‘You belong’

The student neighborhood is quiet in June, with most houses empty and just a few students and summer camp attendees walking around campus.

June 27 was a vibrant exception. Close to 100 faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of UD gathered at The Brook Center for Empowerment and Wellbeing on a hot and humid afternoon near the end of Pride month, waving rainbow fans to beat the heat during the dedication of the newest student gathering space on campus.

The location of the Kennedy-Baird LGBTQ+ Student Lounge is significant. President Eric F. Spina noted it was intentionally located in the heart of the student neighborhood in a highly visible space. Its presence there would send a message — we see you, we support you, you belong.

“The expansion and renovation of this beautiful lounge has been a long time coming, but our commitment to honor and value the dignity of all people and foster a campus community where all members are welcomed, respected, safe and valued is not new,” Spina said. “It’s part and parcel of our Catholic, Marianist mission.”

The lounge is named in honor of John Kennedy, a 1967 UD graduate, and his husband, William Baird, both lifelong LGBTQ+ advocates and a couple committed to their Catholic faith. Kennedy and Baird were together for more than 40 years before Kennedy died from ALS and dementia in 2021.

The lounge, along with other initiatives, emerged from the Student Government Association’s call in 2014 for the University to provide more services and greater visibility for LGBTQ+ students. According to a recent survey, approximately 15% of students at UD identify as LGBTQ+.

“It became clear that we needed to make a greater effort and commitment to acknowledge and support these students — each one of our students, each one made in the image and likeness of God,” Spina said.

In 2016, UD’s Division of Student Development launched LGBTQ+ Student Services, now part of the Brook Center. An LGBTQ+ gathering area existed in the center, but it was small and difficult to find.

Kennedy and Baird provided donations to help fund the Brook Center, and they began discussing their vision for an expanded LGBTQ+ lounge in 2020. A longtime advocate for students, Kennedy was vice president of student life and dean of students at Dominican University in California before his death.

Baird attended the ceremony and smiled as he told the audience he’d been named an honorary Flyer. He later spoke about how he and Kennedy’s dream for UD students had come to fruition.

“I’m inspired by the continuing support I hear from everyone at UD and what it portends for LGBTQ+ students now and to come,” Baird said. “This is what John would have wanted.”

Senior Khloe Young-Neawedde expressed gratitude for the support she’s felt at UD as a queer student. She came out in high school but initially worried about finding the same acceptance at a Catholic university. The new lounge will only add to that feeling of belonging, she said.

“If you had seen this lounge before, it wasn’t much of a place where queer students could gather and find a safe space amongst each other — it was hidden and many students wouldn’t realize it was here,” she said. “There’s a level of pride to witness the physical change of queer acceptance and presence during my time at UD and to be here to see how our lounge has grown from a tucked away corner to its very own space.”

Sister Kathleen Rossman, OSF, who served in Campus Ministry for more than 30 years and was an adviser to LGBTQ+ student groups, noted how far UD has come from the days when students had to call a number in Flyer News to get the location for meetings. Matt McNamara ’09, member of the UD Alumni Association board and longtime supporter of LGBTQ+ education on campus, was also present for the ceremony.

“UD has gone through a remarkable transformation as we have learned more, challenged ourselves, and thought more deeply about our Catholic, Marianist values and our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Kristen Altenau Keen, assistant dean of students and Brook Center director. “There are so many who have committed time, effort, energy and resources toward making this dream a reality.”

Near the end, UD paid one more tribute to Kennedy, playing “I Will Survive” to close the ceremony. It was Kennedy’s favorite song, and Baird and others danced along as a sea of rainbow fans waved to the beat.