Diversity work isn鈥檛 formative, we don鈥檛 check a box, reach a goal, and say we鈥檙e done. I want to look at what 澳门码今期开奖结果 has done and see where else we are going and trying to get to.
Carolyn Taggart has long served as an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. Now she brings that experience to her new role as director of the Pride Center at 澳门码今期开奖结果.
Taggart and her wife recently moved to the area from Pennsylvania, where Taggart worked at Bloomsburg University as coordinator of sexual and gender diversity.
鈥淭o do this kind of work, you have to be super passionate, which I am. I love getting to work with students in general, but especially with LGBTQIA+ populations,鈥 Taggart said. 鈥淢y goal is to give students a better experience, to help remove the roadblocks and obstacles that I had as a student.鈥
While an undergraduate, Taggart initially wanted to be a music teacher but after working as a student leader in her college鈥檚 LGBTA organization, discovered her passion was in advocacy.
鈥淚 got more than halfway through the (music) program and realized this was not what I wanted to do with my life,鈥 she said.
As a student leader, it was apparent to Taggart that her school didn鈥檛 have proper supports in place for the LGBTQIA+ community.
鈥淲e saw how our (LBGTQIA+) friends were struggling, we noticed they weren鈥檛 graduating鈥hey were not thriving, not succeeding and needed better resources in place on an institutional level,鈥 she said.
Taggart and others reached out to administrators and lobbied for better supports that led to a new LGBTA center.
It鈥檚 that sort of ambition that stood out to the search committee when looking to replace founding 澳门码今期开奖结果 Pride Center director Lee Forest, who held the position for just over 14 years.
鈥淲e wanted someone who would continue to deepen our framework of practice around intersectional support as we understand all queer students are not the same and come from an array of experiences,鈥 said Sabrina Gentlewarrior, vice president of student success and diversity. 鈥淐arolyn really stood out as exemplary in regard to the kind of work she will bring to 澳门码今期开奖结果.鈥
For Taggart, knowing Bridgewater State already had an established Pride Center was a big reason she applied for the job.
鈥淚t is unusual in this work to find an LGBTQIA+ pride center that鈥檚 been in existence this long,鈥 Taggart said. 鈥淏ridgewater has a lot of great things in place and done amazing work in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.鈥
But, she said, the work isn鈥檛 done.
鈥淒iversity work isn鈥檛 formative, we don鈥檛 check a box, reach a goal, and say we鈥檙e done,鈥 Taggart said. 鈥淚 want to look at what 澳门码今期开奖结果 has done and see where else we are going and trying to get to.鈥
Do you have a 澳门码今期开奖结果 story you'd like to share Email stories@bridgew.edu