Thinking of you … Sometimes that’s all someone needs to know. Someone, somewhere is thinking of them; someone cares about them. That’s exactly what Dr. Amy Milligan hopes to provide for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community at Elizabethtown College.
Milligan, visiting assistant professor of women and gender studies at the College, received an advising innovation grant for her participation at Campus Pride’s Advisor Bootcamp, a LGBT Professional Academy for Advisors. Running July 15 through 20, the retreat is hosted in Nashville, Tenn., and provides a collaboration between LGBT student leaders and higher education support staff from throughout the country.
This year is the first time College’s Professional Development Committee and Dean of Faculty awarded an advising innovation grant.
“I conceived this grant as a way to further encourage faculty innovation in advising,” said Dr. Sara Atwood, chair of the Professional Development Committee and assistant professor of Engineering and Physics. In this first year, the committee received several strong proposals. Two initiatives were funded, Atwood said: Dr. Milligan’s and one that supports a cohort advising initiative and retreat for the Department of Anthropology and Sociology.
“Dr. Milligan’s proposal was exactly the kind of advising enhancement we like to support: faculty partnering with students to develop advising effectiveness and to improve the campus climate for a group of underrepresented students with particular advising needs,” Atwood said.
Milligan wanted to attend the boot camp for several years, however she lacked the funds. “I feel very lucky,” she said in response to receiving the grant. She hopes participation in the conference will increase community building and cohesion at the College. She aspires, she said, to be the best advisor she can be.
Early in May, the Dean of Faculty’s office provided funding for next year’s TAGSS (Thinking about Gender, Sex, and Sexuality) project on LGBTQ campus climate. Milligan and Dr. Andy Dunlap, assistant professor of social work, will advise this year-long think tank project. This funding also enables Milligan to take three students with her to Campus Pride boot camp. These individuals will then serve as the TAGSS research fellows.
Prior to attending Campus Pride, the participating advisors are assigned to cohorts. These groups communicate beforehand and then remain close afterward. Milligan said her cohort is already in communication. “Being an advisor is a role that takes a lot of emotional energy,” Milligan said. “People sort of understand, but if you’re not in the thick of it, you can’t completely.”
Milligan commented that she spends roughly 12 hours a week talking with students in her SafeZone. “There are a lot of tears,” Milligan said. She hopes the conference will provide information on opportunities for balancing self- and student-care.
SafeZone is a name unanimously used by schools as a confidential space. While at Duke University, Milligan completed a year-long SafeZone training. At E-town, Milligan offers unofficial SafeZone hours, including regular appointments and emergency hours. Students contact her and ask to meet up, however some students are not comfortable meeting in her office. Milligan acknowledges that she is not a therapist, but she can redirect students to counseling or other helpful services. “Students need to know someone is checking in on them, checking that they are healthy and happy,” Milligan said. If students are not ready to talk, informational fliers are available outside her office.
Milligan hopes students trust her and know they have a private place for discussion. “I want you to know I unconditionally have your back, someone’s always there for you,” Milligan said to the students. “If you’re cutting or suicidal, I’m not going to pity you. It’s human. Let’s get you the help you need.”
Dr. Milligan’s proposal was exactly the kind of advising enhancement we like to support…”
On campus, Milligan is involved in a variety of LGBTQ student groups. She serves as the advisor of Allies, an LGBTQ-straight alliance working to create a cohesive community devoid of segregation based on sex, gender identity, gender expression or sexuality. Milligan and Dunlap host monthly discussion groups for LGBQ students. The group, known as Queery, discusses sensitive topics including the coming-out process. Additionally, this was the first year the College offered a residential living community for students interested in learning more about issues and laws associated with the LGBTQ community. This is a safe place for LGBTQ students.
“[Dr. Milligan] was instrumental in implementing the Stonewall Hall Living Learning Community and she is currently trying to create more same-sex bathrooms on campus,” said Samantha Poremba, sophomore sociology/anthropology major with minors in women and gender studies, as well as peace and conflict studies. Milligan has served as Poremba’s professor and mentor.
Noting several memorable or new LGBTQ education events on campus, Milligan reflected on this academic year. On Oct. 11, students hosted a large National Coming Out Day celebration in the Brossman Commons, where students pledged to support these individuals. Additionally, a transgender remembrance event was held on campus. Pictures were displayed and candles were lit for those who died last year. The event aimed to raise awareness and asked people to sign a commitment against transphobia, a discomfort around or about transgender individuals. A lot of people signed up and asked questions, Milligan said.
For the first time, this Scholarship and Creative Arts Day, students presented academic papers on queer topics in a theory panel, Milligan commented. Within her own office, Milligan has started a photobook of note cards. Individuals leave anonymous messages on these note cards. Flipping through the photobook, students can see messages and handwriting, knowing they are not alone, Milligan said.
In a previous year, the professor attended the College’s Commencement in support of a student who was not on speaking terms with his or her parents since coming out. “I was so upset thinking, this isn’t E-town,” Milligan said. She spoke with family and friends about her frustrations and before she knew it, the student had more than 300 graduation cards. “It shows the individual that people in the world have your back, even if you don’t know them,” Milligan said.
Milligan commented that her students push her, yet crack her up. “I love being back at E-town, that was the dream,” the alumna said. “To work at a place I really care about. I care about the mission of the College. E-town shaped me and I’m working towards the same thing for my students.”
Poremba said Milligan is “wonderful mentor who always puts her students and their needs above all else.” The sophomore continued, “E-town is extremely lucky to have someone who has so selflessly dedicated herself to social justice and diversity awareness on our campus.”