Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Resistance, and Support Manager Anne Rudzinski is combining her professional expertise with advanced scholarship to help shape the future of sexual violence prevention education.
By John-Paul Bonadonna
Combating sexual violence through education and prevention is a career, a calling, and the subject of PhD research for a University of Windsor support manager, and student.
Anne Rudzinski is combining her professional expertise with advanced scholarship to help shape the future of sexual violence prevention education.
Rudzinski, manager of education and survivor support at the University of Windsor’s Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Resistance, and Support, is also a student in the Joint PhD in Educational Studies program.
The program’s collaborative structure brings together Brock University, Lakehead University and the University of Windsor in a unique educational opportunity. Students apply through one of the three institutions but take courses across all of them, blending virtual learning with in-person residencies that rotate between campuses.
“One of the things I love deeply about my work is the education side of things,” Rudzinski explains.
“I’m hopeful the pursuit of this PhD will deepen my understanding of educational practices in this field.”
Rudzinski’s research focuses on sexual violence education, particularly how prevention and resistance programs intersect with gender identity.
She is interested in how educators make choices about whether to implement design programming open to all students or to tailor workshops for specific groups such as women, men or 2SLGBTQIA+ students.
“These are complex pedagogical choices,” she says.
“I want to understand how educators navigate choices about programming and gender.”
Rudzinski completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Windsor before earning her master’s degree in community psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2019.
She returned to UWindsor, this time as an employee tackling frontline work at the Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Resistance, and Support.
While she had long wondered if doctoral study might be in her future, it wasn’t until a colleague encouraged her to consider the Joint PhD that the idea took hold.
“The program is really designed for working professionals,” Rudzinski says.
“That was important for me, because I wanted to keep doing the work I love while pursuing advanced studies.”
Her first residency, held this past summer at Brock, was both a challenge and a joy.
“It felt like an intellectual vacation,” she laughs.
“I got to live in residence, take a break from my day-to-day job and fully immerse myself as a student again. It was wonderful.”
One of the hallmarks of the Joint PhD program is its cross-campus collaboration. Students not only learn from professors across three universities but also build networks with peers who bring a diversity of perspectives and experiences.
“Our cohort was about 20 people, all with very different research interests,” Rudzinski explains
“I met people researching everything from pharmacy training programs to the teaching about climate change. Those perspectives enriched my own work and pushed me to think differently.”
Next year, the in-person residency will take place at the University of Windsor followed by a summer at Lakehead in Thunder Bay. For Rudzinski, that means both the excitement of hosting classmates on her home campus and the chance to connect with colleagues she might never have otherwise met.
“It’s such a benefit to be part of this inter-university structure,” says Rudzinski.
“You’re exposed to different institutions, different faculty, and different student experiences. It really broadens your perspective.”
Already, her early research has reaffirmed the urgent need for this work.
“Sexual violence is unfortunately common on college and university campuses,” she notes.
“If we can improve our prevention and education programs, we’re not only creating safer environments but also helping students complete their degrees and move into the workforce. The impact is much bigger than just the campus experience.”
Her advice for others considering the program is simple: don’t count yourself out.
“It’s hard work but it’s more manageable than you might think, especially if you’re passionate about your field,” she says.
“The program is designed to support working professionals and it has the potential to be an incredibly rewarding experience.”