BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College Department of Athletics and Recreation hosted its annual Sophomore Athlete Leadership Day on Sunday, January 21 with 80 student-athletes in attendance as the Greyhounds returned to campus to begin the second semester.

"The Sophomore Athlete Leadership Day is a program unique to Moravian College students that offers them an opportunity to focus on developing their strengths as leader's in their athletic pursuits and beyond," stated Head Women's Volleyball Coach Shelley Bauder, one of the four facilitators of the event. "This year's program was Step UP! Be a Leader, Make a Difference. Step UP! is a prosocial behavior and bystander intervention program that educates students to be proactive in helping others. It received a NASPA Gold award and recently was identified as a 'Best Practice' by the NCAA Sports Science Institute of national and international scholars."

The University of Arizona C.A.T.S. Life Skills Program, along with NCAA and national leading experts, has developed the Step UP! Be a Leader, Make a Difference program. Teaching people about the determinants of prosocial behavior makes them more aware of why they sometimes don't help. As a result, they are more likely to help in the future.

The goals of Step UP! are to: Raise awareness of helping behaviors; Increase motivation to help; Develop skills and confidence when responding to problems or concerns; and Ensure the safety and well-being of self and others.

"I thought the Step UP! program was really helpful because before learning the different strategies to helping with situations I would always be too afraid to speak up," commented sophomore Victoria Kauffman, who was the starting setter for the women's volleyball squad this past fall. "Now if I were in that position again I would think back to this program and know what to do."

Bauder was joined by assistant men's and women's track & field throwing coach Jon D'Ottavio, Senior Assistant Director of Admission Edward Flaherty and Director of Student Involvement Sara Steinman in facilitating the afternoon program.