Name: Mason Cross
Year: Junior
Hometown: Penfield, NY
What’s your major and why did you choose it?
I am a junior majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications. I chose IMC because I’ve always been incredibly interested in commercial advertising, specifically internet advertising.
What are you involved in on John Carroll’s campus? What about outside of JCU?
On campus I am a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Ohio Upsilon chapter where I serve as the Service Chair. I am also the Vice President of the Environmental Issues Group, the VP of Marketing for the College Democrats and the VP of Service & Philanthropy for the Inter-Fraternal Council. This year I have been working with students at Holy Name Elementary through John Carroll’s Youth for Justice program. Outside of John Carroll I love banging on instruments with my bros, hiking and cooking. This summer I was able to hike Mount San Jacinto in southern California, scaling in at 10,834 feet (~34,668.8 McDonald’s Big Mac’s tall).
What is the Live Your Oath Campaign? Personally, my Live Your Oath campaign is to make sure I keep a watchful eye on anyone who looks as if they need help in a scenario. Whether its being there for someone in their time of need, or diffusing a possible situation socially. Live Your Oath is something that is much larger than just posting on social media, it’s being a helpful hand for someone any time of day, to get through and manage problems as related to sexual assault. Growing up I personally had two female friends who were victims of sexual assault, and I know that me being there for them in their time of need was incredibly helpful for them to get through the emotional toll sexual assault can have on someone.
Why do you feel it is important, as fraternity men, to be hosting this event? I particularly feel it’s important as fraternity men to host an event such as this. There is a particular stigma surrounding fraternities that has done nothing but tarnished our reputation. Letting students on campus know that Greek life is paying close attention to sexual assault and making sure we can do anything possible to avoid it from happening is incredibly important to me, as well as everyone else that is involved in this event.
How do you feel about the negative stigma surrounding fraternity men and sexual assault, and how do you think we as a Greek community can change those stereotypes? In regards to the negative stigma surrounding fraternity men and sexual assault, I feel as if the best thing we can do as fraternity men and sorority to curb this reputation is to host events like this. Events like these show that we as Greek men and women are working avidly to make sure sexual assaults and anything related to them don’t happen on our watch.
What words of wisdom do you have for men who aren’t educated on the topic?
For men who aren’t educated on this topic, please do whatever you can to learn and find out about how this can be prevented. If you find yourself in a situation where you can stop a possible sexual assault case from happening, learn the proper precautions to go about doing it. This could truly make the difference in the future.