Yale SOM Title IX Working Group Celebrates a Decade of Impact
During a panel discussion marking the working group’s 10th anniversary, SOM staff, students, and alumni reflected on the group’s history and Title IX’s significance on campus and beyond.
Yale SOM’s Title IX Working Group kicked off its 10th anniversary celebrations on November 3 with a student-alumni panel, the first in a series of events marking the milestone.
Title IX, a civil rights law passed in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools. At SOM, the Title IX Working Group brings together students, faculty, and staff to foster awareness and conversation around Title IX issues, like sexual misconduct and gender equity.
The group was established in 2015, after SOM orientation leaders expressed interest in extending Title IX programming beyond students’ first week on campus.
“We started with only a handful of us, and it has been an incredible experience to watch this group continue to grow and flourish over the past 10 years,” said Rebecca Udler, assistant dean of academic affairs and student life, SOM’s Title IX coordinator, and founder of the working group.
Since its establishment, the working group has created awareness campaigns; conducted surveys; promoted community resources; and launched an annual Title IX Awareness Week, which features workshops and guest speakers. Through the group, Title IX programming is integrated throughout the SOM experience.
Monday’s panel convened current working group student co-chairs Karan David ’26 and Ellie Utter ’26 and SOM alumni Delia Reyes Delgado ’25 and Jackie Peszynski ’24 to explore Title IX’s significance at SOM and beyond. In a conversation moderated by dean of students Anita Sharif-Hyder, panelists reflected on what the landmark law means to them and how its principles have shaped their experiences.
Delgado and Peszynski, both former chairs of the working group, shared how Title IX principles have translated to their professional lives. The alumni spoke about being intentional about the companies they join, taking advantage of workplace resources, and learning how to voice concerns.
“Be an active observer, and also be willing to be the one who says something a little bit uncomfortable,” Peszynski told the audience. “It requires some courage, but other people in the room are hoping that someone will say something. Someone has to, or else nothing will change.”
Looking to the future, panelists considered the working group’s continued role in fostering a more equitable, inclusive community at SOM. They emphasized the need to provide tools for thoughtful dialogue and ensure community members have access to support and resources.
“Title IX isn’t just about compliance,” noted Sharif-Hyder. “It’s about community and shared responsibility, and how we shape and shift culture.”
