University of Michigan - Spectrum Center

Getting Involved

The LGBT, Queer and Ally Community is looking for your energy, ideas and leadership to make the University of Michigan an exciting and welcoming place for all students. There are many ways to get involved with the Spectrum Center, both formally and informally.

There are also Internship and Volunteer opportunities with the Spectrum Center. Internship and Volunteer opportunities provide students with important leadership skills and opportunities to serve the LGBT community at both the University of Michigan and surrounding Ann Arbor. For more information on internships or volunteer opportunities, please email spectrumcenter@umich.edu.

See below for information on LGBTQ Student Groups, Resources for Student Organizations, and LGBTQ Staff/Faculty Groups.

LGBTQ Student Groups

There are many student organizations at the University that serve, support and provide social opportunities for LGBTQ-identified students and their Allies. Student organizations complement curricular activities and are rooted in a deep understanding of the LGBT and Ally student experience at the University of Michigan. For a list of Michigan Student Assembly-registered graduate/professional and undergraduate student organizations see the Quick Link to Maize Pages on the left side of the screen. Below is a list of both registered and non-registered groups.

Ahava
Ahava is the Jewish LGBT group on campus, and is sponsored by Hillel. Explore your LGBT and Jewish identities in a safe, open environment. Our goals include advocacy, providing a social space for our community, and sponsoring programming including discussions and lectures on issues relating to LGBT/Jewish issues.
Contact: mitchc@umich.edu

Bilateral
The mission of the group is to build a community of those interested in bisexual issues, to promote discussion and dialogue within said community, to encourage understanding within the greater University of Michigan community, and to provide opportunities for those interested in bisexual issues to socialize with others with shared concerns.
Contact: cdmstr@umich.edu

Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians, and Allies in Medicine (BGLAM)
BGLAM is an organization of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered individuals, and straight allies associated with the medical school who provide support for one another and work together to educate the medical school community.
Contact: bthomps@umich.edu
http://www.umich.edu/~bglam

Dental LGBTA
LGBTA group aims to educate dental students, staff, faculty and dental professionals about lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender issues in hopes of encouraging awareness, as well as providing perspectives in treating LGBT patients. We hope to foster a welcoming environment for LGBT students, staff, faculty, and patients at the Dental School.
Contact: joana@umich.edu

Ford School Queers and Allies (FSQA)
A home for Ford School LGBTQ and allies to promote more awarness of LGBTQ subjects within the policy world and the Ford School.
Contact: brammer@umich.edu

Gender and Performance Group (GAP)
The primary mission of our organization is to explore the representation of gender and gender identity issues within contemporary performing arts.
Contact: mahowes@umich.edu

Lambda Alliance
A group for LGBT and Ally students in the Greek community.
Contact: kstojan@umich.edu

LambdaGrads
The purpose of LambdaGrads is to provide social, education, activist, and support activities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and ally graduate and professional students (in any academic unit) at UM.
Contact: nicurtin@umich.edu

Lavender Information and Library Association (LILA)
LILA supports all staff of the University Library system and students, faculty, and staff of the School of Information. LILA promotes awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues within SI and the University Library system and throughout the University in general. LILA does this through education, research, networking, and social activities.
Contact: alexismz@umich.edu

LGBT Commission of Michigan Student Assembly (MSA)
The LGBT Commission sponsors a variety of programs throughout the year, such as Gayz Craze, the National Coming Out Day rally on the Diag, and Flames on Ice. Meets every Sunday at 7 pm in MSA Chambers (3909 Michigan Union).
Contact: LGBTstudentlife@umich.edu

LGBT Caucus of Students of Color of Rackham (SCOR)
The SCOR Graduate Organization is a network for Rackham graduate and professional students at the University of Michigan. SCOR is dedicated to the social, cultural, and academic well being of students of color of African, Asian, Latino, and Native American descent. Further, we also include students of other cultures, ethnicities, and international origins. We promote, support, and sponsor efforts concerning the improvement of quality in our students' academic, professional, and social lives respectful of cultural differences, disabilities, gender, and sexual orientation.
Contact: imillan@umich.edu

OUTbreak
Prevent Discrimination, Promote Awareness, Protect Identity. At this time, the group is reforming. It used to exist in the School of Public Health, and we are currently meeting to determine what types of programs we would like to sponsor.
Contact: erictr@umich.edu

Out for Business (OFB)
Out for Business builds community among the LGBT students at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and raises awareness among Ross faculty, staff and students of the issues facing LGBT individuals in society.
Contact: fein@umich.edu
http://www.rossoutforbusiness.org/

OutLaws
Our Mission: to add the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender law students to the dialogue of the law school and university communities.
Contact: tbous@umich.edu
http://www.umoutlaws.org/

OutSide
School of Natural Resources & Environment
Contact: Lipinski.brian@gmail.com

Queer University Athletic Club
Contact: rbaruffi@umich.edu

Rainbow Network
The School of Social Work - Mission: To advocate for communications, education, activism, and mutual support regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex interests and concerns to promote informed and responsible educational opportunities.
Contact: shimkate@umich.edu

Relate
Relate is a multicultural LGBT organization with a focus on bringing together queer people of color and their allies in order to build community amongst each other as well as bridging the gap between the LGBT community and the various communities of color on campus.
Contact: ambeydou@umich.edu

Stonewall Democrats
It is our mission to work through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Contact: SDinfo@umich.edu

Student Alliance of Gay Engineers (SAGE)
Networking, professional development, and social activities for undergraduate and graduate LGBT engineering students.
Contact: ryakee@umich.edu

TransForUM
An inclusive group for alumni, undergraduates and graduate students, and faculty of the University of Michigan who locate their gender identity somewhere on the transgender rainbow and our allies. Transforum: Transgender Alumni, Students, and Faculty at the University of Michigan. Transgender may include but is not limited to: transsexual, genderqueer, intersex, MTF, M2F, FTM, F2M...
Contact: transforum@umich.edu

Transgender Student Scholarship
Working to provide a transgender student scholarship at U-M.
Contact: lmuackas@umich.edu

Voice
Social group for queer women at U-M.
Contact: caityc@umich.edu

For a list of local community groups, please refer to: Local Community Resources and Organizations/Groups

Resources for Student Organizations

Student organizations will always have a safe, open space to meet, socialize and get advice at the Spectrum Center. The Center provides formal and informal event and organization advising, collaborative planning and general tips on how to navigate the University of Michigan system.

Below is a list of links that may be helpful for student organizations:

LGBTQ Staff/Faculty Groups

Lesbian-Gay-Queer Research Initiative (LGQRI)
In Fall 2001, LGQRI became a program of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender. Since then, LGQRI has pursued its strategy of developing a more formal identity for the abundant resources that already exist on campus.
http://www.umich.edu/~irwg/programs/progareas/lgqri.html
Contact: Holly Hughes, hahughes@umich.edu

The Pretzels
Organized by the Spectrum Center. A social group for U-M LGBTQ, similarly-identified, and ally staff and faculty. Named after the high school mascot of one our founding members, we have group lunches on the first Monday of each month and after-work social hours on the third Thursday of each month. All U-M staff and faculty are welcome.
Contact: Kevin Correa, kcorrea@umich.edu

UMHS Pride Network
The UMHS Pride Network is an employee resource group for TBLGA (Transgender, Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Allies) UMHS faculty and staff working to ensure an inclusive, respectful environment for TBLG staff and to promote cultural competency related to the care of this patient population.
http://www.med.umich.edu/pridenetwork/index.htm
Contact: Kimber Converso, converso@med.umich.edu

University of Michigan LGBT Faculty Alliance (UMFA)
In 1992, a University-wide group of faculty and deans formed the University of Michigan LGBT Faculty Alliance (UMFA). We welcome interested faculty to join us. Our activities include working on University policies that affect the LGBT community, students' academic needs, curriculum development, and new faculty support. We also hold an annual reception.
Contact: Van Harrison, rvh@med.umich.edu