These Are the Nation’s Most LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges, Universities

Author: Trudy Ring

Campus Pride’s 2021 Best of the Best LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges and Universities list includes schools from Massachusetts to Oregon, from Wisconsin to Texas. And this year the organization is also highlighting community colleges and religious schools leading the way in inclusion.

“More than ever, colleges today want to be viewed as LGBTQ-friendly and a welcoming place for all students. LGBTQ students and their safety impacts the recruitment efforts of the entire campus,” Campus Pride Executive Director Shane Windmeyer said in a press release. “Upper-level administrators are now understanding how LGBTQ-friendliness is key to academic success of students and the future institutional success of the campus.”

“Seeing the representation of schools from every corner of the country and highlighting the efforts of community colleges and even religious institutions really underlines the successes Campus Pride has had over our 20 years,” added Tom Elliott, Campus Pride board chair. “The work we’ve done with student leaders, and the resources Campus Pride continues to provide them, is making the higher education experience safer and more welcoming to LGBTQ students nationwide.”

The main Best of the Best list comprises 30 four-year institutions that have achieved five out of five stars on the Campus Pride Index, a benchmarking tool that tracks LGBTQ-friendly policies, programs, and practices. Listed by region, they are:

Mid-Atlantic

University of Maryland

Montclair State University, New Jersey

Hofstra University, New York

Ithaca College, New York

Lehigh University, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State University

University of Pennsylvania

Midwest

Kansas State University

Southern Illinois University

Indiana University

Kent State University, Ohio

Kenyon College, Ohio

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

University of Wisconsin Green Bay

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

New England

Tufts University, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts

University of Vermont

Southeast

Northern Kentucky University

University of Kentucky

Elon University, North Carolina

University of Virginia

Southwest

Texas Tech University

University of Texas at Dallas

West

San Diego State University

University of Colorado at Boulder

University of Northern Colorado

Southern Oregon University

University of Oregon

Washington State University

The listings for community colleges and religious schools consist of those that have inclusive policies, programs, and practices and that scored 3.5 or higher stars in their respective categories. Listed alphabetically by state, they are:

Community Colleges

Red Rocks Community College, Colorado

Dutchess Community College, New York

SUNY Westchester Community College, New York

Pellissippi State Community College, Tennessee

San Antonio College, Texas

Salt Lake Community College, Utah

Everett Community College, Washington

North Seattle College, Washington

Religious Colleges

Loyola Marymount University, California

Emory University, Georgia

Augsburg University, Minnesota

Guilford College, North Carolina

Willamette University, Oregon

Lebanon Valley College, Pennsylvania

Southern Methodist University, Texas

Virginia Wesleyan University

Gonzaga University, Washington

Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

Find more information at CampusPride.org.

Original Article on The Advocate
Author: Trudy Ring