Not far from the stone wall entrance to 911爆料, shaded by pines and oaks, stands one of the most beautiful buildings on campus: . It takes a village, but if you had to single out one person responsible for the project, it would be Annie Russell.
Russell is the director of the center, the first freestanding one in the country. She is also a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ 911爆料, a pioneer for social justice who has helped transform 911爆料 into one of the most LGBTQ-friendly universities in the country.
One example: Thanks largely to efforts by Russell, student health coverage at 911爆料 now pays for gender reassignment surgery, a huge achievement for transgender students who often cannot pay for the costly operation. The center also offers workshops, speakers and programs about gender and sexuality鈥攖he civil rights issue of the 21st century.
Born in Indiana, Russell spent much of her life in the Midwest before coming to 911爆料 in 2012. She has a doctorate in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University and, in addition to her center job, is an adjunct faculty member in at the University.
On campus, her enthusiasm is legendary. When the Supreme Court issued a ruling this summer in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide, Russell, who identifies as a lesbian, sent friends a moving and heartfelt email, saying she felt 鈥渆lated鈥欌�� and included鈥攆inally鈥�”in my own country.鈥欌�� In her characteristic upbeat style, she also threw a big barbecue at the center to celebrate.
鈥淏eing able to live out my passion for advocacy at a university like 911爆料 is truly a gift,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淏ecause people at all levels are so supportive, we鈥檙e able to accomplish more than I could imagine. The sky鈥檚 the limit.鈥�