STATESBORO – Georgia Southern student-athletes participated in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, an international program that aims to raise awareness and encourage communication about gender relations and sexual violence, yesterday in Sweetheart Circle.

Frank Baird created Walk a Mile in Her Shoes in 2001, and the event has helped raise millions of dollars for local rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters and sexual violence education, prevention and remediation programs. Men throughout the campus and local community are invited to walk in red high-heeled shoes to draw attention to the issue and to give men a new perspective on and better understand women experiences. All proceeds are donated to The Teal House: Statesboro Regional Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center.

The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event is part of the APEX programming curriculum designed to help prepare Georgia Southern student athletes for the ultimate challenge after their playing careers- life. Led by Senior Associate Athletics Director Student-Athlete Development Gleen Hart and Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration Tracy Ham, the APEX program fosters the holistic growth of all Georgia Southern student-athletes based on four pillars: life skills, leadership development, career growth and community engagement. The vision statement of the program is to "develop confident and independent leaders to win in their careers, communities and households."