Celebrating Pride Month
June marks Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month.
Originally celebrated to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Greenwich Village, Pride Month
has grown to be a recognition of the impact LGBTQI+ individuals have had and continue to have,
on history at home, across the nation, and abroad.
At WSU, we honor and celebrate the tremendous contributions that LGBTQI+ community members
make to our university every day. We are grateful for the system‑wide efforts of the
President’s Commission on Gender and Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation (GIESO) and
the Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation Center (GIESORC). We also applaud the
great work being done on all of our campuses, including WSU Vancouver’s
Center for Intercultural Learning and Affirmation (CILA) and the MOSAIC Center at
WSU Tri‑Cities. Their commitment ensures that students, faculty, and staff feel supported
not only during Pride but throughout the year.
This spring, GIESO gave out its first‑ever faculty/staff award and LGBTQIA2S+ student
scholarship in recognition of Cougs who have made significant contributions to our vibrant
and inclusive university culture. Awards like these reaffirm that through advocacy and allyship,
we can all do our part to support LGBTQ+ individuals at our campuses and in our communities.
The work of GIESO, GIESORC, CILA, MOSAIC Center, and other LGBTQI+ and ally organizations at
WSU serve as important models for the entire WSU community. As Cougs, we must remain committed
to strengthening inclusion and belonging on all of our campuses so that everyone feels empowered
to be uniquely who they are.
In honor of Pride, we ask that all WSU employees continue to be an ally. If you have not
yet completed the LGBTQ+ Ally Training available through Human Resource Services, we encourage
you to join the growing number of faculty and staff who already have. Education and inclusivity are at the core of
our mission as a land‑grant university, and we are proud to keep making strides in these areas
this month and every month after.
You can also demonstrate your support for Pride Month by adopting
WSU‑branded Pride Month photo frames and stickers for your social media accounts.
It’s a small way to show that being a Coug means standing for inclusion, equity, justice,
and advocacy for everyone in the Coug nation and beyond.
Happy Pride!
Kirk H. Schulz
President, WSU System
Elizabeth S. Chilton
Provost and Executive Vice President
Chancellor, WSU Pullman
David Cillay
Vice President, Academic Outreach and Innovation
Chancellor, WSU Global
Daryll DeWald
Vice President, Health Sciences
Chancellor, WSU Spokane
Sandra Haynes
Chancellor, WSU Tri‑Cities
Mel Netzhammer
Chancellor, WSU Vancouver
Paul Pitre
Chancellor, WSU Everett