MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University will establish a LGBTQ center on campus, according to a WVU Today press release, naming a nationally recognized scholar to lead the way.
Wednesday afternoon, WVU announced Dr. Cris Mayo as the upcoming center’s director and a full professor in the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies. Mayo, current director of online learning at the University of Illinois and a professor of education policy, organization and leadership, will assume duties on July 1, 2016.
The center will develop programs and outreach initiatives, offer academic and curricular support, advocate for the community, build coalitions and “serve as the hub of the social, intellectual and physical community,” according to the 2013 Proposal for an Office of LGBTQ Programs at West Virginia University.
There is no official name or location for the center yet.
While Mayo finishes her time at Illinois, Dr. T. Anne Hawkins, named interim director in October, would run the center…