POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist Center for Student-Athlete Enhancement, in collaboration with the Marist Title IX Office and the Cannavino Library, hosted the White Ribbon Campaign on Wednesday.
 
This year's event was made more special by the return of one of the campaign's original leaders. In 2008, Marist football student-athletes Al Ruiz and Dan Smith were interns at Family Services of Poughkeepsie when they brought forth the idea of hosting the White Ribbon Campaign on campus.
 
Smith and Ruiz hoped it would become an annual tradition that would grow throughout the course of time. Indeed, the White Ribbon Campaign has taken place at Marist in every non-Covid year since.
 
On Wednesday, Ruiz returned to campus for the 16^th iteration of the White Ribbon Campaign. The event has continued to have a significant football presence, as Jeremy DeCaro spoke on behalf of the team prior to a walk around campus.
 
Current Marist President Kevin Weinman, former Marist President and current President Emeritus Dennis Murray, and Marist Director of Athletics Tim Murray were all in attendance.
 
The White Ribbon Campaign is the world's largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equity, healthy relationships, and a new vision of masculinity.