The Kent State LGBTQ+ Center supports an inclusive environment on all KSU campuses, advocates for all individuals and campus and community groups based on sexual and gender identity, maintains organizational capacity so that the work of the Center is efficient and effective, and builds community and a sense of belonging to support an inclusive environment.
The center is a welcoming environment to LGBTQ students and their allies. The informed staff strives to educate the campus community about sexual orientation and gender identity to ensure ºÚÁÏÍø remains a safe space for all students.
Save the Dates - Spring 2025 Events!
2025 Lavender Celebration
This year's Lavender Celebration will be held Thursday, May 1st, from 6 - 8:30p.m. in the Kent Student Center Ballroom. This dinner and awards celebration is free, but registration is required.
To learn more and register, visit our Lavender Celebration page using the link below.
2025 Alumni Keynote: Pete Finnerty, Ph.D.
Pete Finnerty (he/him/his) is a licensed professional clinical counselor and supervisor (LPCC-S), advocate, consultant, educator, and founder/clinical director of Grow Well Cleveland LLC, Visiting Assistant Professor of Counseling at Cleveland State University, and board member for Colors+ Youth Center. As an "out" queer clinician, educator, and advocate Pete believes in serving "with/for" the entire LGBTQ+ community and all those oppressed and marginalized by society. Pete received a B.A. in Psychology and Master's in Counseling (with emphasis in marriage and family therapy) from California State University-Fresno, followed by a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from ºÚÁÏÍø. He often looks back fondly at his KSU experience, given this was an expansive growth period as a person, professional, and advocate. As a clinician Pete has worked in college counseling centers, community agencies, crisis centers, private practice, and inpatient behavioral health centers. These experiences allowed Pete to hone a holistic, systemic approach while developing unique nutritional, physical activity, and advocacy/resistance techniques for therapy borrowed from other careers as an educator and fitness trainer. Particular tools Pete utilizes include activity/yoga therapy, EMDR, DBT, feminist narrative, and ACT in individual, dyad, and group settings. Pete's practice is based in affirmative, feminist, existential, and community wellness. Pete also enjoys counseling adolescent boys, athletes, couples, families, and many others at Grow Well Cleveland.
Pete is also a professor in Cleveland State University's counseling program where he teaches assessment, clinical practicum & internship courses, family counseling, ethics, career development, personality development/assessment, and addictions recently. He has taught theory, cultural responsivity, research methods, psychopathology, service learning, and several specialty courses on LGBTQ+ issues and wellness during previous stints as an educator. Pete develops collaborative scholarly literature in these areas including a comprehensive set of competencies (currently being updated) for counseling the LGBTQ+ population as part of advocacy with the Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities (SAIGE), a division of the American Counseling Association. Other publications and research interests include LGBTQ+ issues, social justice, advocacy, wellness, and technology in counseling. Pete advocates and organizes locally, regionally, and nationally for LGBTQ+ persons and other marginalized persons, military members/veterans, and professional counselors. Pete collaboratively began the Ohio division of SAIGE in 2011 and also joined the board for Colors+ Youth Center around the same time, serving as President until 2023. He has presented at local, state, and national conferences on LGBTQ+ issues, advocacy, wellness, supervision, teaching, and other topics. In his spare time you will find Pete running the trails and riding the roads of the greater Cleveland and national parks with his family.
Support Students in Need
The LGBTQ+ Center's emergency fund is available for students in need of additional funding for books, academic supplies, household items, housing, or food.