The Gender & LGBTQIA Center supports many different areas and students at Elon. Below is the mission statment, values, and student learning outcomes for the department.

Mission Statement

In support of the mission of Elon University, the Gender & LGBTQIA Center partners across campus and community to support, advocate, and educate around gender and LGBTQIA identities to create an inclusive campus community of equity, justice, and academic excellence for students, employees, and alumni. Our efforts and activities to support and provide education for the following identities and topics:

  • LGBTQIA students, faculty & staff
  • Survivors of gender-based violence
  • LGBTQIA identities, topics, and allyship
  • Gender-based violence prevention education, including healthy relationships, bystander intervention, healthy masculinities, and LGBTQ-inclusive sex education

Values

As a result of interacting with GLC resources and program, our hope is that students will feel:

Validated, Valued, & Victorious: The 3 V’s of the GLC

  • Validated in their identities, experiences, & contributions
  • Valued for their whole selves, including their growth, healing, & abilities
  • Victorious in their academic and social life at Elon and beyond

By accomplishing our mission, vision, and core pillars, students can participate in the full array of academic, co-curricular, and leadership experiences offered at Elon University.

Note:  “LGBTQIA” stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual identities. GLC events are open to all!

Department Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will use defined feedback methods (e.g., surveys, social media) to communicate LGBTQIA student needs to the Gender and LGBTQIA Center.
  2. After engaging in educational programs about sexual assault, relationship abuse and stalking response and prevention, at least 60% of student participants will feel confident in describing resources provided through Confidential Support & Advocacy Services.
  3. Survivors of sexual assault, relationship abuse, and stalking accessing Confidential Support & Advocacy Services will have a retention rate exceeding the 61% national average
  4. At least 80% of GLC student staff will articulate how the skills cultivated and utilized in their role apply to their post-graduate goals.
  5. At least 70% of participants in GLC events will either be connected to another student, identify 2 resources, or 2 facts about LGBTQIA history

LGBTQIA Student Support

At Elon, we strive to make our students, faculty, staff, and alumni feel they belong on campus, no matter their specific gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation or romantic orientation. We want students to feel from the moment they get here, that they can be fully successful from their very 1st day as an Elon student through their final day at Elon Commencement.

Confidential Support for Survivors of Gender-based Violence

The Gender & LGBTQIA Center houses confidential violence response, including 24-hour coverage of Safeline. If you have experienced sexual violence, relationship violence, or stalking, there are resources available to you, whether it occurred during your time as a student, staff, or faculty member or before coming to Elon. To be directed to a confidential advocate to discuss options for support, please click here to schedule a meeting or call our 24/7 Safeline at 336-278-3333.

LGBTQIA Education

The Gender & LGBTQIA center holds various different trainings across campus with topics including the latest identity terminology, LGBTQIA history, homophobia, heterosexism, ally tips, real-life scenarios, and current events.

Gender-based Violence Prevention Education

Contributing to a campus culture that does not tolerate and actively prevents violence is the responsibility of us all! The Gender & LGBTQIA Center collaborates closely with campus and community partners to create messaging and programming towards the prevention of gender-based violence, including sexual and relationship violence, gender-based bias and harassment, and stalking.