The University of California San Diego has been named the 9th best public university in the nation for LGBTQ students, according to a new 2017 report by College Choice.
The independent online publication that helps students select a school recently released its list of the “50 Best Colleges for LGBTQ Students.”
“We are proud to be named among the top LGBTQ-friendly universities in the nation,” said Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Becky Petitt. “At UC San Diego, we are dedicated to building community and offering meaningful opportunities for students of all backgrounds to connect, learn and grow.”
College Choice criteria for the rankings included campuses with strong diversity and inclusion, resources and services for LGBTQ students, as well as incorporating schools that placed LGBTQ perspectives into curriculums. Other considerations included academic reputation, student retention rates, affordability and average annual salary of graduates.
UC San Diego’s LGBT Resource Center includes programs that drive LGBTQ support across the campus. The university has student organizations like the Black Queer Collective and Aces Group, as well as university-wide academic organizations like oSTEM, which serves the out LGBTQ student population in science, technology, engineering and math. The campus also features an Out and Proud Week and a one-day orientation for LGBTQ students called Q Camp.
“Students, faculty and staff can find a multitude of ways to explore identity, critically engage in scholarship surrounding gender and sexuality and become part of an active LGBTQIA+ community,” said Shaun Travers, a campus diversity officer and director of the UC San Diego LGBT Resource Center.
“For people who identify with the LGBT community, even those who consider themselves allies, the LGBT Resource Center and other related student organizations on campus are so incredibly impactful,” said Kayla Ortiz, a sophomore at UC San Diego who has been out for several years. “They create more visibility, promote acceptance and can literally change people’s lives.”
–Staff
