Since I have been a student at Holy Cross, I have grown more confident in my LGBTQIA+ identity. Holy Cross has facilitated a support group for LGBTQIA+ students since January of 1992, which I attend weekly, but even more support and resources have been implemented within the past two years. In 2018, the College hired Kelsey Moran, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist and Coordinator of LGBTQIA+ Counseling Services and Programming in the Counseling Center. Moran has been an amazing asset to the Holy Cross community, especially for LGBTQIA+ students like me. She offers individual counseling and co-facilitates the support group with Megan Fox-Kelly, Associate Chaplain and Director of Retreats in the Chaplains’ Office.
In 2019, Amie Archambault also began her position as Assistant Director and LGBTQIA+ Specialist in the Office of Multicultural Education. Archambault is always available for one-on-one check-ins with all students, but especially LGBTQIA+ individuals.
I have really enjoyed meeting with Kelsey Moran, Meg Fox-Kelly, and Amie Archambault. They have helped me become more confident in my identity, which has led to me feeling comfortable as a member of the Pride e-Board. As Arts Manager on the e-Board, I have been able to develop my passions for graphic design and LGBTQIA+ rights in a community where I feel welcomed and validated.
It is also very helpful to have the options of meeting with Moran and Archambault for non-religious students. This fosters more inclusion in the Holy Cross community. Not until very recently did Holy Cross offer LGBTQIA+ resources that were independent from the Chaplains’ Office, which provides religious and spiritual guidance for Holy Cross students. With the expansion of support, students can feel free to access secular resources. Although I am religious, I still feel very privileged to attend a Jesuit college where I have all of these resources available to me.
The College has made considerable strides in its support of LGBTQIA+ students. I enjoy reading the book In, Out, and About on the Hill: LGBTQIA+ Alums Reflect on Life at Holy Cross, 1978-2018, which highlights the experiences of LGBTQIA+ Holy Cross alumni. These stories allow me to see how we have progressed in our acceptance of LGBTQIA+ students, and, because of the stories, I feel more connected to Holy Cross alumni who share similar experiences to me.
