Women and Gender Studies had a presence at the second annual Lavender Graduation sponsored by LGBTQ Resources on the Tuesday, May 11. The purpose of this graduation ceremony is to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of graduating LGBTQ and Ally students and alumni. This year Suzanne Scott, Director of Women and Gender Studies, was the faculty speaker for the event.
At this event, graduating undergraduate and graduate students who were outstanding leaders and advocates for LGBTQ equality were nominated for the first-ever Brian Picone Award for Leadership and Advocacy Excellence. This award was created in memory of our beloved friend, Brian Picone, who passed away suddenly at the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester. Brian, a recent graduate of Mason with a minor in Women and Gender Studies, was known for his scholarship and his activism, advocating on and off campus against injustice and oppression. Nominees for the Brian Picone award included Women and Gender Studies student staffer Lauren Heath. Recipients of the Brian Picone Award for Leadership and Advocacy Excellence were Shizrae Mallick, graduating senior and Women and Gender Studies minor with an LGBTQ focus, and Rebecca Walter, a Doctor of Arts graduate.
1-Suzanne Scott Remarks: Lavender Graduation 2010 from GMULife Tech. Integration on Vimeo.
July 12, 2010
