User:EDU598BF/sandbox

Positives of LGBTQ+ student centers[edit]
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Post-secondary institutions who dedicate physical space in the form of LGBTQ+ student centers contribute to a positive climate for students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ student centers act as a reminder to the LGBTQ+ community as a space known to be welcoming and accepting of all. Higher education professionals who are associated with LGBTQ+ student centres contribute to the development of an inviting and inclusive environment, also known as a "warm" campus climate. This creation of a "warm" climate allows for students to develop not only intellectually through High Impact Practices (HIPs) but holistically through mentorship and counselling support. This physical space has been noted as an effective way to incorporate the LGBTQ+ community in providing a safe space for students to find support while combating the adversities they experienced as students at their post-secondary institution. Through qualitative accounts from students discussing the importance of this space acting as their primary stop when looking for support, students stated that they knew they would find others and more importantly professional staff who would support them through navigating processes on campus and connecting them with other professional staff that would be supportive of them. LGBTQ+ student centers are key contributors in the development of inclusive environments for the LGBTQ+ community and link to academic persistence at post-secondary institutions. The Transformational Tapestry Model (TTM) focuses on the correlation between campus climate and student persistence investigated critical incidences, harassment bias, and interactions between individuals and groups where homophobia and heterosexism were at play and it was established that these experiences decreased campus engagement for LGBTQ+ students and resulted in more students withdrawing from their institutions. The need for inclusion on campuses is ensuring that students are feeling welcomed and accepted in their spaces. Inclusion at its core provides LGBTQ+ students the same engagement opportunities as their counterparts, and it provides the equity that students have been working in absence of when showcasing their true potential.