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On Friday, October 14, DSS hosted a symposium entitled "Building a Protective Web: Reaching Out to Students with Mental Illness," the feature event of Disability Awareness Week, during which the Gelman Library also mounted an exhibit of the works of visual artist Riva Lehrer and hosted the screening of a documentary film on her work.

"BUILDING A PROTECTIVE WEB: Reaching Out to Students with Mental Illness" was an all day symposium held on Friday, October 14, in the Marvin Center Continental Ballroom. Mental health problems on college campuses are on the rise, and therefore it is important that colleges support the emotional development and well-being of their students. This all day symposium was designed to bring together senior administrators, student and academic affairs professionals, members of the therapeutic community, faculty, and students to initiate a dialogue and foster the development of new programs and strategies critical to the success of college students with mental illness.

On Monday October 10, in the Marvin Center Continental Ballroom, artist Riva Lehrer and Filmmaker David Mitchell were on campus for the GW University premiere of "Self-Preservation: The Art of Riva Lehrer" (Brace Yourself Productions, 2004)  which was free and open to the public. The 40-minute film was followed by a roundtable discussion with the artist and filmmaker. In advance of the screening, a series of Lehrer's portraits, Circle Stories, were on display in Gelman Library (September 26-October 11, 2005). The work of Riva Lehrer explores the ways in which the shape of one's body affects the shape of one's life images of metaphoric realism illuminate her questions about gender, sexuality, self-image, and disability.