Indiana University firmly believes that a true campus community must serve all students, providing the connections, support and resources to help them thrive throughout their college experience and beyond.
For 30 years, the LGBTQ+ Culture Center has created a safe and welcoming learning environment on the IU Bloomington (IUB) campus that provides LGBTQ+ students a sense of belonging enabling them to reach their educational goals successfully. The center, a unit of the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, works in partnership with other equity and inclusion efforts on campus. These partnerships aim to address the needs and issues of LGBTQ+ students during their time at IU while also offering opportunities for learning, growth and success during college and after graduation.
To mark its 30-year milestone, the LGBTQ+ Culture Center will hold a special celebration on Nov. 22 at the LGBTQ+ Culture Center, 705 E 7th St., Bloomington, Indiana, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The event is free, and refreshments will be served.
“Indiana University firmly believes that every student should be able to have a sense of belonging on campus when they come to college. The LGBTQ+ Culture Center is that space for students, one in which all individuals are welcomed and supported regardless of sexuality, gender identity or gender expression,” says Rashad Nelms, interim vice president for the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Indiana University has a long and proud history of supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students, faculty, staff and alumni with programs, practices and policies on each of its campuses. This commitment has been instrumental in IUB consistently being named year after year as one of the top higher education institutions for LGBTQ+ students by Campus Pride, the leading national organization dedicated to building future LGBTQ and ally leaders and creating safer communities at colleges and universities.
Earlier this year, the LGBTQ+ Culture Center celebrated its grand re-opening. The revamped facility includes a new student cafe and lounge; enhanced library space; a new Counseling and HIV Testing room; an updated conference room with new furniture, functionality and capacity and a room for the Gender Affirming Closet.
Renovations to the center were made possible through the Re-Envisioning Project and a combination of support from individual alums and friends of IU, matching funds and grants.
“For many IU Bloomington students, the LGBTQ+ Culture Center represents their first true sense of community, a place where they feel safe, affirmed and respected for who they are,” notes Bruce Smail, director of the center. “The center has transformed from its early days as a one-office space to an entire building equipped with a wide array of resources and services that support LGBTQ+ students and foster unity and inclusiveness for IU’s LGBTQ+ community and individuals seeking to expand their knowledge of LGBTQ+-related issues.