Our Mission
The mission of the Pride Center is to provide academic and social support for the LGBTQ+ community at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT). We strive to be a space for all members of the UT community to engage with and explore issues relating to gender and sexuality. Our mission is accomplished through our educational programming focusing on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation; our contributions to and maintenance of a campus LGBTQ+ community; and advocating for equitable access for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff on campus.
Our Vision
To create and uphold a diverse and inclusive campus community.
Our Values
The Pride Center offers opportunities for meaningful experiences for our campus community in three areas:
Connection
Through our community space and programming, we seek to connect LGBTQ+ students and their allies together in community. All students at the University are looking to make friends and meet new people based on common hobbies, majors, and social identities. While the Pride Center provides an intentional space for LGBTQ+ students, we are open to ALL students, faculty, and staff that seek to understand and support the LGBTQ+ community.
Education
None of us are born knowing everything about gender and sexuality. What we are taught growing up is often a reflection of the culture surrounding us, and as a result many people are not familiar with the basic language and terminology about gender, sexuality, and the LGBTQ+ community. We seek to fill that gap and educate our campus community about these topics in order to support our LGBTQ+ community at UT more effectively and create a more inclusive campus environment for all.
Empowerment
“Empowerment” is defined as the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights. College is a time of purposeful self-exploration and transition. At the Pride Center, we empower our students to be their most authentic selves on campus and beyond.