The Jean Y. Jew Women’s Rights Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the UI; a longstanding record of leadership, effort, and activism; and accomplishments of national scope or impact.

Susan Junis was nominated in recognition of the numerous leadership roles, teaching, and advocacy she has provided to the university and local community, as well as for assistance she has provided to agencies across the nation combatting alcohol-facilitated sexual assault.

Junis has advocated for survivors of sexual violence at the individual and systemic level at the UI by starting in-person violence-prevention efforts with the goal of preventing sexual violence. Her efforts also have supported cultural change around prevention and response to survivors of sexual assault.

In addition to mentoring young advocates, Junis has taught courses and has served to improve the lives of women at the UI by calling for more thoughtful approaches to supporting survivors and holding perpetrators accountable.

Junis was instrumental in the planning the It’s On Us Summit, the white identity exploration workshops, and womxn@iowa programming. She organized the trans resource alliance through RVAP to improve accessibility and responsiveness to sexual assault support services for trans survivors. She also led a series of sessions for the Advocating for Safer Communities certificate program.

Junis is also writing handbook for parents of incoming UI students to help guide conversations about sexual violence.