2023年9月7日
“We want to promote students and community visibility by empowering and lifting up queer students and giving them a bigger voice on campus,24岁的Kyoti Tavarez说, a QTBIPOC(酷儿, 反式, 黑色的, 土著, and People of Color) student liaison with the resource center. “This is a space where we want to highlight queer students and their accomplishments, 天赋与快乐.”
Located in the Scholars House and adjacent 到 Charles B. 德根斯坦校园中心, the center’s creation was due in part to growing demand among LGBTQ+-identifying students, 说 Dena萨勒诺, senior director of inclusion & 多样性.
“After discussing the feasibility of a resource center for many years, talks really began in earnest when we had over 30% of a recent incoming class tell us that they identify as queer in some way,萨莱诺说.
Specialty housing available for LGBTQ+ students
In addition to opening the resource center, Susquehanna also created specialty housing for LGBTQ+ students this year. Made available during the 2023–24 housing selection process last spring, the residence hall was also an option for new students. It contains mostly single rooms and is monitored by exterior security cameras. Access for the housing is restricted only to its residents, while the resource center is accessible via Susquehanna identification cards.
Tavarez 说 she and other student employees of the center are coordinating with offices across campus — from the Blough-Weis图书馆 到 贵宾中心 and more — to bring more LGBTQ+ literature and special programming 到 center.
Midday Mindfulness sessions, led by a certified student yoga instructor, are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at 2 p.m., and Thursday and Friday at 4:10 p.m.
The center is staffed with members from the Visit的划分，公平 & 归属感 and 贵宾中心, as well as student employees, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. 到5点.m. 或预订.
“When you create spaces like this, a lot of people feel they aren’t allowed to come in, but I want to stress that everyone is welcome here,塔瓦雷兹说.
For questions about Susquehanna’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center, contact 萨勒诺.