LGBTQ Alumni
Our History
Alliance, Murray State's LGBTQ+ student group was founded in 1995 by Tavares K. Jones and fellow students. Renee Rowlands may have been the first advisor and Lissa Graham Schneider, Theater, was one of the early advisors as well.
Twenty years later, the LGBT Programming Office was founded in 2015. The inaugural coordinator was Jody Cofer Randall, who had been increasing her responsibilities in this area for the previous two years. Initially, the Office was located in Wells Hall, but was moved to 243 Blackburn in 2016. After Jody accepted a position at another university, Michelle Barber, '03, stepped in as the interim LGBT coordinator from January - June 2017. MC Lampe served as the LGBT Coordinator from September 2017 - May 2020. Abgail Cox was named the Director of the Pride Center on July 1, 2022.
We've started a timeline of events. If you remember any milestones, or have any corrections, please contact us at 270.809.5040 or via email at msu.pridecenter@murraystate.edu.
Murray State LGBTQ+ Timeline
- 1995 - Alliance, Murray State's LGBTQ student group, established
- 2003 - Come Together Kentucky (CTK), the statewide LGBTQ+ student conference, held at Murray State
- 2008 - Murray State adds sexual orientation to the non-discrimination policy
- 2012 - First half-time LGBT coordinator position filled at Murray State
- 2012 - Eracers, Murray State's transgender and gender nonconforming student group, established
- 2015 - Office of LGBT Programming established
- 2015 - Come Together Kentucky (CTK), the statewide LGBTQ+ student conference, held at Murray State
- 2015 - Kristie Helms and Kathryn Carter Nettles Fund for Excellence and Acceptance and Awareness established
- 2015 - The Kentucky Association of LGBTQ Higher Education started by Murray State, NKU, U of L and UK
- 2016 - LGBTQA Ambassadors, Murray State's LGBTQ+ leadership group, established
- 2017 - Inaugural Gaypril, a month-long celebration of LGBTQ+ culture, planned
- 2018 - Gender identity added to Murray State's nondiscrimination statement
- 2021 - Rebrand to the Pride Center
- 2021 - Inaugural Pride List release
- 2021 - Students for Cultivating Change, professional development group for LGBTQ+ students in agriculture, established
- 2021 - oSTEM, professional developments group for LGBTQ+ students in STEM fields, established
- 2022 - Pride Advisory Team organized under VP of Student Affairs