More than A Mile: Why We Walk

By Isabel Gerheim

For 15 years, students on our campus have stepped into high heels, but the goal was never a fashion statement. It was a demand for awareness. 

As the Blackburn Center celebrates 50 years of impact, the 15th annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event serves as a jarring, visible reminder of a silent reality. 

According to the Executive Director of the Blackburn Center, Renee Reitz, the event is not about the spectacle. It is about “awareness that represents discomfort, imbalance, and constant awareness that many individuals experience in unsafe environments.” 

While the heels may be a temporary discomfort for walkers, they serve as a symbol to participants and students to understand why they are participating. 

Despite the absence of Seton Hill teams at this event, Seton Hill didn’t fail to show our support in the matter during the busy university event-filled weekend. 

“When the community comes together and when students show up, that demonstrates that this issue exists in our community and deserves attention,” Reitz stated. 

The attendance and work, which the art therapy students offered during the event, added interactive experiences that participants enjoy. 

Athletic teams and other departments help build a sense of unity not only between Blackburn Center and SHU, but across the entire campus community,” stated Reitz. 

Unity is a core value at Seton Hill, but it is most powerful when we use it to face difficult realities together. To make this impact last, every department must carry the spirit of this walk forward. Our goal is to create a community where support for survivors is a daily standard, rather than a once-a-year weekend event.