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Parag Bhuva, majoring in anthropology and psychology, is unafraid to stand up for what he believes in. He is involved in the Violence Against Women Prevention Program, which works to promote consent and increase awareness about violence against women. Their main event is Take Back the Night, which includes powerful presentations and a march around campus protesting sexual assault and battery. At the end of the event, victims have the chance to share their story, and more importantly, listeners have the opportunity to learn from them.

Bhuva is also involved in Active Minds, a mental health advocacy group with the mission to eliminate the stigma associated with psychological disorders. They held an event last week called Send Silence Packing, in which 1,100 backpacks were placed behind the library, each with a story on them. The backpacks represent the average number of college students who die by suicide every year.

Bhuva became involved with such organizations with the goal of increasing resources made available to those affected by these issues, as well as teaching others about the impacts of each cause. As an aspiring high school history teacher, he admires the great Socrates, who stood by his beliefs adamantly to his death. Bhuva hopes to one day incorporate these teachings into his own classroom and perhaps influence students to replicate Socrates’, as well as his own, righteous notions.

Take Back the Night 2012 takes place Wednesday, April 18, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom.