Student Groups

The Alliance  - Undergraduate Student Gay/Straight Alliance,  Biddeford Campus

Q-MED - UNECOM’s Queer-Straight Alliance, Biddeford Campus Advocating for LGBTQI Students, Providers, and Patients

Goals

The Alliance - Undergraduate Student Gay/Straight Alliance,  Biddeford Campus

The Alliance is UNE’s Gay/Straight Alliance for undergraduate students on the Biddeford Campus.  This student club and organization supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning students and builds relationships with the community of Allies and Advocates on campus.  The Group helps make UNE a safer, more welcoming and inclusive living and learning community for LGBTQ students and is open to ALL undergraduate students regardless of sexual orientation, gender expression or identity.  The Group is an active campus club that provides a network for LGBTQ individuals and allies as well as promotes diversity awareness and educates the UNE community about LGBTQ issues.

Programs:

• Weekly group meetings
• Frequent social and recreational activities including the annual Drag Ball, dinners and potlucks, comedians, theatrical performances, musical groups and other entertainment
• Off-campus excursions
• Workshops and trainings
• Political advocacy

LGBTQ Staff Advisor - Karl Koeppel   kkoeppel@une.edu

Q-MED - UNECOM’s Queer-Straight Alliance, Biddeford Campus
Advocating for LGBTQI Students, Providers, and Patients

Q-Med is founded on the recognition of the need for medical students and the health care community at large to become better educated and sensitive to issues which uniquely affect the LGBTQI community. Q-med is open to all students, faculty, staff, and alumni and welcomes all identities from queer to straight and everything in between!

GOALS:

EDUCATION/OUTREACH: Increase education, awareness, and open discussion regarding
LGBTQI issues in healthcare within UNE and the community at large:

• Plan events for National Coming Out Day, Transgender Day of Awareness, AIDS Awareness Month (partner with AMSA), Pride events
• Host lunch time seminars on topics such as Sexual and Gender Variance, Gay and Lesbian Healthcare, Transgender Healthcare, Intersex Healthcare
• Perform community outreach with opportunities such as volunteer options at PRYSM LGBT youth center in Portland
• Advocate for sensitivity/diversity training for faculty and staff

CURRICULAR INFUSIONS:Work toward greater LGBTQI inclusion in the UNECOM curriculum

• Promote UCSF standards for curricular inclusion
• Offer Fenway Institute learning modules

NATIONAL ACTIVISM: Advocate for LBGTQI students, patients and providers on a national level

• Review admissions materials to ensure that LGBTQI applicants feel welcome and comfortable at UNECOM
• Ensure inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in nondiscrimination policies both at UNE and nationally
• Q-Med has already partnered with SOMA to author a resolution urging the AOA to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their patient nondiscrimination policy

COMMUNITY: Encourage mentoring and networking among LGBTQI students, faculty and staff

• Develop an “Out List” of out LGBTQI faculty and staff who are willing to serve as mentors and resources for students
• Partner with LGBTI groups throughout the UNE community including undergraduate student groups and student groups from other UNE graduate programs
• Offer a safe and welcoming space for UNECOM’s LGBTI students

President: Aviva Wallace, MSII, awallace1@une.edu
Vice President: Keith Egan, MSI, kegan1@une.edu
Secretary/Treasurer: Laurie Garabedian, MSII, lgarabedian@une.edu
Faculty Advisor: Elisabeth DelPrete, DO, edelprete@une.edu

LGBTQ Graduate & Professional Student Activities, Portland Campus
There is no formal gay/straight student organization on the Portland Campus. LGBTQ luncheons, educational programs and on and off campus social activities are scheduled periodically for graduate and professional students on the Portland Campus.
Students interested in organizing a graduate and professional Gay/Straight Alliance on the Portland Campus should contact Travis Erickson at terickson@une.edu.  Suggestions for educational programs or speakers on LGBTQ health care related issues should contact Donna Gaspar Jarvis at dgaspar@une.edu.