May 27, 2011

>Thank You to GLSEN’s 2010-2011 Student Ambassadors

>

We are just days away from making our final decisions for next year’s GLSEN Student Ambassador team and wanted to take a few moments to recap what has been an absolutely tremendous year for safe schools advocacy work.

During this last school year, you’ve read their work on our blog, seen their videos on YouTube, and watched them on AC 360, CBS Evening News, and Entertainment Tonight. You may have even read their story in the NY Times, People Magazine, Teen Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, Huffington Post, Nick News, ET online, or heard it on OutQ’s Sirius radio and NPR.

In addition to all of that, they attended GLSEN’s “Faces of Courage” gallery events in New York and Atlanta, were part of the USA Networks ‘Characters Unite’ series in Chicago, and were interviewed on the red carpet at the Women Who GLSEN event in Los Angeles. Moreover, these 18 outstanding safe schools advocates lobbied on Capitol Hill, organized GLSEN events in their schools and led their GSAs in making headway for improved school climates in their communities.

Most of our ambassadors are seniors who will be graduating and attending state and ivy league schools on well-deserved scholarships next year, and we at GLSEN wish them all the best.

• Bennett College – Political Science and International Relations
• Depauw University -Criminal Justice
• DePaul University- Peace, Justice & Conflict Studies/Philosophy
• Ohio State University- Public Affairs
• Millersville University
• NYU-Media, Culture, and Communication
• University of San Francisco- International Affairs with a concentration in Peace and Conflict
• Smith College- Government
• Soka University of America- International Relations
• Stanford- Political Science
• Yale

Second year student ambassador, Richard Walsh, was elected class speaker and had these words of wisdom to share with his graduating class.

Excerpt from his speech:

The real accomplishment today is you. Who you are, where you come from, and most importantly, where you’re going. We have always been told that we are being prepared for a career, but that isn’t completely true. We have been prepared for life. We came into this school as children, but we are leaving as adults… we are leaving as accomplished adults. You may not know exactly where you are going, or what you’re going to do, but I can tell you that no matter what, you will succeed. And you will succeed, because you are a success; you are an accomplishment. I think it was Fergie who said, “There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps one day we will never settle for less.”

It’s been a true pleasure and inspiration to work with these steadfast students who envision a world with safe and inclusive schools for LGBT students. Thank you 2010-2011 Student Ambassadors. You’ve left a legacy and your hard work will not be forgotten.

   

About Elizabeth Free

       

Elizabeth Free is the communications manager at GLSEN--the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. Elizabeth joined GLSEN in 2009 to make schools safer for all students and says one of the best parts of her job is working with GLSEN's Student Ambassadors. She is originally from Texas and has a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of Houston.