Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered students on Kent Campus have a new resource at their hands.

Students, staff, faculty, administrators and even activists outside the Kent State Community joined together at the Student Center Thursday to celebrate the opening of the LGBTQ Student Center.

Although the center is a room the size of an ordinary bedroom buried inside the office of the Center for Student Involvement, officials mark the opening as a milestone for diversity at Kent State University.

Also at the reception was the presentation of the First Annual Diversity Trailblazer Award to Dolores Noll, former Kent State English professor. Noll is the first Kent State faculty member to teach an LGBT course and one of the founding advisors of the Kent Gay Liberation Front–now called PRIDE! Kent.

Some of the key speakers at the reception  included:

• Associate Professor of Justice Studies Molly Merryman, Ph.D., who is also the Co-Coordinator of the LGBT Studies minor the LGBTQ Student Center.
• Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Timothy Moerland, Ph.D.
• Editor of Fusion Magazine, Adam Griffith, senior visual journalism major and LGBT studies minor.
• Abigail Rose McGenty, senior psychology major and LGBT studies minor.
• President Lester A. Lefton, Ph.D.
• Executive Director of Equality Ohio Sue Doerfer
• Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alfreda Brown.
• Northeast Ohio representative for Senator Sherrod Brown, Max S. Blachman.
• Dolores Noll, Ph.D., recipient of the first Diversity Trailblazer Award.

– Filming, photos and editing of video pieces courtesy of Christopher Clevenger and Simon Husted