Published on May 21, 2019
The fourth annual Lavender Graduation was held on May 9 to recognize seniors who exemplify the values of Eastern Connecticut State University and support the campus’s LGBTQ+ community. Emma Costa, Shannon Carroll, Rebecca Cyr, Angelique Greenberg, Priscilla Leon, Rebecca Loh, Paige Matheson, Bria Nicole Prentice and Zac Troiano were all recognized. In addition, Cyr received the LGBTQ+ Campus Community Award, while Prentice received the Academic Excellence Award.
Julia Golden-Battle, assistant dean of student affairs at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, was the keynote speaker. Golden-Battle was the first queer person of color to create a national Trans and Queer Person of Color safe training program.
Eastern’s Pride Center — expanded in 2016 — continues to provide leadership in advancing awareness sand support of LGBTQ+ issues on campus. In addition to seeing an increase in Pride Center visitors, the center sponsored a range of programs this past year, including participation in National Coming Out Day, International Pronouns Day, and the Transgender Day of Remembrance. Events specific to Eastern included a World Aids Day lecture, a Transgender Day of Visibility panel discussion attended by CSCU President Mark Ojakian, and Rainbow Connections, an open mike night that takes place three times each semester.
The Lavender Graduation was instituted by Ronni Sanlo in 1995 and is now celebrated by more than 100 colleges and universities across the country.
