Top Colleges Come Out to Recruit Gay and Lesbian High School Youth This April; Princeton, USC, Penn Among Names to Attend National Gay-Friendly College Fair

Upcoming Gay-Friendly National College Fair this April 11 in San Diego, CA provides rare opportunity to recruit out lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. In addition, new online LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index ranks gay-friendliness of colleges and grows in national attention as more campuses find value in reaching out to this no longer invisible demographic.

Finally, colleges are coming out of the closet and being visible in the recruitment process to seek LGBT students. Even the nations top colleges realize that being LGBT-friendly is not only in the best interest of enrolment figures but also a necessity to prepare for a smaller, more diverse student population in the future

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) March 12, 2008 -- What do Princeton University, Emory University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Southern California and University of Utah have in common? Well, they all want to recruit out lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and are a few of the colleges to be in attendance at the upcoming Campus Pride College Admission Fair on Friday, April 11 in San Diego, California.

"Finally, colleges are coming out of the closet and being visible in the recruitment process to seek LGBT students. Even the nations top colleges realize that being LGBT-friendly is not only in the best interest of enrolment figures but also a necessity to prepare for a smaller, more diverse student population in the future," said Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit for LGBT students and campus groups and author of The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students.

According to Windmeyer, an increasing number of colleges and universities are openly recruiting LGBT students and are doing so for the first time ever. Nearly thirty colleges have registered to date for the upcoming LGBT-friendly college fair sponsored by Campus Pride. In addition, over 150 colleges and universities are reaching out to LGBT students through the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index. The national index, the only resource of its kind, is a dynamic online tool which rates LGBT-friendliness at colleges and universities as well as sets a national benchmark for campuses to become safer, more welcoming for LGBT and ally people. Any campus may take part in the index to be listed online at anytime.

Campus Pride developed the College Admission Fairs and the online LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index as active ways for campuses to be out and proud in attracting LGBT student populations. The efforts also provide an outlet for campuses to increase enrollment with a seemingly "untapped" population. Isabel Galupo, a high school senior in Towson, Maryland who attended the first LGBT-friendly college fair this past December, said, "It was great to have my first college fair be one where I could ask important questions about myself as someone from the LGBT community. This type of college fair was also very important for me as I have two moms - I want to be at a college where I can feel comfortable about my family."

The San Diego fair takes place Friday, April 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Price Center of the University of California, San Diego. The early registration deadline for campuses to participate is March 21, 2008. Organizing partners and supporters for the upcoming fair include national and local chapters of organizations such as the Western Association for College Admissions Counseling, the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and Point Foundation. For more details, to register your campus or view the current registered campus attendees, please visit Campus Pride College Admission Fair or contact Campus Pride at 704-277-6710 or info @ campuspride.org.

Believe In -- Campus Pride. Campus Pride is the leading national nonprofit organization 501(c)(3) for student leaders and campus organizations working to create safer, more LGBT-friendly colleges and universities. It exists to give "voice and action" in building future LGBT and ally leaders.

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