{"532471":{"#nid":"532471","#data":{"type":"news","title":"LGBTQIA Resource Center Hosts Fourth Annual Lavender Graduation and Second Annual Lavender Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the past four years, Georgia Tech has celebrated its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and ally graduates with Lavender Graduation. This year, 16 graduating students were honored at the Lavender Graduation ceremony, which was hosted by the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/lgbtqia.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELGBTQIA Resource Center\u003C\/a\u003E, and more than 100 guests were in attendance on April 21.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLavender Graduation rewards graduates for their accomplishments while at Tech and serves as a formal farewell to the community,\u201d explained Aby Parsons, director of the LGBTQIA Resource Center. \u201cThis ceremony also gives students the opportunity to connect with our LGBTQIA alumni and learn how they can stay involved with LGBTQIA life at Tech after graduation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the ceremony, Student Life Vice President and Dean of Students John Stein welcomed attendees, and Institute Diversity Vice President Archie Ervin invited each graduate on stage to receive a lavender diploma from the LGBTQIA Resource Center, a gift from the Georgia Tech Pride Alumni, and a letter from Stein.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is nice to be honored at Lavender Graduation before Commencement,\u201d said R. Chase Adams, a computer engineering and Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies (ALIS) in Japanese student and Greek Allies facilitator with the LGBTQIA Resource Center. \u201cGraduation is a bittersweet time for me as I have enjoyed my five years at Tech, but I am excited to start working at Intel in Oregon this summer.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing Lavender Graduation, the LGBTQIA Resource Center presented the Second Annual Lavender Awards to recognize individuals who have made the Institute a safer and more inclusive environment for LGBTQIA students, faculty, staff, and alumni.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAward recipients included:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELGBTQIA Alum of the Year Award\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Bradley Wilkinson, founding member, Georgia Tech Pride Alliance and Class of 1983\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAward for LGBTQIA Faculty\/Staff Leadership\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Melanie DeMaeyer, assistant director, Women\u2019s Resource Center\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAward for LGBTQIA Student Leadership\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Neha Singh, student, School of Computer Science\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Billiee Pendleton-Parker Award for Outstanding Allyship \u003C\/strong\u003E\u2013 Emily Li, student, The George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Cstrong\u003ELavender Lifetime Achievement Award\u003C\/strong\u003E was also introduced at this year\u2019s Lavender Awards. Stephanie Ray, associate dean of students and director of Student Diversity Programs, received this special recognition for her support of and commitment to LGBTQIA inclusion at Tech for nearly 20 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom launching the Safe Space program to helping create the LGBTQIA Resource Center, Dean Ray has been vocal and visible in innumerable courageous ways,\u201d remarked Parsons. \u201cIt takes bravery, tenacity, and determination to keep going in the face of many obstacles, but she has never wavered in her commitment to overcoming these obstacles in support of the LGBTQIA community.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am deeply humbled and touched to receive this high honor,\u201d said Ray. \u201cA few years ago, we didn\u0027t have a dedicated office to provide services for LGBTQIA communities; there were several committed individuals like Billiee Pendleton-Parker and myself who reached out to students. Our goal was to always make Georgia Tech a warm and inviting community for all.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Fourth Annual Lavender Graduation and Second Annual Lavender Awards were supported by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/diversity.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute Diversity\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.parents.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EParent and Family Programs\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtpa.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Pride Alumni\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ramblinwreck.com\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Athletic Association\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gracepeople.org\/\u0022\u003EGrace House\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about Lavender Graduation and Lavender Awards, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.lgbtqia.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ewww.lgbtqia.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"This year, 16 graduating students were honored at the Lavender Graduation ceremony, which was hosted by the LGBTQIA Resource Center, and more than 100 guests were in attendance on April 21."}],"uid":"27465","created_gmt":"2016-05-04 12:45:43","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:35","author":"Annette Filliat","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"532491":{"id":"532491","type":"image","title":"Fourth Annual Lavender Graduation","body":null,"created":"1462478400","gmt_created":"2016-05-05 20:00:00","changed":"1475895314","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:14","alt":"Fourth Annual Lavender Graduation","file":{"fid":"214994","name":"lavender_graduation_students.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lavender_graduation_students.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lavender_graduation_students.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1681066,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lavender_graduation_students.jpg?itok=vgZzPgJM"}},"532481":{"id":"532481","type":"image","title":"Second Annual Lavender Awards","body":null,"created":"1462478400","gmt_created":"2016-05-05 20:00:00","changed":"1475895314","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:14","alt":"Second Annual Lavender Awards","file":{"fid":"214993","name":"lavender_awards_recipients.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lavender_awards_recipients.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lavender_awards_recipients.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1684716,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lavender_awards_recipients.jpg?itok=gx7-ZkZx"}}},"media_ids":["532491","532481"],"groups":[{"id":"1182","name":"General"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12144","name":"Georgia Tech Athletic Association"},{"id":"172003","name":"Georgia Tech Pride Alumni"},{"id":"172004","name":"Grace House"},{"id":"9171","name":"institute diversity"},{"id":"124171","name":"Lavender Awards"},{"id":"170224","name":"Lavender Graduation"},{"id":"137111","name":"lgbtqia resource center"},{"id":"172005","name":"Parent and Family Programs"},{"id":"167141","name":"Student Life"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnette Filliat\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Diversity\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:annette.filliat@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eannette.filliat@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["annette.filliat@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}