Success for LGBT college and university students

Abstract

Though evidence suggests that the climate for LGBT college and university students has improved in many regions of the world over the last decade, there is still ample reason to believe that LGBT students face challenges to their learning, development, and success. Studies show that LGBT students encounter hostile climates at higher rates than do non-LGBT peers, and LGBT students who are also students of color, students with disabilities, and/or low-income or first-generation college students must overcome substantial barriers to success. There is also evidence that campuses are creating environments where LGBT students can thrive personally, socially, and academically. In this chapter, I present findings from national studies of LGBT college and university students in the US to describe the current landscape for these students. I present a theory of thriving that explains how students express agency in coping with sometimes hostile environments, and I discuss strategies for faculty and university staff to create optimal conditions for LGBT student success.