The month of June is Pride Month—a special celebration of the LGBTQ+ community that promotes love, learning, inclusion, and self-expression. For many individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, college is a time of exploration where students can feel safe to question and grow in their gender and sexual identities. But that doesn’t mean every college is on the same level with diversity, inclusivity, resources, student clubs, and more. So we’re shining a spotlight on some of our amazing featured colleges and universities to help you find the most supportive schools to apply to.
Elon University
Elon University is a selective independent liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina—east of Greensboro and northwest of Raleigh/Durham. At Elon, more than 6,000 undergraduates are enrolled in over 70 academic programs, including study abroad opportunities in over 100 countries. Elon ensures student comfort, safety, and affirmation through campus resources like the Gender & Sexuality Living Learning Community and Gender Inclusive Housing program, the Gender & LGBTQIA Center, study abroad safety guidance, and more.
Clubs & organizations
- The Foundation for SPEECH
- Elon Feminists for Equality Change and Transformation
- Spectrum (Queer-Straight Student Alliance)
- Students for Peace and Social Justice
Notable alumni
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Raafe Purnsley ’12 is a proud queer black activist who has made it their mission to create safe spaces for the LGBTQ community. After earning a degree in Ecological and Environmental Science from Elon, Purnsley connected kids to nature in North Carolina and supported small minority farms by promoting alternative farming practices, offering resources, and building rural farming community connections.
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private comprehensive university in Hempstead, New York—25 miles east of New York City. Home to 10,000+ students, the University offers over 160 undergraduate and 100+ dual-degree programs, including LGBTQ+ Studies, Religion & Contemporary Issues, and Women's Studies. Students are protected on campus through gender-inclusive bathrooms and housing policies, a chosen name policy, and Hofstra’s Student Counseling Services, which is a great resource to assist with the issues and complexities of coming out, exploring your identity, and dealing with relationship issues.
Clubs & organizations
- The Pride Network
- Queer and Trans People of Color Coalition
- Intercultural Engagement and Inclusion
- Hofstra Peer Alliance
Notable alumni
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Natalie Perry ’06 is an author and advocate for LGBTQ+ families, representing the state of Idaho on the Western Region Advisory Council for the organization Family Equity. She graduated from Hofstra with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology and Spanish and has backpacked Europe, taught English in Madrid, and served in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps.
Ithaca College
Ithaca College is a private comprehensive liberal arts college in Ithaca, New York—50 miles south of Syracuse. Around 4,6000 undergraduates study in more than 90 majors, including Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies as well as the Exploratory Program in which students take courses in any interest with expert guidance from mentors and applied learning experiences. The Center for LGBT Education, Outreach, & Services and Center for Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging both play active roles in the protection and support of LGBTQ+ students, holding campus-wide educational programs and events (an IC staff member even founded International Pronouns Day).
Clubs & organizations
- Active Minds
- Asexual Club
- NLGJA: Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists
- Planned Parenthood Generation Action
- Prevention Education Network
- PRISM
- Spectrum
- Gender-inclusive Quidditch team
- Spit That!
Notable alumni
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K.M. Soehnlein '87 is an American author of four novels—including The World of Normal Boys, a coming-of-age story about a queer teen in the 1970s suburbs, which won the Lamba Award for Gay Fiction in 2000. He graduated from Ithaca with a degree in Cinema Production before moving on to San Francisco State University to receive an MFA in Creative Writing.
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public comprehensive university in Rochester, Michigan—25 miles north of downtown Detroit. More than 16,000 students are enrolled in 275+ undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including Human Diversity, Inclusion & Social Justice; International Relations; and Women & Gender Studies. Between the Office of Student Involvement, the Gender & Sexuality Center, and the Center for Multicultural Initiatives, students have supportive resources on campus in all spaces, including the QTPOC @ OU monthly discussion and social group which opens dialogues about the intersecting impacts of racism, heterosexism/homophobia/queerphobia, and cissexism/transphobia/sexism.
Clubs & organizations
- Gender and Sexuality Alliance
- Out for Business
- RAINBOW
- Young Democratic Socialists of Oakland University
Notable alumni
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Blake Bonkowski ’14 is the coordinator of the Gender & Sexuality Center at OU where he focuses on training campus representatives to meet the needs of transgender and nonbinary youth—work he began as a student on campus. Bonkowski earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with minors in Communications and Women & Gender Studies before going on to Eastern Michigan University, where he completed a Master of Arts in College Counseling and graduate assistantship in the LGBT Resource Center. He also co-hosts and co-produces the podcast Half In Half Out, which tells the stories of LGBTQ+ folks in the history of gymnastics.
Pace University
Pace University is a private comprehensive university with a main campus in the heart of New York City and a Westchester campus located in Pleasantville-Briarcliff, New York—about 30 miles apart. With more than 90+ majors and degree programs, Pace offers fields focused on the support and protection of the LGBTQ+ community such as Peace and Justice Studies, Queer Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies. The LGBTQA+ Center offers a variety of leadership positions for Pace students including the Queer Leader program, student employment, internships, and volunteer opportunities.
Clubs & organizations
- Active Minds (NYC)
- Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (NYC)
- Her Campus at Pace (NYC)
- The Center for Wellbeing
- The Center for Community Action & Research (Westchester)
- One Pace (Westchester)
- Pride at Pace (Westchester)
Notable alumni
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Yuhua Hamasaki (aka Yuhua Ou) is a Chinese-born American drag queen, singer, and actor who is known for their appearance on season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Ou received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Pace and has been previously recognized by various organizations as Miss Asia NYC, Miss Gay South Pacific, Miss Fire Island, Miss Stonewall, and Miss Long Island Entertainer of the Year.
Connect me with Pace NYC! Connect me with Pace Westchester!
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick
Rutgers–New Brunswick is a coeducational public research university in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rutgers is one of the nine original colonial colleges, making it the either-oldest higher education institution in the country. Over 36,000 undergraduates are enrolled in over 125 undergraduate programs across five campuses—including Women & Gender Studies and Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies—and benefit from a 16:1 student-faculty ratio. The University also offers support through the Center for Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities.
Clubs & organizations
- Jewish Allies and Queers
- LLEGO
- oSTEM at Rutgers
- Out in Tech @ Rutgers
- Q&A: Queer and Asian
- Queer and Christian
- Queer Caucus
- Queer Student Alliance
- Transmissions
- Ultra Violet
Notable alumni
- Kyle Hartmann ’13 is the Public Relations Specialist for the Rutgers Equine Science Center, having joined the University’s faculty after graduating with a degree in Women & Gender Studies and minors in Critical Sexuality Studies and Political Science. He was also the senior office manager for the Center for Social Justice Education & LGBT Communities during his time as an undergrad, and has since worked to reestablish the Rutgers LGBTQIA+ Alumni Group.
Connect me with Rutgers–New Brunswick!
University at Albany
The University at Albany is a public comprehensive research institution in Albany, New York. More than 7,400 students are enrolled in 50+ undergraduate majors and 150+ graduate programs that prepare them to succeed in many fields, including Public Policy & Management, Social Welfare, and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Study. The University offers extensive resources on campus that help students thrive, including the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center and Services team, LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, Campus Pride Career Connect, and more.
Clubs & organizations
- Minorities and Philosophy, UAlbany Chapter
- Sexuality Intersectionality Gender Hangout (SIGH)
- Pride Alliance
- NASPA Undergraduate Fellows
Notable alumni
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Harvey Milk ’51 was an American politician and gay rights activist who became one of the first openly gay men elected to public office in 1977. He graduated from UAlbany (then the New York State College for Teachers) with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics before going on to serve in the US Navy during the Korean War. After only a year in office, Milk and then San Francisco mayor George Moscone were assassinated in 1978 by a conservative former city supervisor.
University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a comprehensive public research university in Boulder, Colorado—27 miles northwest of Denver. CU Boulder offers 150 fields of study, more than 4,000 academic courses to explore, and eleven institutional scholarships specifically for high-achieving LGBTQ+ students. The Center for Inclusion and Social Change and the Pride Office are the cornerstones of LGBTQ+ social life and support on campus, offering educational resources for students, training for staff members, empowering peer partnerships like the Name Change Program, and other important resources.
Clubs & organizations
- Gender & Sexuality Alliance
- oSTEM
- Her Campus at CU Boulder
Notable alumni
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Tim Gill ’76 is a computer software programmer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and LGBTQ+ rights activist. He’s the founder and chief technology officer of Quark Inc. and the creator of the Gill Foundation, which supports LGBTQ+ educational and social justice organizations. Beyond receiving a BS in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, CU Boulder allowed Gill to pursue activism as early as freshman year through gay liberation groups and HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns.
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public comprehensive university in Louisville, Kentucky. UofL enrolls more than 23,000 students in 50 undergraduate fields of study; is one of 79 universities to earn Carnegie Foundation recognition for being both a Research 1 and a Community Engaged university; and ranks among the nation's best institutions for African American and LGBTQ+ students. The LGBT Center at UofL strives to affirm LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty through resources rooted in social justice, antiracism, and intersectionality like Cardinal OUTlook Day, Lavender Graduation, gender-inclusive bathroom policies, scholarship opportunities, and more.
Clubs & organizations
- Cards for Reproductive Freedom
- Cards LEAD
- Fellowship for Christian Queers
- HSC Pride
- RNbow Pride Nursing Student Organization
- Sexuality & Gender Alliance
- Shades
- Speed Spectrum
- The Body Project
- Women 4 Women Student Board
Notable alumni
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Aaron Weathers ’13 is the Assistant Director for the LGBT Center at the UofL Health Sciences Campus. Weathers earned a UofL degree in Pan-African Studies with a concentration in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies before going on to pursue a master’s degree in Communication from California State University Fresno. During their time as an undergrad, Weathers was an active member of the LGBT Center during its early days as well as the co-founder of the student organization Blkout, earning them the Katy Garrison LGBT Student Leadership Award.
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh is a public comprehensive research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—with additional campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, and Johnstown. At UPitt, 19,000+ undergraduates have access to 100+ majors, minors, and certificates—including Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies; Law, Criminal Justice, and Society; LGBT and Critical Sexuality Studies (minor). The Division of Student Affairs and the Coordinator of LGBTQ Inclusion & Belonging work together to offer student programs like Lavender Graduation, Queer Panther, Pop Ups, Queer Panther College Connections, and allyship and queer competency trainings.
Clubs & organizations
- Addverse
- Alliance of Queer Underrepresented Asians in Recognition of Intersectionality to Uphold Solidarity (AQUARIUS)
- oSTEM
- OUTLaw
- Pages of Lavendar Book Club
- PRISM at Pitt
- Queer Action at Pitt
- Queer Pharmacy Alliance
- Rainbow Alliance
- UPB Pride Alliance
Notable alumni
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Justin Andrew Honard ’07 is a drag queen and singer known by the stage name Alaska, who was the runner-up on the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and the winner of the second Drag Race All Stars season. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater at UPitt and wrote a memoir called My Name's Yours, What's Alaska? that was released in 2021.
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont is a public comprehensive university in Burlington, Vermont—90 miles south of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Students can choose from 100+ bachelor’s programs, including Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, and more than 500 study abroad opportunities in 70 countries. The UVM Prism Center ensures students of all identities thrive through initiatives like gender-inclusive housing and bathrooms, student safety emergency funds, the Identity Affirming Closet, and more.
Clubs & organizations
- Active Minds
- Chicks on Sticks Vermont
- oStem
- Queer Student Union
- UVM Progressives
Notable alumni
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Elliot J Kennedy ’08 is the Director of the Office of Policy Analysis and Development for the US Department of Health and Human Services. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from UVM, Kennedy went on to receive a JD from the University of Washington and the American University Washington College of Law. Since then, he has dedicated his career to advancing the rights and improving the well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals through law and policy.
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university in Pullman, Washington—75 miles south of Spokane. WSU offers students from every state and over 118 countries more than 200 fields of study to choose from, such as Public Affairs or Women’s, Sexuality, and Gender Studies. Washington State also offers support through the Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation Resource Center, including signature initiatives Q*Hort (a one-day program for incoming students), Lavender Graduation (an annual LGBTQ+ and allies celebration), and the UndocuQueer Conference.
Clubs & organizations
- Coalition for Women Students
- FemScouts
- Social Justice Peer Education
- Women*s Center
Notable alumni
- Heidi Schnebly '04 is the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies Students and Study Abroad Coordinator at Saint Martin's University and a Pacific Northwest LGBTQ+ activist. She earned her bachelor’s in Communicative Disorders from California State University and her MA in Human Development and PhD in Higher Education Administration from Washington State University. After graduating from WSU, she worked there for over 14 years in various roles, including as Director for the Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation Resource Center.
Happy Pride! Discover more diverse and inclusive colleges that will embrace you as you are on our featured Diversity School Profiles page.
