Who leads the LGBT student group at UConn?

Respected professor Jen Manion leads the LGBT student group, and her influence has helped the group scale to new heights year after year.

Can UConn student health care cover same-sex partners?

Yes, student health care can be extended to same-sex partners, which the author calls a big win given the topic remains debated among universities and in the world at large.

What support exists for new LGBT students at UConn?

A special mentorship program for transitioning into collegiate life, LGBT scholarships, an active LGBT alumni group, and an LGBT resource center with its own paid staff who offer support, plan activities, and schedule educational events.

How does UConn handle bias incidents and hate crimes?

Stringent reporting rules, campus police kept updated on such procedures, non-discrimination policies, and a standing advisory committee that deals directly with LGBT issues.

What can new LGBT students rely on at UConn?

A special mentorship program that helps with the transition into collegiate life, plus LGBT scholarships and an active LGBT alumni group, so there is a network of support from the time you enroll to long after graduation.

University of Connecticut – A Safe Place for LGBT Students

Students from the LGBT community, despite recent legal changes and a steady increase of support within the cultural sphere, continue to face many hardships in their collegiate lives. Hate crimes haven’t become nonexistent; derogatory comments inspire fear and distrust. A lack of support from university officials is sometimes enough to make even the most committed scholars head home. From our investigations, larger schools tend to be less accommodating of LGBT students. Perhaps it’s because of how many specific needs and groups these institutions have to cater to, but there’s simply not an excuse. University of Connecticut, a small liberal arts school in New London, consistently achieves high rankings for its treatment of LGBT students. For starters, respected professor Jen Manion leads the LGBT student group.

Ohio Stadium Overhead — Photo: Lectrician2 / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Her influence has helped the group scale to new heights year after year. The typical liberal arts scholar also tends to be open-minded, creative, and empathetic in their right-brained nature. Couple this with a passionate administration, and you’ve got one of the most welcoming campuses in the USA.

University of Connecticut offers various LGBT-specific courses, which explore areas like queer theory and gender rights. There are also gender-inclusive and single-occupancy restrooms in academic buildings to further break down the barriers. We love seeing that the faculty and staff are also continually offered new training opportunities regarding sexual orientation issues. Some students become very close with their professors; feeling like you have someone trustworthy to turn to can make all the difference. The LGBT resource center, a “luxury” that some colleges don’t yet have, features its own paid staff who offer support, plan activities, and schedule educational events. Between the resource center, peers and the faculty encountered day in and day out, there’s never a need to feel alone.

The university also has very stringent rules regarding how incidents of bias and hate crimes are reported. Campus police forces are kept updated on such procedures. Policies regarding non-discrimination are in place, while a standing advisory committee deals directly with LGBT issues. A big win for University of Connecticut comes in the form of student health care, which can be extended to same-sex partners. This is a significant topic of debate not just amongst universities, but in the world at large. Sadly, this infrastructure doesn’t exist at every college.

Transitioning into collegiate life as an LGBT student can seem daunting, which is why a special mentorship program was created to help with the process. LGBT scholarships and an active LGBT alumni group show that this university is committed to you from the time you enroll to the life you lead long after graduation. A network of support is ready and waiting.

University of Connecticut has been very outspoken about how important it is to them to provide a safe space for LGBT students. They want this portion of the undergraduate body to be unburdened from not feeling accepted, so that they can reach their full potential as academics and young adults. You’ll encounter a thorough program at this school, and should never worry about expressing who you truly are. What should you spend your time on then? You could take peace of mind in how safe the campus is or contemplate five things a former student wishes she’d known before she chose to attend the school. Knowledge is power, future Camels.

Ryan James is a ’13 alumnus of Ohio University’s College of Arts & Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in writing and media. He currently works as a copywriter for a Fortune 500 e-commerce corporation based in Columbus, OH.

Key takeaways

UConn, a small liberal arts school in New London, consistently ranks high for its treatment of LGBT students, and respected professor Jen Manion leads the LGBT student group.
The university offers LGBT-specific courses in areas like queer theory and gender rights, plus gender-inclusive and single-occupancy restrooms in academic buildings.
Faculty and staff get continual training on sexual orientation issues, and a dedicated LGBT resource center with its own paid staff offers support and plans activities.
Stringent reporting rules cover bias incidents and hate crimes, campus police stay updated on procedures, non-discrimination policies are in place, and a standing advisory committee deals with LGBT issues.
Student health care can be extended to same-sex partners, and a special mentorship program plus LGBT scholarships and an active alumni group support students from enrollment through life after graduation.

Frequently asked questions

Who leads the LGBT student group at UConn?: Respected professor Jen Manion leads the LGBT student group, and her influence has helped the group scale to new heights year after year.
What LGBT-specific academics and facilities does UConn offer?: Courses exploring areas like queer theory and gender rights, plus gender-inclusive and single-occupancy restrooms in academic buildings and continual training opportunities for faculty and staff on sexual orientation issues.
Can UConn student health care cover same-sex partners?: Yes, student health care can be extended to same-sex partners, which the author calls a big win given the topic remains debated among universities and in the world at large.
What support exists for new LGBT students at UConn?: A special mentorship program for transitioning into collegiate life, LGBT scholarships, an active LGBT alumni group, and an LGBT resource center with its own paid staff who offer support, plan activities, and schedule educational events.
How does UConn handle bias incidents and hate crimes?: Stringent reporting rules, campus police kept updated on such procedures, non-discrimination policies, and a standing advisory committee that deals directly with LGBT issues.
Why doesn't this level of support exist at every college?: The author notes that larger schools tend to be less accommodating of LGBT students, perhaps because of the many specific needs and groups these institutions have to cater to, but says there is simply no excuse, and this infrastructure does not exist at every college.
What can new LGBT students rely on at UConn?: A special mentorship program that helps with the transition into collegiate life, plus LGBT scholarships and an active LGBT alumni group, so there is a network of support from the time you enroll to long after graduation.

Sources

University of Connecticut, university site
Conn ranked in top 25 most LGBT-friendly campuses, The College Voice (linked in the original post)
Supreme Court same-sex marriage ruling, CNN (legal changes linked in the original post)

Editorial note: grammar and punctuation of the original post were lightly corrected in 2026. All facts and opinions are the author's own. As published, the post pairs the UConn name with descriptions of a small liberal arts school in New London (closing with "future Camels," Connecticut College's city and mascot); both were kept as published.