North Carolina LGBTQ+ Higher Ed Drive In

The North Carolina LGBTQ+ Higher Ed Drive-In seeks to bring together higher education professionals who directly work with LGBTQIA communities in higher education. This includes but is not limited to LGBTQ+ center staff, advisors to LGBTQ student organizations, identity center practitioners who support LGBTQ+ communities as part of their role, or allies who have supported or will support LGBTQ+ communities in their role.

In 2023, we extended an invitation to our colleagues in the surrounding states of Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. For our 2024 drive-in, we will continue to invite our colleagues in the surrounding states of North Carolina.

The drive-in is guided by three goals:

1. To connect with other professionals across North Carolina and share strategies and best practices for supporting queer and trans students and engaging them in programs and initiatives on our campus
2. To share innovative programming ideas, success, and challenges that we face on our campuses
3. To discuss strategies to resist anti-LGBTQ+ laws being written and passed in North Carolina

Registration Is Now Closed

The drive-in will take place on Friday, July 19th from 9am to 4pm (EXTENDED TIME) with an optional evening social on Thursday, July 18th from 5pm to 7pm.

RSVP by July 9th (EXTENDED DEADLINE) to secure your spot.
Link: https://forms.gle/eh3rZVSgddZSgK34A 

The Inn at Elon
0.3 miles from campus
Address: 605 North O’Kelly Avenue, Elon, NC 27244
Phone Number: 336-586-0329
Website: www.theinnatelon.com

The Acorn Inn
0.4 miles from campus
Address: 301 W Haggard Ave, Elon, NC 27244
Phone Number: 336-585-0167
Website: www.theinnatelon.com/

Drury Inn & Suites – Burlington
2.4 miles from campus
Address: 1767 Glidewell Dr, Burlington, NC 27215
Phone Number: 336-584-2004
Website: www.druryhotels.com/locations/burlington-nc/drury-inn-and-suites-burlington
Amenities:
– complimentary breakfast
– nightly free dinner buffet
– each adult gets 2 complimentary drinks
– free wifi, pool, and fitness center

Additional lodging options can be found here.

2024 Host

The 2024 Host for the North Carolina LGBTQ+ Higher Education Drive-In is the Gender and LGBTQIA Center at Elon University. Since 2013, the Gender and LGBTQIA Center partners across campus and community to support, advocate, and education around gender and LGBTQIA identities to create an inclusive campus community of equity, justice, and academic excellence for students, employees, and alumni. The GLC oversees LGBTQ programs and services, gender violence prevention, and confidential advocacy supporting survivors of gender based violence.

2024 Drive-In Planning Committee

Host: Luis Garay (they/them or name)

Director, Gender and LGBTQIA Center
Elon University

Mark Rasdorf (he/him)

Director, Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center
East Carolina University

Jonathan Gonzales (JoGo) (he/they)

Director of Queer Life
Warren Wilson College

Kayla Lisenby-Denson (they/them)

Director, LGBTQ+ Center
Wake Forest University

Drive-In Schedule

Thursday, July 18th

Evening Social
Location: Check Email
5:00pm-7:00pm
Appetizers provided.

Friday, July 19th
For full information, check your email
Morning Sessions Location: Koenigsberger Learning Center, Rm. 127 (Inside the Belk Library)
Belk Library Address: 308 North O’Kelly Avenue, Elon, NC 27244

Check-in and Breakfast
8:30am-9:00am

Welcome from Elon Administration
9:00am-9:15am

Swag Swap & Campus Introductions
9:15am-10:30am

Self-Care Break
10:30am-10:45am

Breakout Session 1: Roundtable Discussions
10:45am-12:00pm

Lunch
12:00pm – 1:00pm

(Optional) Tour of the Gender and LGBTQIA Center
12:45pm – 1:00pm

Afternoon Sessions Location: Koenigsberger Learning Center, Rm. 127 (Inside the Belk Library)

Break-Out Session 2
1:15pm-2:15pm

Self-Care Break
2:15pm-2:30pm

Break Out Session 3 and Closing
2:30pm-4:00pm

Parking Information

All attendees received their parking pass to their email they registered with. If you did not receive it, a parking pass will be available for check in.

Attendees are permitted to parking in the following lots:

• McMichael Lot: 402 E. Haggard, Elon, NC
• Innovation Quad Lot: 510 W Haggard Ave, Elon NC
• Oaks Lot: 422-486 N Williamson Ave, Elon, NC

Note: McMichael Lot is the closest parking lot to our drive-in location.

Started in 2018 by Angel Collie (Duke University) and Kayla Lisenby-Denson (Wake Forest University), the inaugural drive-in was hosted at Duke University.

ECU and Mark Rasdorf hosted the 2019 drive-in, as the Dr. Jesse R. Peel LGBTQ Center recently moved into its new home, making it the largest center of its kind in the UNC System. We returned in person in 2022 when Elliott Kimball hosted at UNC-Greensboro.

In 2023, Jonathan Gonzales convened us at Warren Wilson College. This helped us realize the goal of the drive-in to make it a statewide conference which moves around the state, allowing more people to participate. The 2023 drive-in marked the first year where colleagues from nearby states (Virginia, Tennessee, and South Carolina) were invited and the invited guests of the conference was expanded to include any higher education professional (staff, faculty, etc.) who worked with LGBTQ+ communities.

For 2024, we are at Elon University as the Gender and LGBTQIA Center celebrates its 10 year anniversary. We hope to welcome colleagues from across the state of North Carolina and once again from our neighboring states.