There are a variety of education options for Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students in pursuit of a college or university degree. Those who want the experience of a college or university campus might take note that more college and university campuses these days are considered more LGBT friendly and inclusive. The non-profit Campus Pride has released its annual “Campus Climate” index, which shows that 19 of more than 230 institutions received the group's highest ranking.
That's more than have achieved top ratings in the past, according to Campus Pride. The group works in part to establish a safer college environment for LGBT students. For the Campus Climate index, Campus Pride looks at areas such as academics, housing, counseling, safety and recruitment and retention efforts.
University of Southern California, one of the 19 institutions to earn the five-star ranking, is for instance home to several LGBT-oriented student organizations. A Lambda Alumni Association there provides scholarships and awards to students who conduct LGBT-related research and participate in campus activities. University of Southern California makes available lists of LGBT faculty and students, and provides a special commencement ceremony honoring LGBT students, Lambda Alumni scholarship recipients and Allies A peer mentoring program at the University of Southern California help students come to terms with family and school-related issues, as well as with their gender-sexual identities and “coming out.”
College and university presidents also are becoming more active in LGBT-related issues. Inside Higher Education noted that several college and university presidents gathered recently to form an organization to address these issues. The group's efforts would include encouraging the professional development of gay academics and working on gay education and advocacy issues, according to the Inside Higher Education article.
A National Education Association report, “Stepping Out of the Closet and Into the Light,” noted that some communities might not be equipped to address the needs of all students. Many LBGT students suffer in isolation from bullying, the report noted. For fear of losing their jobs, many LBGT faculty and staff members remain in the closet according to the report.
LGBT students in some instances might find online degree programs appealing. With online college and university offerings, students study according to their own schedules and from anywhere they have an Internet connection. Many online degree programs include video lectures, webcasts, and podcasts. Online college and university courses also are interactive, allowing students who generally hail from a variety of backgrounds to communicate with each other and their instructors through online discussion boards and web-based study groups.
Scholarships can help students pay for online degree programs as well as campus-based tuition. LGBT-specific scholarship sources, in addition to the Lambda Alumni Association, include the Point Foundation and ATT's League Foundation and Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere. Government agencies, large corporations, non-profit foundations and community and civic groups also provide scholarships for campus and online college and university programs. These scholarships might be awarded based on financial needs, specific subject areas of study, demographics such as women and minorities or a variety of factors.
Higher education - both traditional and course online programs - is making strides in reaching out to the LGBT community. Institutions such as University of Southern California might even set a good example. Many institutions have also become so flexible with course formats, including online college and university programs, that a wide range of individuals can find a program through accredited online schools that suits their needs and desires.
