Weber State LGBTQ+ graduates to be honored at formal Lavender Graduation
OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University’s LGBT Resource Center will honor LGBTQ+ graduates with its first formal Lavender Graduation celebration April 19.
Lavender Graduation will be held 12:30–2 p.m. in the Shepherd Union, Skyroom 404. Graduates can pick up a rainbow tassel and enjoy lunch with presentations about the history of lavender graduations and reading of graduate names.
“It’s a great event to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community that we have here at Weber State and the community that supports them,” said Katelyn Blanch, LGBT Resource Center administrative assistant. “Our LGBTQ+ students are very passionate and have put in a lot of work, and they’ve been underrepresented for so long.”
Lavender graduations began in 1995 at the University of Michigan after lesbian speaker and author Ronni Sanlo was denied access to her childrens’ graduations due to her sexual orientation. The tradition has now expanded to hundreds of universities across the country.
Weber State has hosted informal lavender graduations in previous years, but the LGBT Resource Center plans to make it an official part of WSU’s affinity graduation programs going forward.
Affinity graduation ceremonies provide opportunities for underrepresented students to connect and celebrate their communities prior to main commencement, and often provide special cords and tassels for graduates to wear during the larger ceremony.
“We want to make Lavender Graduation a staple of the LGBT Resource Center,” Blanch said. “It’s really cool to walk with your rainbow stole or tassel. It meant a lot to me when I was a student.”
Lavender Graduation attendees can RSVP for the event on the resource center website.
Weber State has several other affinity graduations that celebrate the university’s diverse communities. Upcoming graduation ceremonies include:
April 19
2nd Annual Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration
6–8 p.m. in the Shepherd Union Ballroom, Ogden campus
April 20
WSU Ballet Folklorico Graduation Ceremony
6–7:30 p.m. in the Wildcat Theater, Ogden campus
April 22
LatinX Graduation Ceremony
12–2 p.m. in the Austad Theater in the Val A. Browning Center, Ogden campus
April 25
African Diaspora Graduation
6–8 p.m. at the WSU Lindquist Alumni Center in Dumke Hall, Ogden campus
April 27
Native American Graduation Celebration
5 p.m. at WSU Davis, Building 3
Weber State’s spring 2023 commencement and convocation ceremonies begin at 8:30 a.m. April 28 at the Dee Events Center.
Jessica Kokesh, Marketing & Communications
801-626-7316, jessicakokesh@weber.edu- Contact:
Katelyn Blanch, LGBT Resource Center
801-626-6060, katelynblanch@weber.edu