Next Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, you're invited to join Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer and Campus Pride's Queer Research Institute for Higher Education scholar and 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People co-author Sue Rankin, associate professor in education policy studies/college student affairs at The Pennsylvania State University, for a special webinar exploring critical issues for LGBT student safety and inclusion on college campuses.

From PaperClip Communications: "This fall, Elmhurst College (IL) became the first college in the nation to ask applicants about sexual orientation. Other colleges are considering this move as well as other ways that they can create a more welcoming environment for their LGBT population on campus. While there have been strides in understanding concerns relevant to the LGBT population, it is essential that academia address the emerging issues and concerns impacting LGBT people within institutions of higher education. The Campus Pride "2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People" revealed an alarming degree of harassment and discrimination toward LGBT people."

Learn more about the webinar and sign up...

This weekend, Campus Pride Founder and Executive Director Shane Windmeyer was thrilled to be honored by his alma mater, Indiana University.

On Sunday, the Indiana University Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Alumni Association presented its inaugural GLBTAA Distinguished Alumni Award to Shane, an alumnus of the university's School of Education. Windmeyer attended IU Bloomington and received a master's degree in College Student Personnel Administration from the School of Education in 1997.

Some reflections from Shane: "IU -- the people, the traditions and the community -- have greatly influenced the work and accomplishments of Campus Pride. It often starts with one person 'believing in' who you are -- and then you are able to achieve success. I was lucky in that many mentors at IU stood along side me and helped me pursue my passion and believed in me. As a newly out student at IU I was able to find myself and begin my journey to what I am doing with Campus Pride today. This award is a very special honor. I am humbled by being the inaugural LGBT recipient of the award in its first year."

Many thanks to IU for their honor and for helping to spread the word about the important work of Campus Pride!

Read more about Indiana University and its award to Shane at Bloomington's Herald Times...

Shane L. Windmeyer, the Founder and Executive Director of Campus Pride, will now be a national blogger for the Huffington Post Gay Voices. The new section of the site was launched this past year and is dedicated to the diverse voices of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

"Campus Pride believes in the role media plays in shaping the lives of young people. Our mission is to give 'voice' and 'action' to LGBT and ally young adults. My hope is that my blog posts with the Huffington Post will help to do this by highlighting issues impacting our LGBT youth communities," Windmeyer said. "I want our movement to commit to LGBT youth and see the valuable work that Campus Pride does for future leaders."

The Huffington Post was founded by Arianna Huffington in May 2005, and launched a few days later on May 9. The Huffington Post has an active community, with over one million comments made on the site each month.

Comer brings knowledge of activism, new media to enhance
Campus Pride’s future growth

Contacts:
Shane Windmeyer, shane@campuspride.org, 704-277-6710, ext. 1
Matt Comer, matt@campuspride.org, 704-277-6710, ext. 6

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Campus Pride, a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students, is pleased to welcome Matt Comer, a skilled grassroots activist and communications strategist, onto its staff as Campus Pride’s new communications and programs manager. Comer begins work with the organization today.

“I’m looking forward to the new opportunities Campus Pride will provide me to continue serving the LGBT community across the nation,” said Comer. “Campus Pride’s unique mission and vision is essential for ensuring safe learning environments for LGBT students. I’m excited to be a part of an organization that is working to support and build LGBT and ally student leaders – young adults who will and are already becoming some of our community’s and nation’s strongest and brightest future leaders.”

A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Comer has been active as a grassroots activist, outspoken advocate and journalist in North Carolina’s progressive and LGBT communities. He attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, participated in several local and national LGBT grassroots advocacy projects and built a strong local and statewide following as a blogger and civic journalist before taking a position as editor of QNotes, the Charlotte-based LGBT North Carolina newspaper, in October 2007. Last year, he enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he is completing his studies in American history and politics.

As Campus Pride’s new communications and programs manager, Comer will be responsible for overseeing the organization’s communications strategies and outreach and will aid the organization’s continued programs and fundraising development.

“Matt is the right person at the right time for our organization,” said Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride’s co-founder and executive director. “I don't think we could have found a better fit. He brings a young adult perspective on LGBT issues and significant media expertise to help us continue our growth and success on college campuses. Campus Pride looks forward to having Matt on board in this new position.”

Comer begins work in earnest this week, accompanying Campus Pride to Baltimore, Md., for “The National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change,” the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force’s 24th annual gathering of thousands of LGBT and straight ally social justice activists and organizers. He will blog from the conference and highlight the stories of young adult leaders from across the nation. You can follow Campus Pride’s blog at the organization’s website, campuspride.org.

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BELIEVE IN -- CAMPUS PRIDE

Campus Pride is the leading national nonprofit organization 501(c)(3) for student leaders and campus organizations working to create safer, more LGBT-friendly colleges and universities. It exists to give "voice and action" in building future LGBT and ally leaders.

Legalize Gay: The Civil Rights Movement of a Generation

Part of Proceeds benefit Camp Pride for LGBT Youth Activism; Schedule Your Screening of "Legalize Gay"

November 29, 2011 -- Campus Pride is offering a special opportunity to preview an incredibly inspiring film that captures the courage and conviction of a new generation of activists determined to close the deal on full equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

Director Christopher Hines has just completed a new film “Legalize Gay - The Civil Rights Movement of a Generation,” set to premiere on Logo later next year. However, Hines has joined with Campus Pride for exclusive advanced screenings, accompanied by an educational guide designed by Campus Pride to encourage more activism in the campaign for LGBT equality.

“Campus Pride is already doing so much in the struggle for LGBT equality at universities and colleges across the country. I hope “Legalize Gay” can help in that effort,” Hines said. “The young people in the film are so inspiring.”

Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer said “Legalize Gay” is “not only though-provoking and inspirational, but very entertaining.”

“We are very fortunate to have this opportunity to preview the film,” Windmeyer said. “It will definitely promote a lot of discussion on campus.”

Also featured in the film is “Camp Pride,” an annual event sponsored by Campus Pride, aimed at giving a new generation of LGBT activists the skills and support they need to flourish at their universities and colleges.

“It was so much fun and impressive to film such a diverse group of young people working together for a common cause - equality,” Hines said. “I hope we can get hundreds of students attending Camp Pride every year.”

Shane Windmeyer, LGBT activist and co-founder of Campus Pride, came on the show to discuss a variety of LGBT issues that impact students on college and university campuses.

Topics for the show included: ROTC on campus as it relates to DADT, Lady Gaga and university administrators, roommate matching and campus housing, the It Gets Better project, NC State and free speech, and some of Campus Pride’s initiatives. Overall, it was an info-packed episode of Student Affairs Live!

Go to http://higheredlive.com/tag/campus-pride/

EXCERPT -- Read the entire AP Story online at http://news.yahoo.com/most-us-colleges-not-asking-sexual-orientation-084...

By TAMMY WEBBER - Associated Press

ELMHURST, Illinois (AP) — Gary Rold didn't necessarily consider himself a pioneer when he decided that Elmhurst College would begin asking applicants about their sexual orientation.

"I thought from the recruitment standpoint we might be more proactive" in attracting gay and lesbian students, said Rold, admissions dean at the small, private liberal arts school tucked in a middle-class Chicago suburb. He also wanted to make sure the students got any help they needed. "I realized that many of them come to college feeling really isolated and alienated."

Rold's decision touched off a flurry of publicity after advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students lauded Elmhurst as the first in the nation to ask applicants about sexual orientation — an idea that has gotten little traction elsewhere. Now the question is, will other colleges follow suit?

Advocates say that besides being a recruiting tool to help diversify campuses, openly assessing a school's LGBT population would make colleges more aware of needs such as finding tolerant roommates and providing appropriate health care. And it would send a positive message to prospective students who may have faced discrimination in high school.

But officials at other colleges, especially those that are large and well-known, say they don't need to ask because they already have reputations for being diverse and inclusive, and a student's sexual orientation would have no bearing on admission. Others wonder if some schools worry about the controversy such a question might generate.

Nevertheless, the idea of asking about sexual orientation is not likely to go away.

BestCollegesOnline released this week their "11 Important Leaders in LGBT Edcuation." These are professional leaders in academia who have indelibly left their mark on LGBT issues in higher education and society. Among the list at #9 was Campus Pride Founder and Executive Director Shane L. Windmeyer.

The BestCollegesOnline description about Windmeyer's accomplishments states:

"Campus Pride nurtures LGBTQIA organizations and student leaders alike in the interest of making college a safe experience for oft-marginalized sexual orientation and/or gender identity minorities. The brainchild of activist, author and speaker Shane L. Windmeyer, it currently exists as the only national group devoted to such networking and resource-providing causes. His books, such as The Advocate Guide for LGBT Students, and editing ventures (Brotherhood: Gay Life in College Fraternities, Inspiration for LGBT Students & Allies and more) all focus on providing solace and strength for LGBTQIA college kids. His own experiences grappling with small-town Kansas and campus homophobia inspired him to make sure later generations never suffer as he once did."

Read the entire list online at http://www.bestonlinecolleges.com/blog/2011/11-important-leaders-in-lgbt...

Organization to Kickoff National BORN THIS GAY Contest with $10,000 in Free speakers, LGBT Event Registrations and other Prizes to commemorate the 10 Year Anniversary all year long

Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit working to build future lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) leaders and develop safer, more LGBT-friendly colleges and universities, celebrates its 10thanniversary this month. The group is highlighting its decade-long record of achievements and accomplishments and giving back, kicking off their national BORN THIS GAY Campus Tour and a contest including more than$10,000 in prizes.

For 10 years, Campus Pride’s primary objective has been to develop necessary resources, programs and services to support LGBT and ally students on college campuses across the United States. Founded in the Fall of 2001 and launched a year later in October 2002, Campus Pride started as an online community and resource clearinghouse under the name Campus PrideNet. The original founding partners were M. Chad Wilson, Sarah E. Holmes & Shane L. Windmeyer. In 2006, the organization broadened its outreach efforts and restructured as the current educational non-profit organization Campus Pride. As part of the restructuring process, the Lambda 10 Project for LGBT Fraternity & Sorority Issues (www.lambda10.org (http://www.lambda10.org/)) became an educational initiative of Campus Pride.

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