GALA-ND/SMC News and Announcements

Next Weekend's Tailgate

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:57:03 GMT

This 2009 football-weekend tailgater will be held prior to the ND- USC game on October 17, 2009. Game time is at 3:30pm, and the tailgate will begin at 11am in the JACC lot. Look for the rainbow balloons! If you can't find the tailgate, you call call Liam Dacey, GALA ND/SMC secretary, at 781-864-4075.

Please note the date when making your ticket lottery choices in Spring 2009. If you don't participate in the ticket lottery, tickets are frequently available on sites like stubhub.com, and sometimes through the ND Alumni Association Online Ticket Consignment Program.

Campus Pride '09

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:38:51 GMT

GALA-ND/SMC awarded Mallory Price, SMC '10, with a scholarship to attend the Campus Pride leadership training week over the past summer. Below are her reflections on the experience.

My Experience at Campus Pride ‘09

My name is Mallory Price and I am a senior at Saint Mary’s College. I am pursuing a degree in Social Work with minors in Women’s Studies, Justice Education, and U.S. History. I am currently the President of the Straight and Gay Alliance on campus, and was fortunate enough to be the recipient of the 2009 Campus Pride Scholarship from GALA-ND/SMC.

What is Campus Pride?

A week-long leadership camp for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Ally student leaders. It is hosted at Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland. Students come from across the United States to talk about issues in the LGBTQ Community, gain resources and contacts to help establish supportive campuses, and to learn how to advocate for human rights.

Opportunities

We had an incredible amount of opportunities presented to us at Campus Pride. Not only did we get to network with other students across the country, but we also had the chance to meet some amazing and influential members in the LGBTQ community. On our trip into Washington DC, we were able to have a personal meeting with members of congress including Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis, followed by a tour of the capital by Tammy Baldwin’s staff and ending our day at a dinner with the legendary Frank Kameny. What was most unique about this camp was that students had the ability to actually form friendships with these influential individuals. At the end of camp, they sought us out, and asked us for our resumes. We learned to work together for our cause and how important we are to the future of the LGBTQ community. Students supported one another and gave suggestions and ideas about how to make student groups on campus truly successful, and how to overcome obstacles that stood in your way. Student Leaders created a vision for not only their campus, but also for the future. Best of all, when we left campus pride, we didn’t just leave with that vision, we all had the tools to make that vision a reality.

What You Will Learn

Students learn to recognize the power and privileges we each have in some way. They are given information on how to set up safe spaces on campus, ideas on speakers to bring onto their campus, skills for speaking with administrations to emphasize the importance of an LGBTQ campus and how imperative it is that they help create resource centers to assist students. Students will discover how to use your college’s mission to help create the changes they want to see, and to advocate for improvements not only on their campuses but also in their communities. Students learn about all the LGBTQ national organizations that can give you materials and resources to help spread awareness and gain acceptance and respect.

The Impact Campus Pride Had On My Life

Campus pride did not just provide me with resources and amazing opportunities- it gave me more than I could have ever imagined. It presented me with the confidence to be who I am, and to go full force into advocating for LGBTQ students, faculty, and staff on campus and in the community. I learned strategies to work with other students and helped gain amazing ally support that has furthered our cause. I gained inspiration from the other students and began to see the ways in which I could truly unite others on the SMC campus, and share that knowledge with ND. I recognized how far behind Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame are concerning human rights and began to make changes the moment I came back to campus.

--

Mallory is also preparing presentations for the ND/SMC community, as well as possible other populations, about her experience with Campus Pride. An early draft can be see by clicking here to download a PDF.

From Tom O'Brien: Reflections on Reunion '09

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:17:28 GMT

The first week of June was reunion week at both Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s. If you only go back to campus during football weekends, a June trip to South Bend is a reminder of how pleasant late spring and early summer can be in northwest Indiana, and how peaceful and calm the campus can be when you’re not focused on a game.

I returned to campus to moderate one of the many panels held during reunion weekend. GALA-ND/SMC sponsored a June 6 session titled "Alliances and Activism: Engaging Allies and Becoming Active.” We examined how those in the Notre Dame/SMC community are building alliances with GLBT members, with a focus on support mechanisms for students and alumni.   GALA Secretary Liam Dacey helped put together a great panel which included Sr. Sue Dunn, Assoc. VP for Student Affairs at Notre Dame and Co-Chair of the Core Council for Gay and Lesbian Students; Mary Porter, PhD, Professor of Mathematics at Saint Mary’s College and advisor for SMC’s Straight and Gay Alliance; Chaunce Windle, a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at Notre Dame; and Michael Rosanova, Chicago area coordinator for Yale gay alumni who shared his experiences with the OutThere conferences involving various Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S.

The panel discussed the nature of activism in general and on a Catholic college campus in particular, how you identify allies for various projects serving the LGBT community, and the role that alumni can play as partners. We also spent a fair amount of time discussing the current state of all things gay and lesbian at Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s. The bottom line is that there are some good things happening, including a Stand Against Hate Week, but that both schools need to do more. The consensus was that the top two priorities are recognition of the student group and the addition of sexual orientation to the non-discrimination clause. You can find some of Michael Rosanova’s prepared comments below. They should give you a flavor of the lively discussion.

While I was on campus, I held meetings with representatives from both colleges in an attempt to raise GALA’s profile and identify other activities that we can build into our plans for the next few years. At Notre Dame, I met with a representative of the Mendoza College of Business to talk about GALA’s participation in a diversity panel, and with the Director of the Gender Relations Center to explore ways in which gay and lesbian issues can be incorporated into the Center’s various programs. I was able to spend some time with the Rev. Mark Poorman, VP for Student Affairs at Notre Dame, to discuss the work of the Core Council; and with Dr. Carol Ann Mooney, President of Saint Mary’s, to talk about the best ways to increase the involvement of SMC graduates in our organization. All in all, a productive few days and ones which left me excited about our activities for the coming year.

Perhaps most important, the weekend gave me a chance to meet some new GALA members and reconnect with some old ones. This ability to share our unique Notre Dame/SMC experience is what gives GALA its purpose. I encourage you to reconnect by taking part in a regional activity this summer and visiting our website regularly to get the latest news. As always, we love hearing your thoughts on our direction and your ideas for new activities. Send a note to chair@galandmsc.org. Have a great summer.

Tom O’Brien
GALA ND/SMC Chair

Notre Dame Panel Discussion Questions: Michael Rosanova (Out Alumni Chicago, Yale GALA)

ND/SMC GALA Panel: "Alliances and Activism: Engaging Allies and Becoming Active"
South Bend, Indiana
Saturday, June 6, 2009

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.   How is the work you do “activism”?

For Yale GALA, for Out Alumni Chicago and for Dignity, the work that I do fosters networking and relationship building. In Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities, a history of gay life before and after Stonewall, John D’Emilio argues that the creation of community is the revolutionary act which changed the world for us. Isolation is the Gulag Archipelago for us. When AIDS was spreading across the country in the 1980s and the government categorically refused funding for research and for medical care, the founders of Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Larry Kramer and his colleagues, put it this way: “Silence = Death”. Our enemy is invisibility – invisibility even to each other. With every event I plan, I assault the enemy.

2.   How do you identify allies for the work you do?
In order to find representatives of LGBT alumni groups, I consult alumni.princeton.edu/~ffr-gala/ or I e-mail Shawn Cowls, the coordinator of the GALA Leaders Listserv (galaleaders@yahoogroups.com). In order to find allies at colleges where no LGBT alumni group exists, I contact either the Women’s and Gender Studies Department or the Campus Ministry, or both. That’s what I did both at Loyola and at DePaul. I also post our events on the Message Board of a Chicago-area Meet-up group called “the Chicagoland Gay and Lesbian Professionals Group” (“Chicago Pros,” for short): www.meetup.com/chicagopros. I also network with people who attend Out Alumni Chicago events, asking whether they know whether their colleges have an LGBT alumni group, and if so, how I can be in contact. Finally, I’ve gotten myself onto Facebook – a revolutionary act for a person my age!

3.   What is the goal of the work you do?
I have at least two goals.
My first goal is to expand Yale University’s base of actively engaged alumni – people who actively participate in university-related activities. This brings in lots of people who do NOT participate in local Yale Clubs and also people who do NOT attend quinquennial reunions. This expands and “democratizes” the alumni base in the sense that it brings in a lot of people who give only $50 a year or maybe nothing at all. But it also brings in people with deep pockets – people who were completely unknown and totally inaccessible to the Development Department.
My second goal is to deliver both myself and people like me from the burden of shame which is the product of isolation. We have to make clear to everyone that we are NOT “objectively disordered” and “intrinsically evil”. But before we can expect anyone else to believe this, we have to begin to really accept this ourselves. We have to see ourselves at parties; we have to see ourselves with our nieces and nephews and our own children at the zoo; we have to see ourselves volunteering in service projects; and like God in the Book of Genesis, we must see all this and know that it is good. (Citation: John McNeill, Taking a Chance on God, Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press. See also: Richard Isay, Commitment and Healing: Gay Men and the Need for Romantic Love, Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.)

4.   Is there an ally you’d like to have but is not available?
As a former Catholic schoolboy, and as a sincere, practicing, life-long Catholic, I have a special place in my heart for Catholic schools and Catholic universities. One of the best sources for alliance building among Catholics is a group called Fortunate Families, a group very much like PFLAG (“parents and friends of lesbians and gays”). Their website is: www.fortunatefamilies.com.
Another useful organization is the Nat'l Assn of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian/Gay Ministries: www.nacdlgm.org. A similar organization is Dignity USA: www.dignityusa.org. The difference between the two groups is that Dignity USA openly supports same-sex marriage, LGBT adoptions, and so on, while NACDLGM members have agreed to remain silent on the issue.
But the ally I would most like to see would be the Roman Catholic equivalent of Eugene Robinson, the Episcopalian Bishop of New Hampshire, who is openly gay, married to a man, and despite all that, an intelligent and worthwhile person, who has led a life of commitment and genuinely Christian values. We can only pray for the day when the Catholic Church is able to become as comfortable with the facts as our brothers and sisters in mainline Protestantism.

5.   What can alumni do?
The most important thing for any of us to do is to be out of the closet, to support those who also need to come out, and otherwise actively to contribute to the welfare of others.

6.   How do your efforts cross tracks with other activists?
We are the natural allies of women’s rights groups and with Catholic reform groups, like Call to Action, that stand up for the liberal spirit of Vatican II.

7.   What charge would you give ND/SMC GALA and alumni on how they can better assist the administration and the current students still on campus?
ND/SMC GALA should make sure that it allies itself with other shared identity groups and other shared interest groups. GALA needs to make clear to the administration that it is an indispensible component of the movement to expand and democratize alumni engagement, which in the end means serious increases in gifts and grants. Financial independence will make it more and more possible for the administration to put aside its fears of reprisals and just do the right thing.
If you don’t have a lot of money yourself, then concentrate on expanding the GALA network both with LGBT students, alumni and faculty and with non-gay allies. One of the best ways to do this is to implement “SAFE ZONE” training which is one of a number of different curricula for students, faculty and staff which encourages dialogue and understanding. The Safe Zone Foundation has a website: safezonefoundation.tripod.com. I’ve seen the program implemented at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and I’ve been impressed. In a truly safe environment, more and more people will be able to find the courage to be the people that God meant them to be. We cannot even begin to be “the People of God” until all of us allow ourselves to become the people that God meant us to be, and wants us to be. As the Creator of all that is real, God in the end is on the side of truth rather than on the side of deception.

From Tom O'Brien, '86, GALA Chair

Thu, 21 May 2009 02:20:38 GMT

Dear Member,

I am writing to you today because you are a Notre Dame alumnus/a from a grad year ending in 4 or 9. Since this is a reunion year for your graduating class from ND, we wanted to inform you about a panel being hosted by GALA-ND/SMC during Notre Dame's Reunion 2009 weekend (taking place June 4-7, 2009).

The panel, entitled "Alliances and Activism: Engaging Allies and Becoming Active," will examine how those in the Notre Dame community are building alliances with GLBT members, and will focus on support mechanisms for students and alumni for the future. As GALA-ND/SMC Chair, I will be on hand to moderate the discussion among panelists and guide Q&A from alumni/ae in attendance.

The panel will take place on Saturday June 6 at 1:30pm; it will be in DeBartolo Hall, Room 203. We hope that some of you will be able to join us for the panel! Registration is not necessary, and seating should be plentiful.

For those who will be at the reunion, I will also be hosting a morning coffee for any alumni/ae interested in joining me. You can join me on Saturday morning at Reckers, the on-campus coffee shop, located in the south side of the South Dining Hall building. I will be there beginning at 9:15am and you will be able to identify me by my GALA-ND/SMC ballcap.

If you have any questions or want additional info, contact me at chair@galandsmc.org.

Kind regards,

Tom O'Brien '86
GALA-ND/SMC Chair
chair@galandsmc.org

ND Reunion Panel: Alliances and Activism: Engaging Allies and Becoming Active

Fri, 08 May 2009 04:16:39 GMT

ND Alumni Reunion weekend is coming up June 4-7. GALA ND/SMC will be presenting a panel on Saturday, June 6 from 1:30pm-3:30pm in DeBartolo Hall Room 203.

The panel, entitled "Alliances and Activism: Engaging Allies and Becoming Active," will examine how those in the Notre Dame community are building alliances wit GLBT members, and will focus on support mechanisms for the future.

We hope that some of you will be able to join us for the panel! If you have any questions or want additional info, contact me at Secretary@Galandsmc.org.

GALA ND/SMC Letter to Father Jenkins about President Obama Visit

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:03:13 GMT

Download the letter sent to Father Jenkins here:
JenkinsLetterhead.doc

“StaND Against Hate” activities planned for April 14 to 17

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:35:18 GMT

Although Jenkins rejected the non-discrimination clause, students on campus are still making waves next week...

The University of Notre Dame’s Core Council for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Questioning Students will lead a number of campus activities April 14 to 17 (Tuesday to Friday) as part of “StaND Against Hate Week.”

Co-sponsored by Notre Dame’s Gender Relations Center, student government and University Counseling Center, the week is dedicated to ending all forms of hate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and serves to create an inclusive spirit at Notre Dame for all people, irrespective of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Read more about the activities here.

News from campus - Jenkins rejects sexual orientation protection

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:23:07 GMT

Jenkins decides to continue the tired hypocritical policies of the past. Read the full story here, and feel free to share your thoughts with us.

GALA ND/SMC Weighs in on Queer Film Fest

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:48:57 GMT

GALA ND/SMC submitted a letter to the editor in The Observer today regarding the state of the Queer Film Festival. Read the whole article here!

$1000 Student Scholarship Available for Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:55:23 GMT

GALA-ND/SMC is accepting applications for participation at the Campus Pride Leadership training for GLBT student leaders. The Leadership Camp runs from July 21-26, 2009 in Towson, Maryland.

http://www.campuspride.org/camp.asp

The scholarship in the amount of $1000 is intended to cover registration and travel. All meals are included in registration. Students may be from either Notre Dame or Saint Mary’s College, GLBT or ally. The recipient is expected to attend the entire training.

If you are interested in the scholarship, please send a one-page letter outlining your reasons for attending and how you would apply lessons learned at the training on campus when you return. Please remember to include all contact information. Send your letter of interest to chair@galandsmc.org by Friday, March 20, 2009.

Thank you and good luck!

Observer Viewpoint Heats Up

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:14:49 GMT

This past Monday, Tom O'Neil ('77) independently posted an article about the disappearance of the Notre Dame Queer Film Festival. Since then, numerous others have responded both in support and disdain of the Queer Film Festival.

On Wednesday, Teresa Nesbitt ('09) replied here about how the Queer Film Festival helped push her over the edge to go to Notre Dame in the first place and how dearly she misses it.

Take the time to read The Observer Viewpoints this week to hear what people are saying. What are your thoughts on this issue?

From the GALA ND/SMC Archives: February 14, 2004 - First ND Queer Film Festival

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:57:10 GMT

Click for full-size photo

Queer Film Festival Co-Founders and special guests meet with Father Hesburgh during its inaugural year.
Tom O'Neil ('77), Don Roos ('77), David Pais ('72), Gus Hinojosa ('82), Liam Dacey ('04), and Kevin Heffernan ('93)

Call for Regional Coordinators!

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:00:34 GMT

Currently GALA is looking for people who would like to coordinate regional events. This would be a great opportunity to meet and network with other GALA members in your area ... some of whom you may not even know you're neighbors with! Interested? Send an email to regions@galandsmc.org. Thanks!

Also, another great way to network with other GALA members is through our facebook page. Check it out here.

◤ Student-Alumni LGBT Career Webinar

GALA-ND/SMC Webmaster — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:23:35 GMT

On Thursday January 22, 2009, GALA-ND/SMC partnered with the Notre Dame Career Center to host a webinar entitled "Career Advice for LGBT Students."

Students on campus attended the webinar, which was moderated by GALA-ND/SMC Treasurer Michael August '96, with the participation of five alumni participants. Topics discussed included:

Researching and identifying LGBT-affirming workplaces
Navigating the hiring process as an LGBT applicant
Deciding when (or if) to come out on the job
Building a career, once hired, to success as an LGBT employee

This event was the first of its kind, and we hope to offer more resources like this for students in the future. If you are an alumnus and interested in contributing to future efforts such as this, please contact us by email at chair@galandsmc.org.

The webinar was recorded (slideshow plus panelist/participant audio) for campus archive purposes. Click here to view the webinar in your browser. Note that the webinar is approximately one hour long and that panelists were remotely presenting by telephone/web connection to students on campus.

For students who were in attendance, as promised, the resource links provided during the webinar are included below for your reference:

Undergrads (all career paths):

Out for Work
www.outforwork.com

Undergrads (banking/consulting):

Out for Undergraduate Business Career Fair www.outforbusiness.com

Law students:

National LGBT Bar AssociaIon Career Fair and Conference
www.lgbtbar.org/annual

MBA students:

Reaching Out MBA
www.reachingoutmba.org

NetworkQ
www.networkq.org

Transgender professionals:

Southern Comfort Career Expo
www.sccatl.org

Fair and Inclusive Workplaces:

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
www.outandequal.org

Best Places to Work:

HRC Workplace Project
www.hrc.org/issues/workplace.asp

Revisiting Notre Dame's non discrimination clause - a new approach to an old issue

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:54:03 GMT

I hope you had a safe and happy holiday season. GALA ND/SMC is looking forward to an exciting year of activities. I'd like to kick off the New Year with some exciting news from campus and a way that you can help.

This year on campus, there has been a renewed attempt to add sexual orientation to the Notre Dame non discrimination clause. The coalition, which is mainly composed of students, has been named the Human Dignity Campaign. Instead of looking at short-term goals, the plan is to carry out a coordinated set of objectives and tactics over the upcoming two years. Last semester, students participated in a Grassroots Campaign Training workshop to learn more how to accomplish this.

This coming semester, there will be a “Kickoff Meeting” for the Human Dignity Campaign lead by students from the Progressive Student Alliance (PSA). You may recall that the PSA was the first group to push for sexual orientation to be added on to the non-discrimination clause in the late 1990s. Also, the group will start their strategy by asking the Student Senate, Faculty Senate, and dorms to add sexual orientation to their own non discrimination clauses.

The Human Dignity Campaign has asked GALA ND/SMC for our help. They are looking to compile a list of concrete examples of how members of the Notre Dame community have been discriminated against. Very understandably, it is difficult to get these stories of discrimination from students, faculty, and staff who are currently at Notre Dame. For this end, alumni can greatly help the campaign by sharing their stories, which can range from large to small. How did you feel discriminated against when you were at Notre Dame? What was the atmosphere in the dorms like? What did you think would happen if you came out? Every instance of discrimination, both direct and indirect, needs to be told and documented to ensure that it does not happen again.

Also, we welcome positive stories you may have of instances of discrimination that the Notre Dame community effectively responded to.

You may tell your story one of two ways. First, I have opened up a discussion thread here on this where you may tell your story and see others. If you do not wish to share your story with the group, you may email it to me at Secretary@galandsmc.org.

Please make sure your story is preserved and used to help future Notre Dame students, staff, and faculty reach equality.

◤ October 2008 Campus Visit

GALA-ND/SMC Webmaster — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:18:21 GMT

During the first week of October, three of GALA-ND/SMC's officers visited the Notre Dame and Saint Mary's campuses. The visit coincided with the ND-Stanford football weekend, but was structured as a working trip for GALA Chair Tom O'Brien '86 and Secretary Liam Dacey '04.

Below is an update letter from Tom O'Brien about the campus visit:

---

Although I try to make it back to campus every year or so for a game and to catch-up with friends, this year’s trip to South Bend in early October was a different sort of homecoming. It was my first as Chair of GALA; and while it was nice to see the Irish win a game and celebrate at the GALA tailgater (thanks as always to Tim Hennessey and Ed May for hosting!), the focus of the visit was on fulfilling GALA’s mission, which includes improving communication with University and College officials; and increasing the visibility of gay and lesbian alumni at Notre Dame, Saint Mary's, and nationwide.

I was joined by Vice Chair Steven Saftig and Secretary Liam Dacey. (We left treasurer Mike August at home to revamp the website.) We held meetings with Chuck Lennon, Executive Director of the Alumni Association; Sr. Sue Dunn, Assistant Vice-President for Student Affairs and Co-Chair of the Core Council for Gay and Lesbian Students; Mary Porter, Faculty Advisor to the Saint Mary’s Straight and Gay Alliance (SAGA); members of the Career Center and Business school; and student representatives at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

I am pleased to report that the meetings were productive; and I believe that we accomplished the goal of raising our profile on campus and improving the lines of communication with university officials. While GALA and the university still do not agree on two of our primary objectives - adding sexual orientation to Notre Dame’s non-discrimination clause and formal recognition of the student group OutreachND - the welcome we received was sincere. We left with some specific “To Do” items that reflect not only a willingness to work together but also what I believe to be a real change in the way Notre Dame views its GLBT students and alumni. These action items include

Hosting a 2009 webinar in conjunction with the Career Center, the Business School, and the Alumni Association on the topic of “Being out on the job market and in the work place.” The seminar is scheduled for January 22. It is part of a “Diversity in the Workplace” series which includes a diversity reception at the university’s Winter Career and Internship Fair. I think this is an indication that major employers are serious about including GLBT students when they recruit, and that they expect colleges and universities to be as inclusive with their own career development programs.
Putting together a panel on the gay family as part of reunion weekend 2009. This is something that GALA has done in the past; and we are looking at planning other activities that would make homecoming more of an event weekend for GALA.
Identifying opportunities to work with ND’s regional alumni networks, building upon activities like the recent “Dining Diversity” which involved the Notre Dame Club of San Francisco and GALA. (See www.galandsmc.org for a report from Steven on the event.)
Sponsoring speakers and other activities on Saint Mary’s campus. Our organization serves alumni of both ND and SMC but we have not always done a good job of attracting and retaining female members from Saint Mary’s or Notre Dame. We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Saint Mary’s has already adopted a non-discrimination clause that includes sexual orientation. We should learn from that experience; and that is only possible with active participation from both campuses. This includes alumni as well as faculty and current students.

And speaking of students, let me add that as alumni, we all should be proud of the current leaders on campus. Steven, Liam, Michael and I have all been impressed by the courage, character and commitment of the members of OutreachND, the Core Council, and the Progressive Student Alliance. It was clear by the results from the recent GALA survey that our membership believes one of our primary functions is to support the current students. They make it so much easier to stay engaged as graduates when you see all of their efforts, particularly with regard to the non-discrimination clause. We will continue to support them in these efforts.

The students are the principle reason I returned from South Bend even more committed to GALA and our goals. Is the university where we want it to be with regard to its GLBT family members? No. Is there reason to believe that continued engagement will help? I honestly think so. The partnership with the Career Center on the Webinar is one indication.

As this and other programs develop, we will need your assistance. If you are interested in sharing your workplace experiences as part of the webinar, please contact me at chair@galandsmc.org. One thing that could grow out of this is a job shadowing or mentoring network for graduates moving to new areas of the country.

We will be using our new website to share information on all of our activities. I hope you will take the time to visit www.galandsmc.org and check it out. Renew your membership so that you can take advantage of the Members Only section which includes GALA’s directory. Mike August has done yeoman’s work on this and deserves all our thanks.

Our hope is that a dynamic website reflects a dynamic organization. We are more than 900 members strong, representing all parts of the country and graduating classes that stretch from 1945 through 2009. You will be hearing from us and from the regional coordinators about ways to become involved both locally and at the national level. If you look at our agenda of activities and have suggestions for others that you think GALA should be involved in, let us know. The work matters; and we want you to be a part of it.

Tom O'Brien '86

GALA-ND/SMC Chair

chair@galandsmc.org

◤ 2008 GALA-ND/SMC Tailgate = Success

GALA-ND/SMC Webmaster — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:35:40 GMT

On October 4, as rainbow balloons swayed overhead, GALA-ND/SMC members young and old enjoyed food and drinks with students, faculty, and friends for the annual tailgate before the ND/Stanford game! It was a great chance to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones - including student members of OutreachND, The Core Council, and The Progressive Student Alliance.

Former Film, Television, and Theater (FTT) Chair and McMeel Family Professor in Shakespearan Studies Peter Holland stopped by with his lovely wife and fellow professor Romana Huk to reminisce about the Notre Dame Queer Film Festival. Peter was instrumental in being the first one to sponsor the festival when he was chair in 2004.

For your viewing pleasure, check out some photos of the festivities on our Event Photos page.

It was not all fun and games over the weekend, as GALA had meetings with the Notre Dame Alumni Association, St. Mary's College officials, and current students, among others. Look for a full recap soon on what the buzz is around campus these days.

Special thanks once again to our alumni organizers for setting up this wonderful event. They are already looking to next year's tailgate – which may include some added events for GALA ND/SMC members. Stay tuned!

◤ Our new website

GALA-ND/SMC Webmaster — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:25:47 GMT

On October 7, GALA-ND/SMC will launch its new website. With the new website comes a whole host of great features for our members:

Password-protected login for access to member-only content, such as:

Newsletter Archive
Discussion Forum (formerly done via Yahoo Groups)
Online Member Directory

Email and RSS subscriptions to website News and Announcements
Personal management of your member profile/directory listing
Online dues and donation payments
Signup for our e-newsletter, delivered 4-6 times annual with new and previously-published content and updates

We look forward to launching this new site for you to use!

◤ Member Profiles: Kevin Heffernan

GALA-ND/SMC Webmaster — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:42:15 GMT

In this new ongoing column, we will profile members of GALA-ND/SMC. Our lives in relation to our time at ND/SMC and beyond have taken many different turns. Here is our first story:

Kevin Heffernan '93

Kevin currently resides in Chicago and is the Director of Accreditation and Continuing Education at the American Medical Association. Kevin is also finishing his Master's Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Loyola University Chicago and plans to continue on for his PhD.

Kevin has had a long history of involvement with GALA-ND/SMC. In 1998, Kevin served as newsletter editor and eventually became Chair in 2001 and Vice Chair from 2003-2007. Kevin thinks that GALA plays an essential role in helping Notre Dame become a better place and has been valuable in helping alumni who felt alienated from the university reclaim it as their own. Additionally, he believes that the organization has given younger alumni and students resources to work for change.

Kevin remains hopeful that the opportunity is there for Notre Dame to be come a more welcoming place for LGBT students on campus. He is excited for new blood to lead GALA and foster more activity on the local level.

In addition to Kevin’s involvement with GALA, he is a member of the Chicago Gay Menʼs Chorus, where he presided as president in 2007, and is on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Alliance for Continuing Medical Education.

Kevin has been with his partner David Biele for over 2 years and is planning on having some kind of commitment ceremony or wedding in the next year or so.

Do you know a GALA-ND/SMC member who should be featured in a future Member Profiles article? Let us know at editor@galandsmc.org.

◤ New GALA-ND/SMC Secretary

GALA-ND/SMC Webmaster — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:20:21 GMT

We are pleased to announce that, following a special election, our dues-paying members have chosen Liam Dacey (ND Class of 2004) as the new secretary of GALA-ND/SMC.

Liam's ballot statement was as follows:

"Although I have always had close interaction with GALA ND/SMC, I look forward to serving as secretary and getting to view things from the inside. Specifically, I hope to use my extensive background in GLBT negotiations with Notre Dame to help GALA ND/SMC move forward in its mission. Specifically, I hope to improve communication between members, update the website and add user profiles, develop a strategic plan that will look toward the future, and create new innovative ways to create ties between students, alumni, and the community.
"I believe that GALA ND/SMC can create positive change at Notre Dame; however we must go back to our core values and mission before we embark on the exciting possibilities that lay ahead."

Please join us in welcoming Liam!