Thank you for following along with us during Pride Month and learning about some fantastic organizations aimed at providing safe and inclusive places for LGBTQ+ people both on and off campus. Here’s a recap of the spotlight organizations:

Campus Pride: A completely student volunteer-driven organization that exists “to develop necessary resources, programs, and services to support LGBTQ and ally students on college campuses across the United States.” They are the leading national nonprofit organization working to create a safer college environment for LGBTQ+ students. Campus Pride does extensive research, provides funding, and educational initiatives in the civil rights realm. https://www.campuspride.org/

Gamma Rho Lambda: The first nationally-recognized social sorority that is all-inclusive, supporting LGBTQIA+ students. As they state, the organization started from humble beginnings, “originally established as a social support system for lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and alternative lifestyle-friendly students. Embodying an open and diverse environment for all members, the sorority strove to break down barriers between the LGBTQIA+ community and the greater community.” https://www.gammarholambda.org/

oSTEM: Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (oSTEM) strives to provide a safe, supportive, and diverse community for students and professionals in STEM. According to their website, oSTEM “empowers LGBTQ+ people in STEM to succeed personally, academically, and professionally by cultivating environments and communities that nurture innovation, leadership, and advocacy.” The organization hosts annual conferences with topics of inclusion, outreach, and diversity in the workplace, specifically in STEM fields and awards members, both individuals and organizations, who demonstrate a strong dedication to “advancing and empowering LGBTQ+ in STEM fields.” https://www.ostem.org/

The Point Foundation: “The nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students of merit. Point promotes change through scholarship funding, mentorship, leadership development, and community service training.” The main goal of Point is to prepare students for post-collegiate life by giving them the proper tools “to become pillars of society” and focuses on areas of scholarship funding, mentorship, leadership development, and community service training. https://pointfoundation.org/

PFLAG: Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is the nation’s first and largest LGBTQ+ organization comprised of family members and allys. Their mission is “to build on a foundation of loving families united with LGBTQ+ people and allies who support one another, and to educate ourselves and our communities to speak up as advocates until all hearts and minds respect, value and affirm LGBTQ people.” In addition to the work and advocacy they provide for the LGBTQ+ community, PFLAG runs a program for schools -- Cultivating Respect: Safe Schools for All which is aimed at directly addressing the 9 out of 10 LGBTQ+ students who experience some form of mistreatment in school. Their goal is to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all students. https://pflag.org/

We hope you all of our Senior Class LGBTQ+ students and grads had a great time celebrating Pride Month!