Rachel Stonecipher, who taught English at MacArthur High . Various student organizations provide opportunities for participation in social justice and other activities. The University of Vermont ranks 5 on the Campus Pride Index. It has the Gender Identity Expression and Sexual Orientation Resource Center (GIESOPRC), which is dedicated to the education, empowerment and engagement for LGBTQ+ students. Their programming involves social, academic, and advocacy opportunities, as well as health promotion and financial support. More than 75% of their student body includes members of their high schools top 10% graduating class. The program connects community members to campus and local resources for support. The GGC provides support to the LGBTQ+ community through specialized advising, training, lectures, workshops, and celebratory advocacy. Have inclusive and representative curriculum. Penn State provides a higher learning platform on its 24 campuses and through its 18 colleges. In partnership with Campus Pride, BestColleges has put together a list of LGBTQ+-friendly colleges, highlighting the best colleges for LGBTQ+ students in several states. Enrollment Advisor. Safe Space workshops, resources for education on unconscious bias, and participation in local Pride events provide the LGBTQ+ community with opportunities to connect with members of the community for academic and social support. LGBT friendly colleges are critical for the safety and well-being of gay, lesbian, trans, and nonconforming young people all over the nation. There is a focus on the intersectionality of gender, race, religion, and sexuality. Edited by Cobretti D. Williams, Ph.D. The Queer Professionals Network allows students to connect with faculty, staff, and alumni, and various Identity Collectives create opportunities for cross-campus dialogue. University of Oregon, located in Eugene, OR, is one of the top LGBTQIA+ campuses in Oregon. Princeton University was established in 1746, 30 years before the American Revolution. It has since grown to provide support, learning and research opportunities, employment, and leadership development for LGBTQ+ students. Top Scholarships for LGBTQ Students to Apply For Included below are a number of different financial awards including LGBTQ Awareness awards, awards based on academic interests, and awards based on concepts like optimism, learning and changing, and more. The Queer Student Resources (QSR) office creates spaces for students of all genders and sexualities to feel safe. There are many ways for students to get involved at the GSRC, with volunteer or service learning opportunities. Elon is on a mission to create a campus platform where all students are welcomed and included. Whether through regular campus events, housing and safe spaces, or training opportunities, there is robust support available. College is best described as a journey with a destination in mind, but there's no GPS and you're blindfolded behind the wheel. We compared how much you could earn in 10 years with a degree from this school versus only having a high school diploma. Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is one of seven schools that united to create The Queer Resource Center of the Claremont Colleges (QRC). Rutgers has a Douglass themed living community for students exploring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and asexual experiences both in and out of the classroom. The purpose of the center is to create an inclusive community on campus. Kenyon College biennially hosts the Queer and Trans Studies Conference, featuring tracks in healthcare and technology, visual and performing arts, humanities and popular culture, society and law, and community interest workshops. Health insurance is provided to cover gender confirmation surgery and hormone therapy. The Resource Centers signature initiatives include the UndocuQueer conference to highlight the intersection of undocumented immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community. The latest national and state data show a mental health crisis as a . SDSU creates and strengthens an inclusive and affirming space and environment for persons of all sexual and gender identities and their allies. It warns that "the spread of . The office connects individuals to external non-profit advocacy in the greater D.C. area. They are the director of the Stonewall Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the Trans Policy Clearinghouse coordinator for Campus Pride. Windmeyer is also the author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBTQ+ Students, the first-ever college guide profiling the "100 Best LGBTQ-Friendly Campuses.". Here are the top-ranked colleges for LGBTQ+ support. The GGC provides support to the LGBTQ+ community through specialized advising, training, lectures, workshops, and celebratory advocacy. Despite allowing student-teachers and practicums from Arizona Christian University for the last 11 years without incident, the five-member governing board of the Washington Elementary School District in Arizona has unanimously voted to stop the practice because of the perceived threat the students' biblical value system poses to LGBT students. In addition to harassment in schools, many LGBTQ+ students experience family and peer rejection, bullying, and isolation. Typically, 70% of undergraduate students live on campus. Gender neutral dorms and other forms of gender inclusive housing, for instance, allow transgender students to find a housing situation where they can be comfortable, just one example of how intentional policies can make for LGBT friendly colleges. 1. According to U.S. News & World Report, MAC ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. The focus is critical thinking and social analysis about larger social and institutional formations. Resources include support to improve campus climate and safety, opportunities for identity development, and expertise on institutional and state policies and their impact on the community. The GSRC provides peer-facilitated first-year discussion groups, gender support discussion groups, a peer educator program, Out in STEM, and the Q'nnections mentorship program. The list of nearly 200 institutions, most of them religiously affiliated, includes Brigham Young University, Malone University, College of the Ozarks and Lee University. 5. It also hosts speakers, film series, receptions, and other social gatherings. In support of LGBTQIA students, Augsburg University allows students to select their personal pronoun in their records and registration for use in university records. But to find the best colleges for LGBT students, look for policy: inclusive language in their student handbook; gender inclusive housing (or gender neutral housing); explicit non-discrimination policies (for instance, womens colleges that are openly welcoming to trans women); mental health resources for LGBT youth (who disproportionately experience trauma, abuse, and PTSD). Their ethos is to observe and embrace student and faculty differences. The LGBTQ+ community at the University of Pittsburgh also plays an active role in fraternities and sororities and has gender-inclusive housing options available through the Office of Residence Life. The university has a number of active student organizations, housing and diverse choice academic programs. It is also known for its unique Out! Public middle and high schools were required to follow the sex ed laws in the California Healthy Youth Act beginning in 2016, . The program support includes health and wellness initiatives, crisis response, and academic and social support groups. Barnum. Elon University (Elon) offers a Gender & LGBTQIA Center to promote tolerance and inclusion across its campus. The QSR provides programming for members of various communities such as Black queer and trans students, queer and trans people of color, academic-focused programs, and queer faith-based initiatives. Policies or organizations that work for one college may not work for another, so defining LGBT friendly colleges means sorting through and analyzing. Virginia has moved to restrict the rights of trans students in its public schools. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Center, part of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, serves the LGBTQ+ community through social events, lecture series, advocacy for a discrimination-free environment, and various training opportunities. Montclair State offers a LGBTQ minor under the Gender, Sexuality, and Womens Studies program to allow students to think critically about identity, current issues, and activism. Tell us about life at your school. UMass Amherst has The Stonewall Center, which is a lesbian, gay, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) Resource Center. The Center provides a location for study and programming and a resource library for the community. To ease the trip for the LBGTQ community, Brown gives its students a real life guide with the Renn Mentor Program. This ranking, in partnership with Campus Pride, looks at the top 25 LGBTQ+-friendly colleges. Ithaca College has set up all-gender restrooms across the campus. The center provides Safe Zone training, specialized orientation activities, PRIDE activities, and a unique opportunity for a social justice-themed living community. CU offers its LGBT students the opportunity to join the Lavender Graduation, a yearly event that honors LGBT graduates. Debbi Johnson-Rais, Ed.D., is the director of Florida Atlantic University's Scholars Program, an initiative that provides support and programming for high-achieving students, particularly those in medicine. Northern Arizona University ranks 4.5 on the Campus Pride Index. Online learning opportunities also allow involvement with easier access. The LGBT Resource Center at Kansas State University opened in 2010, and works to create an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as resources to support the community at large. Effective professional development can help to educate staff on how to handle harassment and bullying, and it can provide a place to share resources and best practices to . Center staff are available for consultations to provide support and guidance to the LGBTQ+ community. They believe differences should be celebrated and they stand as a model for diversity through their student body and their programming. The Pride Center offers access to resources for students, parents, faculty, guardians and Lehigh Universitys alumni. UMDs Clark School of Engineering is known for its hands on engineering program, allowing students to research and build as soon as they begin school. Its a little objective and a little subjective, and always open for debate. Augsburg University, located in Minneapolis, MN, was named one of Top 30 LGBTQ friendly campus by Campus Pride, with a 5 star rating. Kenyon College has a strong institutional commitment to providing a safe, vibrant community for its LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff, and a policy to support them. The UWEC ranks 5 on the Campus Pride Index. The LGBTQ Center at Brown University was established in 2004 and serves to provide a comprehensive training and support system surrounding issues of gender identity and sexuality for members of the LGBTQ+ community at the university and in the greater community. Title IX applies to all schools (including both K-12 schools and colleges) that get federal money, including nearly all public schools. curriculum, teacher training, suicide prevention and transgender students to rate school districts' LGBTQ policies on a three-tier, color-coded scale. WVU ranks 4.5 on the Campus Pride Index. According to U.S. News & World Report, Lehigh University ranked 53rd (Tied) among 2019s best colleges. Reviewed by Angelique Geehan Updated June 25, 2022 Learn more about our editorial process Tufts University is comprised of ten schools across four Boston campuses and another in the French Alps. Stanford University ranks 5 on the Campus Pride Index. The infrastructure of the college is also critical to creating a climate of inclusion, particularly through gender-inclusive housing, inclusive restrooms, and faculty and staff representation. Other resources include an African-American Resource Center, religious organizations, and various cultural clubs. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. MSU ranks 4 on the Campus Pride Index. No matter what sex you were assigned at birth, you have the right to cut your hair and wear your clothes in a way that matches . Mid Vermont Christian School (MVCS) was set . Pride School Atlanta is a k-12 institution designed to be an alternative for LGBT students, though the school is open to any student who believes they're not getting the support they need. Connecticut College ranks 4.5 on the Campus Pride Index. There are many ways for students to get involved at the GSRC, with volunteer or service-learning opportunities. The school offers more than 1,000 various types of student organizations. The Prism Center has been serving the LGBTQ+ population at the University of Vermont since 1999 and is a place for students to build their leadership skills, connect to the community and advocate for equity and inclusion. Other sources of support include identity-affirming care, emergency funds for urgent needs, and housing. They allow students to use a name different than their legal name on their university records. The University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, WI, and has received a 5 star rating by the Campus Pride Index as the best school in Wisconsin for LGBTQIA+ students. Northern Arizona University LGBTQIA Commission is an organization that provides support to all students, faculty, and staff at the university. The provide outreach and education for the K-State community with the goal of promoting a better understanding and acceptance of gender diversity and identity issues. The five strategies below provide action-oriented practices that can positively impact your LGBTQ students' experience while they are in school. Through Macalester Colleges (MAC) Career Development Center, the college offers students a chance to participate, and run, its Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC). Pennsylvania State University was established in 1855 as a land-grant school known as the Farmers High School of Pennsylvania. Throughout primary school and college, students who identify as LGBTQ are more susceptible to bullying, social isolation, and even physical assault. The LBGTQ+ Center at West Virginia University connects members of the LGBTQ+ community with on campus resources and training, as well as to state and national resources. The LGBTQ+ Peer Mentor Program matches new students to returning students to facilitate the transition into university. Emme, a transgender high school student, first started struggling with her gender identity when she was around 11 or 12 years old, she says. The center, founded in 1999, supports both the academic and social needs of the community and its allies. Courses focus on all the emerging LGBT subcultures and identities from a big picture, and science and philosophy behind LGBT identities, literature, laws, and healthcare. They do this through increasing awareness, leadership development, and various other resources. University of Louisville, located in Louisville, KY, has a Health Services Center that focuses on the promotion of quality healthcare for the LGBT community and create an inclusive environment for students in health sciences. The University of Louisville School of Medicine is piloting newly released LGBT health competencies for medical schools. These institutions rank among the best in their efforts to support and provide academic, financial, and social resources for LGBTQ+ students. Campuswide events include an Ithaca Pride walking tour of historically meaningful sites in Ithaca, an important site for LGBTQ+ rights. School administrators should be aware that the U.S. Department of Education advises that transgender and gender non-conforming students are covered by Title IX, the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in schools. For the fourth year in a row, Campus Pride Index has ranked Elon is among the top 30 LGBT friendly colleges. They have gender inclusive restrooms and gender inclusive housing. The school is named after Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the United States.Though the school has a special emphasis on students questioning their gender identity or . There are many student groups dedicated to enriching the lives of students regardless of sexual orientation, or identity. The organization's projects and initiatives are concentrated in five core values: social justice, youth voice and action, empowerment, positive change, and diversity. 25 LGBTQ Friendly Colleges for 2021 Top Consensus Ranked Top 5 1 Princeton University 2 Harvey Mudd College 3 University of Pennsylvania 4 Macalester College 5 Elon University LGBT friendly colleges are critical for the safety and well-being of gay, lesbian, trans, and nonconforming young people all over the nation. Antonian College Preparatory High School, San Antonio, TX, has adopted a new policy which threatens to expel transgender students. Tufts University ranks 5 on the Campus Pride Index. California became the first state in recent years to incorporate LGBTQ history into its curriculum, while earlier this year, the superintendent of Houston Independent School District - one of the. Together with the administration, they are creating an accessible environment for individuals of varying gender identities. Students discuss ethical and legal impacts on LGBTQ individuals and their families. Enlarge this image. Indiana University, Purdue University, and Rutgers University have the next largest total populations, with comprehensive support available for LGBTQ+ students. They offer defined residential communities (DRC), which are hallways where students live with those that share similar interests, and identities. The LGBT Center at Tufts University offers a safe space for students to gather, as well as campuswide programing on sexuality, gender, and discrimination. UW-Eau Claire has a Gender & Sexuality Resource Center dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive campus for all students. They are not ranked based on how LGBT inclusive they are (which would be impossible), but ordered by their Consensus Score, with the recognition that they are all LGBT schools in their own way. Community dinner nights and Lavender Coffee chats also allow for social engagement. It is the 4th oldest higher learning institution in the country. This high school in New York City was the first high school in the world designed for LGBTQ+ students when it opened its doors in 1985.. A girls high school basketball team in Vermont is receiving national headlines after refusing to play against a team with a transgender player in their state tournament game. Find out which schools made our list for best colleges for LGBTQ+ students in each state. The center staff provides referrals for campus resources such as counseling, the Kearney S.A.F.E. Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) as a comprehensive resource providing information, education and reinforced advocacy for those exploring or identifying with a variety of gender and non-gender identities. diverse students. State laws and school district policies in many places also protect transgender students from discrimination. Guilford College's Diversity and Inclusion office provides a number of support services for members of the LGBTQ+ community. They offer all gender campus housing for those who want to live with others regardless of their gender. Tufts University is a research university that was established in 1852. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Center, part of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, serves the LGBTQ+ community through social events, lecture series, advocacy for a discrimination-free environment, and various training opportunities. "To do otherwise would not only be discriminatory but would deprive high school students of the meaningful opportunity to participate in educational activities, including inter-scholastic sports, based on sex-stereotyping and prejudice sought to be prevented by Title IX and Connecticut state law." However, the presence of a strong campus pride network is a good indication of queer acceptance and protections; if students feel safe to form an active (and activist) organization, thats a pretty good sign that the institution is at least tolerant. The University of New Mexico ranks 4 on the Campus Pride Index. 22 school districts were given "top tier" ratings, 80 . School alumni include Pulitzer Prize winners, Rhodes and Fulbright Scholars and Nobel laureates. CUs Natural History museum is recognized as one of the most comprehensive collections in the Rocky Mountain region of the country. According to BestColleges.com,Princeton University ranked first among the best colleges for LGBT for students. The Best Colleges for LGBTQ+ Students Increased visibility of LGBTQ+ students on campuses has increased the need for support networks. In 2006, Newsweek recognized Tufts as a member of the new Ivy League schools. The university offers gender inclusive restrooms and locker rooms. Lehigh has established SafeZones throughout the campus, where staff, students and faculty are trained to professionally handle gender diversity issues. The LGBTQ+ Speakers Bureau is a resource that offers interactive events for the community and allies. The University Counseling Center offers individual and group therapy options and critical care. It is considered a top research university. His work has been published in the Journal Angelique Geehan founded Interchange, a consulting group offering anti-oppression support. Tufts University offers gender inclusive housing (known as the Rainbow House) through its campus pride initiative. Vanderbilt University ranks 4 on the Campus Pride Index.