LGBT Center Announces New Ambassadors for 2014-2015

The LGBT Center is proud to announce members of the 2014-2015 Ambassador Program. This group of seven students will spend the next academic year learning and developing leadership skills, while working in the Center to create a safe and welcoming space to those who need it most.

Ambassadors will assist the LGBT Center in fulfilling its mission, to strengthen and sustain an inclusive campus community at the University of Louisville, one that welcomes people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions through support, educational resources and advocacy. Working as a member of a strong team, ambassadors will develop and design outreach projects, advise the center on important issues and concerns, and connect the office to other programs and efforts on campus related to social justice and equity.

"The Ambassador program is important to me because just a year ago it was me walking into the Intersection for the first time, shy and uninvolved, and the ambassadors then talked to me and encouraged me. I want to be that person for the freshman coming in this year" said, Chris Jackson, Sophomore, Biology.

The new ambassadors met recently for an overnight retreat to practice new skills and learn more about team building, strengths, history of the LGBT Center, Principles of Nonviolence, conflict resolution and the importance of supporting students who visit the Intersection.

Through the Ambassador Program, Celes Smith, Senior, Social Work, hopes to “build on my communication and problem solving skills, further my understanding of the principles of nonviolence, make mistakes and learn from them, while making friends and connections. I also look forward to launching a group for LGBTQ students of color as part of my outreach project”.

We are also happy to announce the new positon of Senior Ambassador. These students are ambassador program graduates who now serve on the leadership team, assist the program advisor and provide coaching for new team members.

The Ambassador Program is made possible thanks in part to the generous support from the Feast on Equality.

Please join us in welcoming the 2014-2015 LGBT Center Ambassador Team:

• Brigid Connelly
• Megan Gray
• Chris Jackson
• DeVictor McElroy
• George Scott, III
• D’Erek Sloan
• Celes Smith

And a big welcome back to our Senior Ambassadors:

• Tania Avalos
• Ben Vivona