Student Experience

LGBTQIA+ Community

Mary Baldwin is committed to supporting LGBTQIA+ identifying students. We have communities, services, and resources for support.

Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA)

The GSA is a student-run campus club. The GSA provides a safe, accepting, and confidential meeting place for LGBTQIA+ students. The club provides a balance of educational, community, and social meetings and events for the LGBTQIA+ community on campus.

Gender Neutral Bathrooms

There are a number of gender-neutral bathrooms located throughout campus. 

Lavender Graduation Ceremony

Each year in May, the Lavender Graduation celebrates graduating students who have dedicated a substantial part of their academic career to educating the broader Mary Baldwin community about social justice and equality related to gender and sexuality and working diligently to ensure the LGBTQ+ community is celebrated and included throughout the university.

Local Resources 

The Staunton community is home to great organizations dedicated to supporting, connecting, and celebrating LGBTQIA+ individuals, several within walking distance of campus. The Shenandoah LGBTQ Center hosts peer-to-peer support groups and life skills classes to address the mental and physical health, job readiness, and resiliency of LGBTQIA+ people of all ages. The Arrow Project is made up of a group of hardworking professionals and volunteers that strive to bring mental health awareness and support to the region. The Staunton Downtown Development Association also has an initiative called “Be Yourself” to encourage all individuals to bring their whole selves to downtown Staunton. Look for the “Be Yourself” rainbow umbrellas when you’re out and about!

Check out The Friendly City Safe Space for LGBTQ+ people and aspiring allies of all ages, racial and ethnic identities in Harrisonburg and surrounding counties that will empower them with the resources, education, and community necessary to thrive as equal, healthy, supported, essential members of our society.

We’re excited to be partnering with oSTEM, the largest network of Queer students and professionals within the STEM Fields!

Pride Week

MBU holds an annual Pride Week on campus with special programming like workshops, movie nights, guest speakers, poetry readings, community socials, and drag shows to affirm and celebrate LGBTQIA+ students and all their contributions to life at MBU.

The MBU community also supports and participates in Staunton’s Pride Festival, which takes place every year in October. 

Safe Zone Program

Safe Zone is a national initiative most often housed on college campuses. This program is intended to visibly identify Mary Baldwin faculty, staff, and students who support the LGBTQIA+ community and are committed to serving as a resource to all LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Those who have completed Safe Zone training place a Safe Zone decal in a visible location, indicating that this individual vows to be a respectful listener, provide a safe, friendly, non-judgmental space, maintain confidentiality, and refer others to resources as needed in regard to the LGBTQIA+ community.

We now have a network of Faculty and staff that can lead trainings. This is the current email to use. [email protected]

Do you need to update your display name?

At MBU, there are two ways to update your display name.

• A legal name change. This will update your name across all systems, from Financial Aid to classroom rosters to your student ID.
• For those who have not or cannot legally change their name, we utilize the “Preferred Name” module in our student records database.

Preferred Name Module FAQs

The following scenarios are for students who have not or cannot change their legal name.

• How do I get this information updated?
  • Email the registrar with AT MINIMUM your last name and Student ID Number.
  • Formatting the email to [email protected]:
    • Subject Line: Updating Preferred Name Module
    • Body: Hello, Please update the Preferred Name Module to reflect my chosen name. Name: LAST, First, Preferred Name: First, ID: #########. Thank you, Name (Pronouns)
• Where will my display name show up?
  • Canvas LMS
  • Email
  • Student ID
  • Residence Life and Housing
  • Dining Services
  • CampusGroups
• What are the exceptions?
  • Financial Aid
  • Official transcripts
  • Blackboard Collaborate (video classroom)

Other Resources (this is not an exhaustive list)

Email [email protected] for additional national, local, and media resources.