Cal Poly to Host Bullying and Harassment Expert on April 30

A national expert of bullying and harassment will present “Bully Prevention: Promoting Healthy Behaviors and Positive School Climate” from 11:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in Cal Poly’s Chumash Auditorium.

Dorothy L. Espelage, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, will discuss the pervasiveness of bullying and harassment in the U.S., exploring why such a culture has continued to grow and offering ideas on what leads to bullying behaviors on university campuses. 

In addition, Espelage will outline her efforts to develop programs that reduce bullying and create safe spaces for children and youth. The talk is free and open to the public.

Espelage is one of 14 Edward William Gutgsell and Jane Marr Gutgsell endowed professors at the University of Illinois, and she is a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Prevention Science from the American Psychological Association.

The author of more than 120 peer-reviewed articles and 25 book chapters on bullying, she is the associate editor of the Journal of Counseling Psychology and co-director of the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence. Her work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute of Justice.

Presentation sponsors include: Cal Poly Psychology & Child Development Department; College of Liberal Arts; Office of the President; Student Affairs; Office of Diversity & Inclusivity; Pride Center; Psi Chi; Psychology Club; the Child Development Club; and the Central Coast Coalition for Inclusive Schools.