Retired police officer Steve Beggs teaches a self defense move to MSU students, Sept. 18. (Juan Manosalva)

The MSU Wellness Center partnered with Title IX, Residence Life and Housing and the Police Department to offer a self-defense class Monday, Sept. 18.

Angie Reay, Wellness Center executive director, said preparedness is something the university focuses on, particularly in September.

“Campus Safety Awareness Month is the month of September, so one of the programs for that is our self-defense class,” Reay said.

Reay invited retired police officer Steve Beggs to handle the self-defense class and teach students how to respond to any kind of harassment.

“We brought in Steve Beggs to teach us about self-defense, being aware of our surroundings, taking care of ourselves and taking care of each other. And hopefully, we don’t have to use any of the skills that we learned tonight, but if we are in that situation, he just wants to prepare us to be able to take care of it,” Reay said.

Beggs said that maintaining people’s safety is his passion and that he will come any time MSU wants to invite him.

“Anytime I’m invited, I´ll come. I think that’s an important part of what I do. It’s my passion and my purpose to keep people safe. And if I can do, if I can say one thing or show somebody one thing that they can do to maintain their safety, I’m all in,” Beggs said.

Beggs shared his own experiences during the class, making people conscious that this can happen to anybody at any time and students should be aware of that.

“With personal stories, I think people realize that something bad can happen. Here are two statements that people need to put out of their vocabulary: One, I can’t believe this is happening to me, and two, I can’t believe it’s happening here. You’ve got to take those completely out because it can happen to you, and it can happen here,” Beggs said.

Reay said everybody learned at least one thing in the class and that she appreciates Beggs sharing his personal stories, as it brings reality to his lessons.

“I think that everybody learned something and can at least take one take away from it. I hate that he has to share a personal story that happened in his own family, but I think that it brings some reality to the things that he is teaching to us. So I appreciate not only that he comes out here, but he’s open to share that story with us and that he just wants to do what he can to keep us safe,” Reay said.

Sophomore Corrynne Hamilton said she thinks MSU is a safe campus but knowing how to defend herself is always good.

“MSU is like a really safe campus, but it’s always nice to know this just for anything. I’m going to be a teacher, and so there might be times where I’ll be at school late, and so just knowing how to defend myself is always good,” Hamilton said.

Sophomore Corrynne Hamilton holds Steve Beggs wrist while he makes a self defense movement, Sept. 18. (Juan Manosalva)

Junior Christiane Sorelle echoed Hamilton’s sentiment.

“I think so too. I feel like every female should have the ability to know all this and it’s important that the University does incorporate it not only like maybe once a month, like maybe two times, so we are accustomed to it because we don’t want to learn it today and then forget it tomorrow,” Sorelle said.

Reay said her team tries to bring Beggs once a semester, but if students want him back, she will work to make it happen.

“We try to bring him once a semester. So if students are interested in having him back, they just need to let us know when is a good time and date and we will be happy to bring him back again.” Reay said.

Junior Christene Bokutu grabs Steve Beggs neck as a demonstration of a self defense move, Sept. 18. (Juan Manosalva)