EAST LANSING – For more than a decade U.S. universities have been organizing LGBT alumni associations. Now, Michigan State University will become the eighth of the Big Ten universities to have such an organization.
"An organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender alumni of Michigan State University is now a reality," said Brian Cullin, an MSU alumnus and president of the association.
The newly formed organization for LGBT alumni of MSU will host a reception from 4-7 p.m. following the Sept. 30 homecoming football game.
"It will connect gay and lesbian alumni in a much stronger way than we have historically," Cullin said about the association. "It will provide a vehicle for GLBT alumni to have input in issues that might affect or interest them at the university."
The new organization is the outcome of a year-long planning process by a steering committee of 11 MSU LGBT alumni who met monthly to consider the right time for MSU LGBT alumni to create their own organization.
"We thought it would be beneficial to the university and to gay and lesbian alumni, faculty, staff and students," Cullin said.
Ultimately, the steering committee recommended the creation of an organization to meet the needs of MSU LGBT alumni and to affiliate the organization with the MSU Alumni Association.
The organization's goals for the next year include recruiting a diverse board to serve the broad community of MSU LGBT alumni, publicizing the organization to potential members and planning events of interest to them. Cullin, a lifetime member of the MSU Alumni Association, said he was excited about the prospect of working collaboratively with the MSU Alumni Association to connect with and energize MSU LGBT alumni.
"There's still much to be done, but also great enthusiasm on the part of the entire board," Cullin said. "I'm very excited about the future of GLBT Alumni of Michigan State University, both in terms of the benefits such an organization can have for our alumni community and for the university."
The reception will take place at the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development at 3535 Forest Road. All MSU LGBT alumni, along with their family and friends, are welcome.
For more information send an e-mail to [email protected] or visit http://www.msu.edu/~glbtalum.
Committee organizes LGBT alumni association at MSU
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