About

The LGBTQ+ Student Center (LGBTQ+SC; est. 2005 as the LGBT Resource Center) is one of seven identity-based centers housed under Student Equity & Inclusion Programs (SEIP) in the Division of Student Affairs. The mission of the LGBTQ+SC is to provide support, education, advocacy, and community for all undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Southern California with an emphasis on students across the spectra of gender and sexuality. In carrying out its mission, the LGBTQ+SC is committed to engaging in its pillars of support, education, advocacy, and community by programming across the multiple intersections of identities within the diverse LGBTQ+ community, collaborating with its SEIP and university partners, and fostering intentional identity development and leadership development for USC students.

Core Functions of the LGBTQ+SC

  • Provides a well-resourced, safer, and welcoming physical space for gender and sexually diverse students.
  • Enhances mental health and holistic wellness for the LGBTQ+ populations of USC through community building with specific emphasis on:
    • bisexual and pansexual students.
    • graduate and professional students
    • international students, particularly those from LGBTI hostile home countries.
    • queer and transgender students of color.
    • students in the early stages of gender/sexual identity development.
    • trans and gender non-conforming students.
  • Creates universal awareness of the existence of the LGBTQ+SC for all USC students.
  • Provides intersectional, culturally-sensitive training, professional development, and supervision of student staff and interns with an emphasis on the gender & sexuality spectra as well as intersectional racial justice.
  • Designs and implements educational opportunities for:
    • faculty & staff on cultural competency as it relates to gender & sexuality.
    • LGBTQ+ students on key social justice issues and history.
    • the campus community with virtual & passive resources.

Learning Outcomes

Support:  Students will be able to identify and access resources available for LGBTQ+ students at USC, off-campus, or online.

Education: Students/Staff/Faculty will be able to explain relevant concepts, terminology, and identities related to gender identity and sexuality; practical knowledge will be demonstrated through social interaction.

Advocacy: Students will be able to articulate cultural and social contributions of the LGBTQ+ community and identify their roles and opportunities in this ongoing contribution.

Community: Students will be able to discuss their sense of belonging at USC as it relates to diverse gender and sexual identities and its intersections with race, ethnicity, nationality, ability, religion, and more.