Gregolunas said.

The Student Association funds the classes, which will take place again Nov. 16 from 5 to 6 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m.

Gregolunas said twenty spots are reserved for women from the seven sororities to attend these classes, and forty spots are open to the public.

Students might be able to attend a self-defense class in the future that is open to both men and women.

“Right now it’s only for women, but we’re trying to get a [self-defense] class started,” Kazuk said.