In 2015, Dr. Vickie Harvey, Professor in Communication Studies at California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State), as well as other members from the Love Evolution club, helped kick start the LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program.
The LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program has shown the progress the Stan State campus has made, due to the fact that it has attracted many students to participate in it since its beginning. The program’s support system that it offers to its students makes up for Stan State’s absence of a diversity center, or similar center.
There are 16 mentors who are faculty and staff. These mentors represent many departments on campus such as: Communication Studies, English, Gender Studies, Psychology, Social Work, Liberal Studies, Sociology, Information Technology, Safety & Risk Management and Nursing.
Dr. Harvey, the director of the program, says the program has seen significant growth in students and mentor participants since Fall 2015.
As the director of the program, Dr. Harvey plans the events for the program. Her goal has been to have one to two meetings per semester.
These meetings include a meet-and-greet at the beginning of each semester to give students the opportunity to meet mentors from different departments. Being a mentor in the program is open to all faculty and staff. 
Dr. Harvey explained that students do not have to be “out” in order to participate in the program,
“In this program students who are not out, or have been questioning or anywhere in the process of coming out can, find a place to be,” Dr. Harvey said.
Professor Rachel Grimshaw, Lecturer in English, has been part of the program since Fall of 2015. She says that she tries to be involved as much as she can.
“If your heart is in the right place and you care about students, come on board,” Professor Grimshaw said, mentioning the qualifications to be a mentor.
Professor Grimshaw expressed that representation of marginalized communities is important to those who are youth within those communities.
“Just seeing people who are comfortable in their own skin and who are successful while molding healthy behaviors is important,” Professor Grimshaw stressed, “Marginalized communities need models of themselves in order to succeed,”
Professor Grimshaw also said that she wished that a program like this existed while she was an undergraduate student in her time at Stan State. Although she says that she had a support system when she was coming out, having a program like this would have made the process easier.
Fellow mentor Dr. Matt Moberly, professor in English, shares the same sentiments.
Dr. Moberly has been in the mentorship program since fall of 2016 and shares many of the same sentiments as Professor Grimshaw.
“I want to do everything I can for students to have an inclusive [college] experience,” Dr. Moberly expressed, “Openly [LGBTQ+] faculty and staff models show that there is success after coming out.”
Dr. Moberly has hosted many of the program’s events at his own house, and expressed that there is no other way to ensure that students who may not be out of the closet are comfortable attending events on campus.  
Dr. Moberly also emphasized that by having “out” faculty who live in the Central Valley can encourage students to find jobs nearby after graduation.
Germán Silva (sophomore, Geography) joined the LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program his freshman year. He says he had just started to come out to a handful of people and that without the program serving as a catalyst, his coming out process would not have been as quick.
According to Silva, while walking to class one day, he noticed a flyer with the acronym “LGBTQ+” and it interested him. After attending his first meet-and-greet, there he met Dr. Moberly who has since been his mentor.
“My mentor and I had similar experiences coming out,” Silva admitted, “It was great to have someone more experienced to guide me through my process.”  
Stan State, in general, has been showing more support to our LGBTQ+ community in a few more ways. We have the LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program, Love Evolution club, up-coming Pride events, and most recently, Housing has announced its new gender-inclusive living for the coming school year.
Students interested in becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program are encouraged to email Dr. Harvey at [email protected], then students will be added to a Black Board Forum where they will receive all information regarding the program.   
There will be a “Meet and Greet Luncheon” event this Wednesday, February 22^nd, in MSR 130 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
RSVP for the event by emailing Dr. Harvey [email protected].