How to connect with an LGBTQ Ally Mentor

This section is both part of the Member Handbook and the LGBTQ Ally Program.  When you're finished reading it,

• Visit the rest of the LGBTQ Ally Program site
• Jump down to the Member Handbook Table of Contents
  

Feel free to share this web page, or post one of our informational posters in your room, office, or common area to help people find our resources.

What can the LGBTQ Ally Mentors do for me?

The LGBTQ Ally Mentors are a team of trained students with experience in diversity discussion and peer education, who have a special interest in improving campus climate and working on issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning people as well as straight allies.  They have made a commitment to serve the campus, and all students, faculty, and staff.  They'll do everything they can to get the answers you need, or they'll point you to those who have those answers.  They can also serve as a sympathetic ear, and will keep conversations confidential.  If you have a question or want to chat about any issue related to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, equality and activism, or related topics, the Ally Mentors are there for you!

They are resources for those who have gone through our LGBTQ Ally Training Sessions (formerly the Safe Zone Ally Training Program) for personal questions and questions about allyship, as well as those who have not gone through formal training on any of the above topics.  You're encouraged to establish a relationship with one or more Ally Mentors who can help you grow in your support for equality.

Please see a note about our commitment to confidentiality.

How to get in touch

• After training sessions: LGBTQ Ally Training Sessions and other workshops put on by the LGBTQ Ally Program are presented by the Ally Mentors.  When possible, they'll stay after the event for a few minutes to answer questions or set up meetings for further discussions.
• Email: any emails sent to lgbtqally@snc.edu ( send using Zimbra) will be answered by the LGBTQ Ally Mentor who feels that they can best respond to your request, or by the mentor you ask for in your message. You can ask questions or make suggestions through email, or just use it as a way to set up a phone or face-to-face conversation.
• • Note that while we will keep your email confidential, email itself is not a secure communication method and could theoretically be snooped during transmission or accessed by SNC Information Technology according to their terms of service.
• Contact Request Web Form : This is a form that allows you to easily let the LGBTQ Ally Mentors know that you'd like to talk with them about any number of topics.  You can either directly ask your question in the form or simply indicate how you'd like us to contact you.
• • Note that while we will keep your email confidential, unsecured email forms like this are not a secure communication methods and could theoretically be snooped during transmission or accessed by SNC Information Technology according to their terms of service.
• Instant Messenger: When LGBTQ Ally Mentors are in their office hours, they are signed on to the AIM screen name " SNC LGBTQ Ally," and their status message should tell you which mentor it is.  When that icon is solid/dark, a mentor was logged in when you loaded this page; if it is light/faded, no mentor was logged.  You can use Pidgin (a free desktop client for Windows and Linux), Adium (an equivalent client for Mac), or Meebo (a web browser-based client) along with your AOL Instant Messenger screen name to contact us.  Learn how to use IM to communicate securely.
• Phone: During an LGBTQ Ally Mentor office hour (see below), you can reach the Mentor on duty at 920-403-3916 (or 3916 from any campus phone).  If possible, though, you are welcome to just show up for a face to face conversation!
• Office Hours: Open office hours are scheduled every week and are available on our calendar and on Zimbra shared calendars.  See below for details on the office hours.

LGBTQ Ally Mentor Office Hours

Open office hours are your opportunity to ask questions, discuss issues, or be heard confidentially in a safe space.  Stop by and say hi, and tell us what's on your mind!

Office hours are held in the Diversity Mentor Lounge within the Student Organization Resource Room (SORR) on the third floor of the Campus Center - thanks to the Office of Multicultural Student Services and the Multicultural Student Mentors for sharing this space with us.

If you would like to call ahead to arrive privately, call 920-403-3916 (or extension 3916 from any campus phone) to reach the Diversity Mentor Lounge during listed office hours.  The room can be hard to find, so don't hesitate to follow, or even print out, our illustrated directions to reach the Diversity Mentor Lounge.

LGBTQ Ally Mentor Office Hours are listed on the Rainbow Alliance master calendar.

Meet the LGBTQ Ally Mentors

Take a look at our LGBTQ Ally Mentors, so that you can recognize us and so that we're a familiar face when you come by to chat.

Want to be an LGBTQ Ally Mentor, too?

Email lgbtqally@snc.edu ( send using Zimbra) and say so, and we'll make sure we keep you informed on the application process. We'll give you all the training and experience you need to succeed in this role, we just need your willingness, energy, and enthusiasm!  We want a diverse team of student mentors, covering as many "categories as possible"  (lesbian/gay/bi/straight, varied genders, varied stages of identity formation, varied majors and interests, varied graduation classes, people of color as well as white folks, people of faith and non-religious folks, etc) so you'd make a great addition!

Feel free to email us and nominate others for the role: if you know a student who is a fan of equality, inclusion, and diversity and might enjoy becoming a specialist in LGBTQ issues, diversity training, and mentoring (a great resume builder!) please let us know their name and email, and we'll get in touch with them!

The application process and LGBTQ Ally Mentor Workshop (training for those selected to become mentors) currently take place each year in the fall.

Where can I go from here?

You can explore the LGBTQ Ally Program web site.

Returning to the Member Handbook: