Campus Pride 2021 has named The University of Texas at Dallas as one of the “Best of the Best” colleges and universities in the nation for LGBTQ students for the second year in a row.
UT Dallas was one of only two universities in the southwest to make the Best of the Best list of 30 LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities. The list includes institutions with the highest scores on LGBTQ-friendly benchmarks for policies, programs and practices.
The university has earned five out of five stars on the Campus Pride Index benchmarking tool each year since 2019. In June, BestColleges, in partnership with Campus Pride, ranked UT Dallas the 19th best college in the nation for LGBTQ students.
Dr. Yvette E. Pearson, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at UT Dallas, noted, “The team in our Galerstein Gender Center is demonstrating outstanding leadership for gender and LGBTQ inclusion. We will continue to build on the foundation they’ve laid, with the aim of equipping individuals from all backgrounds, identities and roles to recognize and fulfil our shared responsibility for cultivating and sustaining a culture of equity, inclusion and belonging.”
Pearson said The Galerstein Gender Center offers a range of resources and support for the LGBTQ community, including SAFE Zone Ally training, a Campus Pride Alternative Spring Break and Lavender Graduation. UT Dallas also offers services to the LGBTQ community through the Student Counseling Center and gender-inclusive housing.
auren DeCillis, gender center director, added, “We’re proud to be part of the ‘top 30’ this year, thanks to our students, faculty and staff who own their stories and shine a light on gender equity.”
Matt Winser-Johns, assistant director of LGBTQ programs at the gender center, said the university could not have achieved the rating without a campus-wide commitment to cultivating a welcoming environment. “It truly is a team effort across the entire campus to ensure our LGBTQ community feels affirmed in everyday life here at the University,” he said.
