Adrianna Branin, of Philadelphia, a junior political science and religious studies double major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was recognized by IUP's Council of Trustees at its May 9 meeting with a resolution of commendation.
From left: IUP President Michael Driscoll, Adrianna Branin, IUP Council of Trustees member Caleb King
Branin's commendation was in recognition of her selection as a 2019 Biden Courage Award recipient. The Biden Courage Award celebrates student heroes who are working to stop sexual assault.
Branin received the Biden Courage Award on March 26 in New York City. Former Vice President Joe Biden delivered remarks at the event, hosted by It's On Us and the Biden Foundation. Branin was honored with the award for stopping a sexual assault by actively confronting six to eight men and physically removing the potential victim from the situation.
Branin, daughter of Steven Branin and Lauren Vachon, is a 2016 graduate of Franklin Learning Center. She is a Green Dot certified student leader, Student Government Association senator from IUP's College of Humanities and Social Sciences, is chairperson of Student Government's Student Retention Committee, and is president of the United Against Islamophobia student group.
The resolution recognized Branin as a student who has “spent her college career educating others on the issues of active bystander intervention and trying to change the culture on college campuses regarding sexual assault and sexual violence.”
The commendation also expressed “deepest appreciation for the actions and continued contributions to the university of Adrianna Marie Branin.”
Vice President Biden founded It's On Us with President Barack Obama in 2014 to create a fundamental shift in the way people think and talk about sexual assault and to encourage young people to stand against sexual assault on their college campuses and in their communities. In 2016, Biden hosted the first Courage Awards at the White House to honor students who intervened to stop sexual assault.