Pride Center Set for Grand Opening on October 11

On October 11, Manhattan College will host the grand opening of its campus Pride Center, envisioned as a gathering place and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ Jaspers. The opening is scheduled for National Coming Out Day and the space is located at the Raymond W. Kelly ’63 Student Commons, Room 304. 

The center’s founding co-directors, Tiffany French, senior research analyst, and Rocco Marinaccio, Ph.D., professor of English, are working to build community and offer mentorship and guidance by hosting a range of co-curricular and extracurricular activities. Additional goals include working on policy development, building an alumni network and operating as the central outward-facing institution for the LGBTQ+ campus community. 

“This space is very important for students to seek support as they navigate their college experience,” said French. “It can support employees as they serve the students entrusted to their care and signal to alumni that the College recognizes not only their academic and professional accomplishments, but their whole identity.”  

Marinaccio said that the mission of the Pride Center embodies Manhattan College’s values as a Lasallian Catholic institution that is committed to social justice and inclusion. 

The roots of the Pride Center began in 2021 when Marinaccio and French oversaw the LGBTQ+ Task Force and Diversity Council. The task force developed new policies, formed an employee resource group and administered a campus climate survey focused on the LGBTQ+ community. The work led to the determination that broad institutional support was needed for the LGBTQ+ community on campus, which led to the establishment of the Pride Center.  An alumni reception is planned for the Center at 5.30 p.m. on October 19. 

"I think the Pride Center is extremely important to the Manhattan College community and I am very happy it exists,” said Analia Santana ’25, president of the Rainbow Jasper Student Club. “It is wonderful that there is a space where Queer people can go and know they will be accepted. Even though it has been open for two weeks, the Pride Center has become a place where people can create art, meet new people, and learn new things about the LGBTQ experience. In the future, I hope that the Pride Center has educational programs for the whole community and that people recognize that it is a safe space for all, regardless of sex, race, or gender.”