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Welcome to the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center at East Carolina University. As part of the Department of Student Engagement within Student Life at ECU, the Peel LGBTQ Center works in conjunction with our colleagues in the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, Fraternity and Sorority Life, the Ledonia Wright Cultural Center, the Military & Veterans Resource Center, Student Activities and Organizations, and the Women and Gender Center to support student success at ECU.
Since our founding in 2011, we have served the entire ECU campus. Our Center is located in Suite 209 in the Main Campus Student Center and we are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Our resources include: a lending library; information on campus, local, and national resources; and two computer workstations, in addition to a social area, a conference room, and offices for our staff. Throughout the year, we offer educational programs and events, and participate in nationally recognized campaigns. We invite you to visit the Peel LGBTQ Center–everyone is always welcome!
Volunteer with the Peel LGBTQ Center!
Applications are now open for ECU students
There are many different volunteer opportunities with the Peel LGBTQ Center. The two most structured programs are LGBTQ Center Assistants and LGBTQ Student Panelists. Both are ongoing semester-long commitments. Applications are now open for Spring 2025! If you would like to get more involved with the Center, these are perfect opportunities. It is a great way to meet new people and help us to insure that students feel welcome and supported on campus.
LGBTQ Center Assistants commit to a regular weekly schedule to staff our front desk and assist in the daily operation of the Center.
LGBTQ Student Panelists work in teams (2-5 people) and serve as educational speaker panels for classrooms, residence hall programs, and Safe Zone trainings for faculty and staff.
Training is provided for both programs. Applications are due by November 8. A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required for both programs.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Mark Rasdorf (he/him) at rasdorfm@ecu.edu or Ricky Paz (he/him) at pazr24@students.ecu.edu.
Coffee House Fall 2024
Every Wednesday at 6 pm
Coffee House is a weekly discussion group for ECU students with topics selected by students. The 90-minute session offers the opportunity for community building and connection with other students. Refreshments are served and Coffee House is held in the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center (Suite 209 in the Main Campus Student Center).
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Wednesday, November 20 at 5:30 pm
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester’s death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.
On November 20 each year, we come together to honor the memory of those lost to anti-transgender violence. Our commemoration includes a keynote speech, a reading of the names of those lost in the United States in the past year, as well as a moment of silence for the unnamed or unreported. We conclude the evening with dinner. RSVP (required) via the Pirate Experience to ensure that we have enough food for everyone.
Presented as part of Transgender Awareness Month 6 p.m. in the Black Box Theater. Free and open to the public.
Stress Relief Study Break
Wednesday, December 3 from 11 am to 2 pm
Join us for a Reading Day study break! Enjoy a variety of activities that target stress relief and offer opportunities for relaxation prior to final exams. Free refreshments, fidget toys, and crafts will be supplied in the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center.