Bloomsburg University has recently devised a new way to address the on-going social injustice issues of today. “Protect Our Pack”, a student-led campaign founded together by Dr. Michael McFarland and a dedicated committee of student-athletes, seeks to address and combat these social injustices by providing a safe space where each student can thrive within the BU community.

While the campaign was initially established in response to a variety of student-athlete concerns –- including racism, bullying, gender inequality, and anti-LGBTQA discrimination –- its ultimate mission is to create a safe and healthy environment for all students who step foot on BU’s campus.

Protect Our Pack’s founding executive board members include Angela DiPasquale as President, Lauren Hoelke as Vice President, Bryce Evans as Secretary, and Mackenzie Gebhardt as Technology Director.

Elections for executive board positions were held online through a series of polls where committee members were given the opportunity to vote. Results were announced during the team’s second Zoom meeting.

Angela DiPasquale, a Bloomsburg University Master of Business Administration graduate student from Paramus, New Jersey, is very passionate about her new position as the President of Protect Our Pack.

“I hope that one day each and every Husky can walk around campus being their true selves without feeling like they aren’t supported and encouraged. To me, it’s not about making everyone you interact with your best friend or even a friend. It’s about creating an environment where everyone is friendly and respectful towards one another, no matter how big or small their differences may be,” said DiPasquale.

As of today, Protect Our Pack is in the early stages of development. For example, so far, its Instagram page – @protect_our_pack – has garnered a total of 70 followers. Although the campaign’s social media audience is currently low, members such as DiPasquale, Hoelke, Evans and Gebhardt have plans to make it grow.

“We plan to create videos featuring student-athletes’ stories and their reasons for supporting our mission. We will also use it to highlight the various resources available on campus and market the events and guest speakers we hope to have in the near future,” said DiPasquale.

Committee members encourage all students to support the Protect Our Pack campaign by spreading the word and staying up-to-date on events around the BU community.

Now more than ever, Huskies are being called to stop bullying, end racism, and celebrate diversity. Huskies are being called to protect their pack.