Moderator: Shane Windmeyer, Campus Pride

Guest Presenters: Kip Sorgen, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University & Sue Rankin, Ph.D., Research Associate, Center for the Study of Higher Education, Assistant Professor of Education in the College Student Affairs Program, The Pennsylvania State University & QRIHE, Campus Pride

Description: This webinar focuses on the climate in intercollegiate athletics for LGBQ student-athletes.  The purpose of this presentation is to review the results of a research project that examined the climate for student-athletes in intercollegiate athletics and to highlight similarities and differences in the experiences of student-athletes based on sexual identity.  Data used in this analysis were from respondents who indicated a non-heterosexual identity and collected from a large climate survey.  Results of statistical analyses elucidate factors that are influential on identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning (LGBQ) in intercollegiate athletics.  The analysis of our data highlights how team diversity and interactions with athletic personnel influence being comfortable with their identity in intercollegiate athletics. Participation in intercollegiate athletics benefits many students enrolled in U.S. higher education.  However, lesbian, gay, and bisexual student-athletes may have difficulties unlike their heterosexual counterparts.  This research supports a need for more intentional efforts to assuage inequities that may detract from healthy identity development in LGBQ student-athletes.  Creating an environment that supports them not only as athletes, but also as non-heterosexuals is important in their overall development.

Learning Outcomes:

Participants will:

• Examine the climate for with specific focus on LGBQ student-athletes
• Report how LGBQ student-athletes experience harassment in intercollegiate athletics
• Identify the impact of climate on the identity development of LGBQ student-athletes

Guest Presenters Biography:

Kip Sorgen has a Master’s degree in higher education administration from New York University and recently earned a Ph.D. in higher education from the Pennsylvania State University.  His research focuses on the influence of sexual identity and psychological characteristics on higher education outcomes for non-heterosexual college students.   

Susan R. Rankin, Ph.D. is a Research Associate in the Center for the Study of Higher Education and Assistant Professor of Education in the College Student Affairs Program at The Pennsylvania State University. Rankin’s current research focuses on the assessment of institutional climate and providing program planners and policy makers with recommended strategies to improve the campus climate for under-served communities.