It has been a long process to get to the point she is now, but Ohio Kappa Haley Deckman is happily involved in many aspects of campus life at University of Cincinnati (UC). Haley sees Pi Beta Phi as a launching pad that gave her leadership skills and opportunities to branch out on campus. She serves on Student Activities Board (SAB), supporting student organizations on campus, and is one Pi Phi’s delegates on the Future Greek Leaders Board.

One organization she is especially proud of happens to be her newest involvement. Last semester, Haley became involved in Going Grey UC (GGUC). In conjunction with the nonprofit Aruna Project, the group raises awareness on campus about sex trafficking of women locally and globally. Although many women can leave the trade voluntarily, so many women stay because they have no financial means to support themselves or have no place else to go. Some of the women simply lack the courage to leave. Some members of GGUC have gone to India to meet women and build relationships with them. The UC students go to work with the women in India to create job sustainability in their lives so the cycle of sex trafficking does not continue.

In April, the group put on a weeklong event with a Speaker Panel, Service Event and a Movie Showing. The week culminated in the annual Cincinnati Aruna 5k Run for Their Freedom. Additionally, Aruna Project CEO Ryan Berg came to Cincinnati to speak with the student organizers. At the informational session, Ryan told stories of women he had personally met on his trips abroad. It was such an emotional and moving experience for Haley that it has continued to motivate her to be involved.

Haley is very passionate about the work she is doing with GGUC. It is important for her to keep in mind and understand how serious of an issue sex trafficking is for the world. But it also helps Haley put her life into perspective and remember how fortunate she is in her own life. Furthermore, she has been amazed to see how other students want to be involved in being the catalysts for change.