Two local universities make Campus Pride ‘Best of the Best’ list
Campus Pride this month released its annual list of the best colleges and universities for LGBTQ students. Every institution on the list had received a five out of five score on the Campus Pride Index, an assessment tool described on Campus Pride’s website as “a continuum of progress for inclusive LGBTQ and ally policies, programs, and practices.” This year, reaching five-star status meant achieving an overall score of 93 percent or higher on the organization’s assessment.
Towson University in Maryland made the 2022 list, as did George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. No schools located in D.C. participated in the 2022 Campus Pride Index, according to search results from the Campus Pride website.
San Diego State University in California also ranked high. Genny Beemyn, coordinator of Campus Pride’s Trans Policy Clearinghouse, said that more institutions are earning a five-star rating due to increasing support for transgender students.
This year’s “Best of the Best” list is made up of 40 schools, an increase from the 30 that received the top rating in 2021. “The work Campus Pride does every day to foster safer, more welcoming campuses across the country is creating positive change for students, staff, and faculty,” board chair Tom Elliott said in a press release. “At a time when LGBTQ+ rights and other civil rights are under assault in states across the country, including Texas and Florida, it is as important as ever to recognize the campuses in these states working to create spaces where the next generation of LGBTQ+ leaders can learn and flourish.” As college students around the country return to school for the fall — and potential students begin the application process — Campus Pride describes itself as a benchmarking
