A native of Norway, Korra relocated to the United States in 2008 to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas on a track scholarship. Her college career started as she had hoped, with immediate success on and off the track. Then, one night during her sophomore year, everything changed – Korra was abducted, robbed, and raped at gunpoint. Not willing to let the terrifying ordeal destroy or define her life, Korra fought to become "whole" again. Today, she is an accomplished speaker and author, and the co-founder of The Monika Korra Foundation, which works to create awareness about sexual assault and abuse and to assist survivors in the healing process.

Korra will share her courageous story of survival and victory during her presentation, Steps Toward Healing, which highlights ways to find normalcy following a traumatic experience and provides hope and inspiration to everyone.

 

"Some stories are not happy but important to be shared," stated Nick Carter, Heritage Hall Director of Academic Affairs. "Monika Korra, a model scholar-athlete at SMU, survived a harrowing ordeal and has become a voice of hope and transcendence. Monika's speaking message and Emmy award-winning account that I first saw on ESPN are about our own human potential for resiliency and recovery, a story also shared in her best-selling book, 'Kill the Silence.'"

Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Book signing to follow.