LGBTQ+ Council Event Recaps

Alumni Coffee Dates

During February and March, the National Programming Team hosted our first-ever alumni coffee dates! This is a new program from the Boston College LGBTQ+ Alumni Council to enable folks to meet and connect with queer peers in a one-on-one setting, either in person or online. Approximately 100 alumni participated!

Coffee dates 1
Coffee dates 2

 

 

Virtual LGBTQ+ Alumni Council Speed-Friending

On February 27,  the LGBTQ+ Alumni Council celebrated the spirit of Valentine’s Day with a virtual speed-friending event! During this one-hour Zoom session, 20 alumni joined a series of randomly created breakout rooms with one to two other alumni, and participants ran through a handful of “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love,” which were published in a 2015 New York Times article with the purpose of fostering closeness and empathy. 

 

 

LGBTQ+ Council Service Project at SAGE Center

For the second year, the LGBTQ+ Alumni Council and the NYC Chapter held a day of service on April 17. 13 Volunteers participated in the dinner service for clients of SAGE—an organization that provides advocacy and services for LGBTQ + elders—and assisted with food preparation and serving the meal.

LGBTQ+ Council Service Project at SAGE Center 1
LGBTQ+ Council Service Project at SAGE Center 2

 

 

Member Spotlight

Adam Umhoefer MCAS’03

Name: Adam Umhoefer

Class/Degree:  MCAS’03/Theater Arts

Current Occupation: Philanthropic Advisor

Where do you currently reside: Los Angeles

Married/Single/Children: Single with a dog named Franklin Roosevelt.

When did you come out and to who: I came out after graduating from BC, to my best friend from my study abroad program.

What is your greatest memory from your time at BC?:  I had so many incredible experiences with singing groups.  I loved performing all over the country with the Bostonians, including on MTV’s Real World, and randomly on an episode of the Price is Right.  With the legendary John Finney and BC Chorale I had the opportunity to sing with the Boston Pops, and all over Europe.

What is your greatest accomplishment since graduating?:  I led the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), the nonprofit that successfully overturned California’s Prop. 8, won marriage equality for California, and paved the way for the Supreme Court case that won full federal marriage equality.  Last year, I was honored to be named to the Out Magazine Out100. https://www.out.com/out100/groundbreakers/adam-umhoefer

What traits do you most admire?: Kindness, confidence, humility, esoteric interests

What are your pet peeves?  Negativity, close-mindedness

What is a little know fact about you?:  While studying abroad in Ecuador I appeared in an inflight safety video for an Ecuadorian airline.

If you could invite one person to have dinner and conversation with you, who would you invite?:  Journalist and podcaster Ezra Klein

What do you feel you gain by being connected with your LGBTQ+ classmates?:  Aside from some of them being my best friends in life, I believe staying engaged with the larger network of LGBTQ+ alumni helps ensure that queer kids attending BC today will be accepted, supported and celebrated.  It’s our responsibility as alumni to remain visible, and fiercely advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, both at BC and globally.

What would you like to accomplish before it’s too late?:  Collectively I’d like us to accomplish a meaningful reduction in the use of fossil fuels that are warming our planet.  But putting aside the climate crisis, I generally believe it’s never “too late”!

Love is in the Air

What’s Happening on BC’s Campus

Spectrum Retreat 2024 (2/9-11)

Spectrum was incredible - the student leads invested so much time and energy and it paid off - the participants had deep, powerful (and fun!) experiences which contributed to their identity development and community building.

  • 19 participants
  • 7 faculty and staff mentors
  • 4 student leads

 

Student Initiatives

The BAIC has been encouraging and supporting students to create programs and events for the LGBTQ+ community at BC:

  • Sexuali-T (2/19): A student initiated tea themed evening hang out at the BAIC.
  • ALCxQLC Mixer (3/15): Queer students of color came together to get to know each other and strengthen their community!
  • Tea4T (3/27): a BAIC and Trans* Collective event during the Trans Week of Visibility.

Discussion Groups (weekly)

Transcend and QBIPOC have been well attended throughout the semester! Facilitators have been sharing positive community building and mutual support in the groups.

 

Gen2GenQ Volunteering Event (4/2)

LGBTQ+ students at BC travelled to am JP to spend time with LGBTQ+ elders - they talked, they ate dinner, and they all had a wonderful time!

 

Community Dinners (monthly)

Always featuring different food, music, and conversation!

Snack and Chats (bi-monthly)

Pop up hang outs (or grab and go) for LGBTQ+ students at the BAIC - usually with coffee, donuts, or bagels.

 

Ignatian Q (4/18-21)

Spectrum was incredible - the student leads invested so much time and energy and it paid off - the participants had deep, powerful (and fun!) experiences which contributed to their identity development and community building.

  • This will be the second year that BC sends a delegation to IgnatianQ - this year in St. Louis, at SLU.
  • 11 students are in the delegation, including first year students!
  • Ira will be leading a conference session based on his research, titled: Baking a Rainbow Challah: Experiences of Jewish LGBTQ College Students.
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