Principle of Equality Grant Supports Diverse Student Programming
Published: March 29, 2022 | Author: Lawrence Mbaki | Read Time: 3 minutes
The student population at Southern Utah University is growing in numbers and diversity. To continue effective recruitment, retention, student success, and graduation efforts, diverse student programming is essential. One way SUU supports diverse student programming is through a yearly principle of equality grant from the B.W. Bastian Foundation. This year’s grant will support the upcoming 2022 Pride Alliance and B.W. Bastian Foundation Film Festival taking place April 4th and 5th at 6:00 pm each night in the Student Center Theater (ST 155).
B.W. Bastian Foundation supports local and national institutions that embrace the principle of equality in an effort to build community and understanding. Financial support is directed to the arts through educational outreach. SUU Pride Alliance is a network comprised of students, staff, faculty, and administrators dedicated to supporting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community on the campus of SUU. Pride Alliance combines SUU essential learning outcomes and student desires for safe, holistic learning environments. The B.W. Bastian Foundation and SUU Pride Alliance partnership has supported diverse student programming at SUU for the past five years, with 2022 marking the sixth year of grant support received. Funds will be used to build on past accomplishments while responding to continued institutional growth, allowing greater connection through opportunities for belonging—within and across differences—through the shared language of art.
Andrea Donovan, the principal director (PD) for this grant, is a Mental Health Counselor in SUU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Donovan loves teamwork and as a member of the SUU Pride Alliance, she has collaborated with many to secure this grant from year to year. Collaborators include past and present student film festival interns (Sofie Scaletta, Braydon Rawlings, Sarah Draper, Victor Carvajal-Lopez, Allie Pierce), SUU Library Acquisitions Coordinator (Belinda Singleton), Student Affairs administrators (Eric Kirby, Anu Tufuga, Jared Tippets), CAPS Clinical Director (DeNean Petersen), Co-IRB PI Kristina Johnson (for the film fest audience evaluation), CAPS Director (Curtis Hill), CAPS Office Manager (Debbie Arenivar) and the entire CAPS team, as well as many individual SUU academic departments, Office of the Provost, and Pride and Equality Club. These folks shared data, clinical support, financial support, workload, planning and facilitation. “It is an honor to belong with tremendous folks doing such important work,” said Donovan, as she discusses the years of collaboration related to this grant award.
Donovan also shared details about the movies being shown during the upcoming festival:
Mon. April 4, 2022 (ST 155 at 6:00 pm) – Dog Valley directed by Dave Lindsay and written by Chad Anderson. Dog Valley tells the story of a homophobic hate crime in which a former SUU student was abducted and murdered.
Tues. April 5, 2022 (ST 155 at 6:00 pm) – Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America will be showcased. It tells the story of Moises Serrano, who grew up queer and undocumented in Yadkinville, North Carolina. The film is directed by Tiffany Rhynard.
These films are timely, amplify minoritized groups, and center around diversity, equity and inclusion. Many thanks goes out to the B.W. Bastian Foundation and SUU Pride Alliance who continue lifting so we all can rise.
Produced by the SPARC Office
SUU's SPARC Office provides assistance to faculty, staff, and administrators seeking external funding for their projects and programs, from concept development and planning through implementation and management of funded projects.
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