Campus Pride has released its 2020 Best of the Best LGBTQ-Friendly listing of universities and colleges and for the first time in school history, Kent State University has landed on the distinctive list as one of 40 colleges recognized over six U.S. regions and the only Mid-American Conference school to receive this honor.
For nearly 20 years, Campus Pride has supported colleges and universities to improve campus life for LGBTQ students. The 2020 Best of the Best College and University listing is based on information provided on an annual basis through the Campus Pride Index, relating to policies, programs and practice.
Kent State’s status has been a work in progress by way of a self-evaluation process each year, according to Ken Ditlevson, director of Kent State’s LGBTQ+ Center that contributed to the national recognition.
“Accomplishments such as incorporating trans-inclusive health care for faculty and staff, a preferred name policy, and integrating universal restrooms are what put us over the top,” said Ditlevson. “The fact that Kent State is in the top 40 is a major accomplishment and something I am really proud of.”
Ditlevson, who started in his position in 2016, has used Campus Pride as a benchmark and roadmap to where he wanted to see the university go with its LGBTQ inclusion.
“Kent State scored 3.5 on the scale of 5 when I first came in, so we used the Campus Pride index to reflect on what we were doing well, and what areas we should be striving to improve in,” he said. “It has been really helpful in identifying what we should take on next, not just to improve our score, but to improve the environment at Kent State to be more responsive to students and our community.”
Kent State currently has a perfect overall score of 5 on the Campus Pride Index.
LGBTQ+ Center Intern, Kayla Cagwin, believes it’s a source of great pride that Kent State is so accommodating to students on campus. “It means so much to me personally as a queer student to know that Kent State supports diverse populations,” she said. “I am honored that I get to be a part of a team that does so much to make Kent State a safe and inclusive space for everyone in our campus community.”
That outreach extends beyond the campus and includes potential students who visit each year.
“It’s really cool when we have families and parents who come in for a tour because they see our score,” said Ditlevson. “So, people see that and then they come to Kent State and get the tour and it’s like a no-brainer and they love everything about the campus.”
As Kent State looks to the future and maintaining the mark, Ditlevson is quick to point out that Kent State’s progress is a real community effort.
“It’s not just our center, we have a council that includes representatives from all over the university, including regional reps and folks who sit around the table,” said Ditlevson. “It’s a real conversation amongst the group so we can come to a consensus about how we are meeting this expectation.”
Learn more about Kent State’s LGBTQ community. To view a list of Campus Pride's 2020 Best of the Best LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges and Universities, visit www.campuspride.org/2020BestoftheBest.