Q Center assistant director helps foster supportive space for the LGBTQ+ community
A nine-month internship with a $1,000 stipend helped Nicholas “Nick” Martin, assistant director at Binghamton University’s Q [LGBTQ] Center, find his passion.
Although Martin earned an undergraduate degree in hospitality management, he accepted a virtually unpaid internship in student life/student affairs at Adams State University in Alamosa, Colo., that was rich in experiential opportunity and helped clarify his future in higher education. When the internship ended, he headed east to earn his master’s degree in student affairs at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
After completing his degree, Martin held several positions in residence life — from Cal State East Bay to Syracuse University — but realized he wanted to work at a support or resource center targeted to the needs of a specific community. For Martin, this meant a student population whose struggles and challenges he understood. And, the Q Center assistant director position proved a perfect fit.
“This role at the Q Center was really a chance to hone in on a community that I care deeply about,” Martin said. “Given the times we are living in, I think it’s increasingly critical to have safe spaces and support systems that help people feel empowered to gather together. That was something I wanted to be involved with.”
An affirming space for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies
Operating under the auspices of the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), the Q Center provides a respectful, welcoming space where constituents self-identifying as LGBTQ+ or those questioning gender identity or sexual orientation can freely gather, as well as find critical support systems and resources. Additionally, the center facilitates the role of active allies — friends, family and community members who proactively support the LGBTQ+ community.
The center maintains two professional staff members, Martin, and a center coordinator — a position that is currently vacant with recruitment underway. The center also supports a graduate assistant, often drawing candidates from the master’s in social work and master’s in public administration programs at the College for Community and Public Affairs. They also fill several student manager positions through the Federal Work-Study program. Student managers typically oversee the welcome desk and lounge area and provide operational support that allows the center to maintain extended hours. Other student staff serve as interns for credit or volunteer more informally to sit on committees or help with event planning and logistics.
BingUNews recently spoke with Martin about the challenges and progress of the University’s LGBTQ+ community and goals for the Q Center as it prepares for a new academic year.
Q: You’re chairing the search committee for the coordinator position. What qualifications or attributes are you looking for?
Martin: On paper, it’s a pretty broad job description. And I think it’s definitely the kind of role that is open to interpretation. There is a lot of potential for someone who is creative. Our Active Ally initiative is one of our biggest programs, but I’d love to work on developing new workshops and initiatives. Having a teaching background might be helpful, but it’s more about the ability to lead engaging and interactive workshops. We are looking for someone with a strong viewpoint who wants to make their mark in this position.
Q: Tell us more about the Active Ally program? And who might benefit from attending?
Martin: I think it is a really positive experience for attendees. Over the last year, Nic [Francisco, the center’s former coordinator] did a great job trying to establish the program. They developed a consistent schedule with lots of options for participants. Even though attendance had been declining in the spring semester, and we are trying to assess why that is, we still feel — based on attendee feedback —that it was successful and remains a valuable program.
This year, we want to tailor the program more specifically for a faculty and staff audience. We want to ensure that participants feel comfortable asking questions they may not want to ask in front of students. We are also finding that students benefit more from working with peer educators, so we will also be looking to develop more student-led workshops for students and student organizations that express interest.
Q: Given the current climate in this country with regard to LGBTQ+ rights, what are some specific challenges or issues for the community on this campus?
Martin: From a student standpoint, one critical issue is visibility. Many queer students don’t feel seen, or they think that the center’s location does not highlight them in positive ways. We are tucked away in the basement level of the library, so they feel it’s easy to bypass us. There are also some accessibility concerns. For students with mobility issues or disabilities, simply getting to the center presents challenges.
Q: How do you feel the University has responded to these and broader social issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community?
Martin: I think it’s an interesting dynamic. The Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) and Q Center were both started by students. So, these spaces only exist because students campaigned for them — which is not a bad thing. I mean, students having the power to advocate for what they want, and the University responding with tangible resources to provide the things the students are asking for is significant, it’s commendable.
There has also been an elevation of the division [of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] by the campus administration, which has definitely filtered down. We are seeing an upsurge in the campus community seeking positive collaborative partnerships and reaching out to us in intentional ways. So, I think the messaging is there and the support is there. Additionally, there has been an increase in observable support and resources.
For example, we had really positive responses from students and others in the community when we hung the pride flag for the first time on this campus [in June 2022]. It was in a highly visible spot right on the Peace Quad. Orientation groups and visitors could see it. Many people mentioned that while it might seem like a small thing, it shifted that visibility conversation. It felt like, okay, this is something that everybody will see — that the campus supports this because it’s in a prominent location.
Q: What are some of the Q Center’s signature programs throughout the year?
Martin: Many of our key events and programs focus on raising awareness and increasing visibility and knowledge about the community. These events are open to everyone because we are interested in creating a rich and inclusive community, whether you self-identify or just want to show support. In the fall semester, we have several events. Rainbow Welcome is an informal mixer for first-year students where we have food, music and literature available. October is National LGBTQ+ History Month, so we celebrate “OUTober” with pride and we’ll feature a variety of lectures, workshops and discussions. Another annual event centers around Trans Awareness Week, which takes place in late November.
The National Day of Silence spreads awareness about bullying, harassment and suicide —these are critical issues in the LGBTQ+ community. That’s in April. We also have our Lavender Celebration — a special Commencement ceremony for LGBTQ+ students. They receive their rainbow cord and enjoy an opportunity to celebrate with others who have supported them on their journey or understand the unique challenges of earning a diploma while being part of a marginalized community.
Q: What’s next for the Q Center?
Martin: We are looking to fill the coordinator position, so whoever the incumbent is may determine some of our next steps. We have some tentative dates for the Active Ally program that I will be leading this semester. And, we are working with some of our student peer educators to develop programming — mostly ally-focused — specific to student audiences.
We are working to increase the number of all-gender bathrooms on campus, improve signage and ensure there are options in every campus building that are accessible to everyone.
Most significantly are efforts to help increase our visibility. I’m working with Richie [Sebuharara] from the MRC to create a presence in the University Downtown Center (UDC). The UDC is where the social work and human development students attend a majority of classes, and these are the students most closely aligned with the work we are doing at the Q Center. We have spoken with some people at the UDC Library about putting together a book installation and we are meeting with staff in the social work program about creating a small satellite location.
Q: Anything else?
Martin: I’d just like to point out how much creativity is happening in our space. We may not have a lot of funding or resources, but we have the freedom to be creative and innovative. Working with the students is really exciting because they have so many ideas and sometimes present solutions that I didn’t see. We have been benefitting from expanding our campus partnerships, and that’s exciting. When we meet with staff and faculty from other departments or programs who want to do similar things, you can feel the momentum build; the excitement is palpable.
We really want everyone to feel welcome to visit. That includes students, faculty and staff. We have a professional staff to help anyone who walks through our doors understand what resources are available or point them in the right direction. We also have student staff with a lot of knowledge and information about what’s happening in our community. We want people to know they are supported and affirmed in their identities, so they can be themselves on campus and feel that “Yeah, I made a good choice, the right choice in coming here.”
The Q Center is located on the lower level of the Glenn G. Bartle Library South (LS-G549) and open from noon to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday during the academic year. Stay up-to-date with Q Center happenings on Instagram or join the center on B-Engaged, where you can subscribe to the Q Tea newsletter.