HAVEN

LGBTQ Equality

We at Sam Houston State University are committed to the inclusion of all students. SHSU’s Institutional Mission Statement emphasizes the importance of promoting and supporting diversity.

What is Haven?

Haven is a campus wide effort that began in 2009. It was created to promote inclusion and advocacy on campus so that faculty and staff members could provide a "safe zone" for the LGBTQ community to discuss issues without having to worry about being discriminated against or admonished for their sexual orientation or gender identity. Today, Haven has expanded to include all members of the campus community – all faulty, staff, and students are welcome and encouraged to participate in Haven programming. The overarching goal of Haven is to create a more welcoming and inclusive campus and to celebrate the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities belonging to our campus community members. Specifically, Haven aims to:

  1. Provide facts and correct false and uninformed information on the topics of sexual and gender identity
  2. Recognize struggles in the environment that affect LGBTQ individuals
  3. Identify and discuss strategies to reduce discrimination toward the LGBTQ community.
  4. Raise awareness of the damaging impact of homophobia and heterosexism on all people
  5. Create a network of informed, supportive advocates/allies
  6. Celebrate and honor our LGBTQ students

What does Haven do?

The Haven Team serves the campus community and fulfills its mission in two different ways: providing trainings to create more effective allies, and organizing the Lavender Graduation Celebration.

What are Haven Trainings?

Haven Trainings are offered each semester. Training comes in two parts: Haven 101 and Haven 102. In Haven 101, participants will learn about basic vocabulary relevant to the LGBTQ community, the differences between gender and sexuality, power and privilege, risks and statistics, current laws that effect LGBTQ people, and the basics of how to be a good ally. In Haven 102, participants will learn about heteronormativity, identity development, issues related to coming out, microaggressions, how to have difficult dialogues, and how to be an active ally.

Each training is two-hours in length and combines lecture with activities and interactive discussion. Upon completion of both Haven 101 and 102, participants are awarded a Haven sticker, which they can display to designate safe space and support. For more information about these sessions, or training dates, contact us at org_haven@shsu.edu.

Haven Trainings 2023


Join us for Lavender Graduation 

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM


Haven logo (rainbow)


Haven - Campus Allies

The following list contains faculty, staff, and students who have completed both parts of the Haven Training and have opted to be listed as allies on campus.

NamePronounsDepartmentOther Info
Emma Anderson-White She/her Graduate Psychology Student Eaa051@shsu.edu
Leslie Anglesey She/her English Dept Anglesey@shsu.edu 936-294-3156
Wally Barnes, Ed.D. He/him Academic Success Center Wbb001@shsu.edu Huntsville office: Farrington 111, (936) 294-1709 TWC Office: TWC 103, (936) 202-5102
Dana Bible She/her General Business and Finance Dana.bible@shsu.edu (936) 294-2574 SHB 206G
Dr. William Blackwell He/him School of Teaching and Learning Whb004@shsu.edu
Stephanie Bluth She/her The Graduate School Templeton building #117 (936) 294-2374
Jenn Boland She/her Graduate Psychology Student (936) 294-1210
Breanna Boppre Department of Victim Studies
Jelika Brahaj Student jxb187@shsu.edu
Stephanie Brown She/her PACE-QEP brownsj@shsu.edu 936-294-4263
Wyatt Brown He/him Criminal Justice and Criminology wbrown@shsu.edu CJC C117
Jacob Chandler Enrollment Services
Caitlin Child She/her Clinical Psychology Student Chc016@shsu.edu
Shelly Clevenger Department of Victim Studies
Breanna Cole Office of Equity & Title lX
Lisa Dahlgren Dept of Communication Studies
Kelsi Davis She/her Psychology and Philosophy, Clinical Psychology PHD Program kelcidavis@shsu.edu (314) 283-6082 CHSS 322
P. Jeremy Dew, LPC-S He/him Private Practice, The Oakwood Collaborative in College Station jeremy@oakwoodcounseling.com
Brandy Doleshal She/her Mathematics and Statistics Bdoleshal@shsu.edu
Tamara Draper She/her Sociology Department tdraper@shsu.edu 936-294-1512
Laura Durham She/her Registrar’s Office Lcd004@shsu.edu
Paul Eaton He/him Department of Educational Leadership Pwe003@shsu.edu
Trevor England He/him Accounting tengland@shsu.edu Smith-Hutson Building, 311D
Taylor Fischer She/her Department of Family and Consumer Sciences tlo002@shsu.edu
Betsy E. Galicia She/her Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student bgalicia@shsu.edu
Ruben Garcia SAM Center
Emily Garner Dept of Psychology & Philosophy
Kathleen Gilbert She/her College of Health Sciences – Food Pantry kgilbert@shsu.edu 936-294-2309 LDB 201
Heather-Reneé Gooch She/her Residence Life and Higher Education Grad Student Hrg018@shsu.edu (936) 294-4700
Ghady Hbeilini Department of Criminal Justice gxh040@shsu.edu
Terrie Hemphill-Rhodes She/her Clinical Mental Health Counseling Graduate Student, Student Health Department employee Txh034@shsu.edu
Craig Henderson He/him Psychology chenderson@shsu.edu (936) 294-3601
Malin Hilmersson She/her Office of International Programs malin@shsu.edu (936) 294-3276
Tiffany Hubrig Student Money Management
Abby Hutchinson Student
Daphne D. Johnson She/her School of Teaching and Learning, College of Education TEC 271H
Jandy Kelley She/her College of Health Sciences Deans Office, Student Records Coordinator jandy@shsu.edu (936) 294-2312
Claire Krakoski College of Health Sciences
Beata Krembuszewski She/her Graduate Psychology Student Bak021@shsu.edu
Leena Landmark, PhD She/her School of Teaching and Learning Landmark@shsu.edu 275A TEC @Dr_Landmark
Tessa Long She/her Psychology and Philosophy, SHSU Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (936) 294-1210
Jennifer Martin Office of Equity & Title lX
Jessica McQuestion School of Teaching & Learning
Melissa Mednicov,PhD She/her Department of Art mmednicov@shsu.edu (936) 294-4572
Carroll Nardone She/her CHSS Dean’s Office (Associate Dean) English Dept cfnardone@shsu.edu CHSS 290G 936-294-2203
Eryn Nicole O’Neal She/her Criminal Justice and Criminology Eno006@shsu.edu (936) 294-3280 C215
Erin Owens She/her Newton Gresham Library Eowens@shsu.edu (936) 294-4567 NGL 200C
Emily Roper College of Health Sciences
Lauren Rubenstein She/her Psychology Lxr074@shsu.edu CHSS 320
Brittany Salazar bss031@shsu.edu
Shawnna Sandles She/her Academic Coach, TRiO/SSS College of Education Sms023@shsu.edu TEC 316 (936) 294-2341
Lisa Shen She/her Newton Gresham Library, Director of Public Services (936) 294-3587
William Shepherd He/Him Physics Farrington 216C
Dr. Katie Jean Shinkle She/her English/Creative Writing Kjs078@shsu.edu Evans complex 414
Nadelyn Smith She/her Student and RA staff Nrs028@shsu.edu
Susan Strickland She/her NGL strickland@shsu.edu
Kandi Tayebi She/her English Department Eng_kat@shsu.edu 936-294-1439 Evans 406
Tiffany Terry She/her PACE Tiff@shsu.edu (936) 294-4042 CHSS C002
Dana Van De Walker She/her Office of international Programs Djv013@shsu.edu (936) 294-2746
Andrew Vierkant He/Him Newton Gresham Library, Circulation Alv007@shsu.edu
Viktor Vilt He/him Newton Gresham Library, student Ncv004@shsu.edu (936) 294-1599
Melinda Weathers She/her Communication Studies mweathers@shsu.edu CHSS 410J
Saiya Yanagihashi She/her Residence Life Smy012@shsu.edu
Taylor Young Student tjy005@shsu.edu
Ashley Brown SHSU Pharmacy and136@shsu.edu
Jalon Berry Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion jalonberry@shsu.edu
Lindsey Lopez Office of Health Promotions llopez@shsu.edu
Yvette Figueroa Assistant Professor Department of Kinesiology ylf001@shsu.edu
Ron Reed Associate Professor Departmentof Family & Consumer Sciences rlr054@shsu.edu
Abigail Eoff Research Intern Department of Population aee014@shsu.edu
Brittany Cameron Student bac059@shsu.edu
William Whitmire he/his/him Career Success wcw009@shsu.edu
Holly Barecky she/her/hers Financial Aid Counselor hab004@shsu.edu

Additional LGBTQ Resources

Gamma Sigma Kappa (GSK - Gay/Straight Kats) 

GSK is a Gay-Straight Alliance is an on campus organization that serves as a political, educational, social, and support group for the LGBTIQ community and allies in the Sam Houston State University community.

SHSU Title IX Coordinator (Bias Acts, Assault, Harassment, Hate Crimes) 

Lowman Student Center, Suite 215. (936) 294-3026.

SHSU Transgender Resources

Hotlines:

Bisexual Resource Center https://biresource.org

My Gay Houston www.mygayhouston.com

Houston GLBT Caucus www.thecaucus.org

PRIDE Houston www.pridehouston.org

LGBT Resource Center – University of Houston www.uh.edu/lgbtq

Houston’s Transgender Unity Committee www.facebook.com/HoustonTransUnityCommittee

Hatch Youth – Empowering Houston’s LGBTQIA Youth www.hatchyouth.org

Lesbian Health Initiative – Houston www.lhihouston.org

Transgender Center www.tgctr.org

GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) www.glaad.org

Human Rights Campaign www.hrc.org

GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) www.glsen.org

PFLAG.org – Houston: www.pflaghouston.org Austin: www.pflagaustin.org Dallas: www.pflagdallas.org

The Intersex Society of North America www.isna.org

Intersex Initiative www.intersexinitiative.org

National Center for Transgender Equality www.transequality.org

National LGBTQ Task Force www.thetaskforce.org

Sexual Health www.sexualhealth.com

LGBTQ Nation www.lgbtqnation.com

It Gets Better Project www.itgetsbetter.org

Institute for Welcoming Resources (Faith and spirituality) www.welcomingresources.org

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association www.ilga.org

GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality www.glma.org

Family Equality Council www.familyequality.org

Trans Student Educational Resources www.transstudent.org

Out and Equal Workplace Advocates www.outandequal.org

Straight for Equality (from PFLAG) www.straightforequality.org

lnnerbody Research https://www.innerbody.com/mental-health-resources-for-the-lgbtq-community

Intersectional Identities http://uwm.edu/lgbtrc/support/integrating-identities/

A Gender Identity Glossary of Terms: https://rossieronline.usc.edu/blog/gender-identity-glossary/

LGBTQ+ Health Statistics: https://www.drugwatch.com/health/lgbtq/

Ultimate Guide to Resources for LGBTQ+ Students: https://couponfollow.com/research/resources-guide-for-lgbtq-students

We at Sam Houston State University are committed to the inclusion of all students. SHSU’s Institutional Mission Statement emphasizes the importance of promoting and supporting diversity.

Sam Houston Counseling Center

1608 Avenue J., Box 209  | Huntsville, TX 77341-2059  | Phone: 936.294.1720 | Fax: 936.294.2639