Improving the climate for LGBTQ students at an Historically Black University

ABSTRACT

African American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students attending an Historically Black College or University (HBCU) may experience bullying. Using snowball sampling, the authors recruited six LGBTQ students for a focus group to learn how they perceived their HBCU campus atmosphere toward LGBTQ students. Thirty faculty members, with unknown sexual orientation, were recruited through e-mail. All groups reported bullying but that the LGBTQ student activity group had improved the atmosphere during the past several years and that faculty needed sensitivity training and administration should take the lead. A curriculum is introduced to provide training to faculty and students to increase support of LGBTQ students.

KEYWORDS:

• HBCU
• LGBTQ
• focus group
• bullying
• college students

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the reviewers for their insightful comments to earlier drafts and to Patty Clubb, PhD, for her comments on the conceptual model and questionnaire, and Ms. Minnie Washington for interviewing participants. The first author presented a portion of these findings at the 2012 Nova Southeastern University Research Colloquium.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marilyn W. Lewis

Dr. Marilyn W. Lewis is a Professor at the Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University. She has a 12 year clinical social work background in substance abuse treatment and mental health outpatient and inpatient treatment among adolescents and adults. This article developed from a grant awarded from the Morehouse School of Medicine to explore perceived bullying among LGBTQ students attending an HBCU.

Kirsten S. Ericksen

Dr. Kirsten S. Ericksen is an Assistant Professor in the Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Ericksen's teaching ability has been enhanced by her years of practical experiences as a social worker in leadership and professional encounters in micro, mezzo, and macro social work including; higher education, early intervention (birth-3), school social work (K-12), social service organizations, and non-profit agencies (Executive Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Peninsula). Dr. Ericksen's recent research interest applies to the scholarship of teaching and learning. This research includes practices to effectively engage college students using innovative methods integrated into the classroom to enhance their learning as well as finding methods to promote a holistic approach to students educational experience that is valuable for all populations.