Nesbitt named interim director of LGBTQI Life; seek for

Brianna Nesbitt has been named interim director of LGBTQI Life efficient Sept. 1, 2021.  

Nesbitt, who additionally serves because the assistant director of the Margaret Cuninggim Girls’s Heart, is a dedicated pupil advocate with an in depth background in increased training. Earlier than becoming a member of the Girls’s Heart employees in 2017, Nesbitt served because the graduate assistant for variety training within the Workplace of Scholar Actions on the College of Central Missouri, the place she obtained her M.S. in faculty pupil personnel administration. She is at present pursuing her Ed.D. on the College of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.   

Throughout her time at Vanderbilt, Nesbitt has labored carefully with pupil, school and employees populations by coordinating Work-Life workshops, advising pupil organizations and facilitating conferences and particular occasions.  As a member of the LGBTQIA+ group and somebody deeply dedicated to an intersectional strategy to pupil assist, she has additionally served because the Vanderbilt Ace/Aro Affinity Group facilitator within the Workplace of LGBTQI Life since 2018.   

“I’m thrilled to imagine this necessary position as we seek for our subsequent director of LGBTQI Life. I’m excited to work extra carefully with our outstanding LGBTQIA+ group, which is near my coronary heart and with whom I’ve had quite a few alternatives to interact up to now,” Nesbitt stated.  

Nesbitt’s workplace might be within the Ok.C. Potter Heart most days as a solution to often work together with members of the group. The Ok.C. Potter Heart has an extended historical past on campus, and the college stays dedicated to sustaining the legacy and historical past of the middle as a cultural and useful resource heart for Vanderbilt’s LGBTQIA+ group. Vanderbilt College is certainly one of few universities to have a middle with devoted area to assist its LGBTQIA+ group. Moreover, a pupil care coordinator from the Workplace of Scholar Care Coordination, Kristen VanDyke, might be out there for drop-in consultations 2–four p.m. on Wednesdays.  

The middle’s present interim director, Rob Sánchez Nelson, is taking up a brand new position as chief variety officer of the San Francisco Ballet. Nelson, who joined the Vanderbilt group in 2016, assumed the position of interim director of LGBTQI Life in January 2021. Throughout their tenure at Vanderbilt, Nelson has grown the scholar affinity group program, served as the first liaison between Vanderbilt and the Nashville group and hosted roughly 400 trainings for college students, school, employees and group members.  

“I’ve liked being part of supporting college students as they uncover who they’re and develop into their genuine identities. I’m additionally pleased with the methods through which LGBTQI Life is changing into extra of an training useful resource for not solely the campus group, but in addition the Nashville group at massive,” Nelson stated. “Within the nearly 5 years that I’ve served on campus, the Ok.C. Potter Heart has deepened its immersion in Nashville and leveraged its data and sources to assist group progress. I go away LGBTQI Life extremely pleased with the work we have now achieved. I really feel honored to have labored on a group that centered group care and grew a middle the place LGBTQIA+ college students, employees and school are celebrated and supported.”  

The Workplace for Fairness, Range and Inclusion and Human Sources just lately relaunched the nationwide seek for the brand new director of LGBTQI Life. The search had been halted whereas the college transitioned the Workplace for Inclusive Excellence and Identification Facilities from the Workplace of the Provost to the Workplace for Fairness, Range and Inclusion. Choose members of the scholar, school, employees and alumni communities might be invited to fulfill with ultimate candidates.  

“Pausing the search gave us time to evaluate present and future wants, in addition to realign strategic priorities and make sure that the search was as equitable as attainable,” stated Vice Chancellor for Fairness, Range and Inclusion André Churchwell, to whom the workplace now experiences. “We acknowledge that the Workplace for LGBTQI Life is invaluable to our mission and dedication to assist a really various group, and we need to make certain that we discover the easiest candidate to guide this very important campus useful resource.”