Two North Carolina universities – Elon University and Guilford College – made Campus Pride’s 2023 BEST OF THE BEST LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges and Universities list, according to a press release sent by the organization.
From the Campus Pride website: “For the last seventeen years, Campus Pride has been the most trusted, reliable educational resource for students and families who want to find the best campuses for LGBTQ inclusion and safety. The organization works alongside students, faculty, staff and administrators at 1400+ campuses annually to help support and improve the quality of campus life for LGBTQ people.”
The Campus Pride index is used to quantify and organize what college campuses across the county have resources for LGBTQ+ students, whether that includes residential communities, affirming campus health services and more.
Elon University scored a five out of five stars in the index and is among one of the most accepting universities in the country for LGBTQ+ students, according to Campus Pride’s data. Elon received almost perfect scores in every category, which includes:
- LGBTQ Policy Inclusion 4.5 of 5
- LGBTQ Support & Institutional Commitment 5 of 5
- LGBTQ Academic Life 4.5 of 5
- LGBTQ Student Life 5 of 5
- LGBTQ Housing & Residence Life 4.5 of 5
- LGBTQ Campus Safety 5 of 5
- LGBTQ Counseling & Health 4.5 of 5
- LGBTQ Recruitment & Retention Efforts 4.5 of 5
Guilford College in Greensboro also received a five star rating from Campus Pride, which confirms the college boasts the The Bayard Rustin Center for LGBTQIA Activism, Education and Reconciliation, which is “a space dedicated to affirming the lives, histories and experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Allied students, faculty and staff at Guilford and beyond.”
Additionally, the college employs a LGBTQIA Coordinator who provides resources for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, and allied students through the Bayard Rustin Center for LGBTQIA Activism, Education, and Reconciliation and Guilford PRIDE.
Executive Director of Campus Pride Shane Windmeyer said having a resource where LGBTQ+ students can see where they’re welcomed and encouraged is crucial in today’s political climate.
“LGBTQ youth and families want to know what campuses are doing when it comes to inclusive policies, programs and practices. The ‘Best of the Best’ highlights the Top 30 this year across various regions throughout the country,” he explains. “Campus Pride applauds the growing number of campuses that are ‘coming out’ and wanting to be the ‘Best of the Best’ each year.”