The University kicked off Rainbow Days, a week dedicated to celebrating the LBGT community at BGSU.
One of the events this week is Lavender Graduation, which was hosted in the union 201B on Wednesday.
The event is hosted by the University’s LGBT Resource Center. It’s for graduating students who identify as LGBT and their allies. The graduation ceremony is a national event, and has been at BGSU for eight years.
Tobias Spears, Assistant Director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, said the event is to recognize students that have made it through the hard road of college.
“It’s hard to be successful and identify as LGBT,” he said. “There are several phobias that can make it hard for LGBT students.”
While at the event students receive certificates and a rainbow colored tassel. Graduating senior Halley Roberts said the event is apart of making students feel welcome.
“Lavender graduation shows how much the community cares about my personal and academic accomplishments,” Roberts said.
She also said that having a rainbow tassel also made the event that much cooler.
Dr. Stewart was the keynote speaker of the event. Some of the graduates said some of her words really stuck with them.
“This event celebrates not only graduating,” Dr. Stewart said. “But graduating while living an authentic life.”
Justin Beauchamp is a graduate student who is graduating with his Masters in college student personnel. He said the event is a great way to make the LGBT community more visible on campus.
“The event is very empowering,” Beauchamp said. “It’s a great way to recognize the positivity being done in the LGBT community.”
Lavender graduation is a combination of efforts by the LBGT Resource Center and LGBT student organizations on campus. The event happens once every spring. Beauchamp said it’s a great way to celebrate the accomplishments of all students.
“I think the event is very warm and inviting,” he said. “I really hope that one day the event can outgrow this space.”
By outgrowing the small room in the union, it would be reaching new heights for the on campus groups. Spears said that as students become more comfortable to identify on campus the event, and LGBT community will grow.
