Lavender Graduation and LGBTQIA2S+ Honors
Lavender Graduation is an annual ceremony conducted on numerous campuses to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, and ally students and to acknowledge their achievements and contributions to the university.
Save the Date: Lavender Graduation 2023
When: Saturday, May 13th, 2023
Time: 11 A.M. - 1 P.M.
Where: Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom
You are cordially invited to the 9th annual
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Lavender Graduation
Honoring LGBTQIA2S+ and Ally Graduates
To register as a graduate or RSVP as a general attendee, please use the following link:
Graduate Registration and RSVP as an attendee.
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award
At Lavender Graduation, the Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award will be recognized. Please consider nominating someone based on the following criteria:
- Continual or outstanding history of proven contributions to the UNO LGBTQIA+ campus community
- Educator and advocate with the LGBTQIA+ population
- Demonstrated themselves to be an exemplar role model for others
Nominations will be accepted through Friday, April 28th, 2023. To nominate yourself or others, please visit this Qualtrics form: Lavender Maverick Award Nomination form.
UNO Lavender Graduation History
2015
Keynote: Dr. Meredith Bacon, retired UNO faculty member and advocate
Student Address: Borin Chep, former Director of UNO Gender and Sexual Orientation Student Agency
2016
Keynote: Ferial Pearson, UNO Doctoral Alumni, and National GLSEN Award recipient
Student Address: Anthony Hughes, former President of the Queer Nebraska Youth Network
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award Recipient: Dr. Jay Irwin
2017
Keynote: Frank Bramlet, UNO Professor, and TESOL Program Director
Student Address: Kersten Crate, former Director of UNO Queer and Trans Services Student Agency
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award Recipient: Dr. Tammie Kennedy
2018
Keynote: Ash and Grace Hardell, International Queer Vloggers
Student Address: Starr Solomon, UNO graduating Doctoral of Philosophy student
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award Recipient: Ani Solomon
2019
Performance: Dominique Morgan, Executive Director of Black and Pink
Student Address: Peyton Wells, MBLGTACC 2018 Co-Chair and former director for UNO Queer and Trans Services; Jo'Von Pickens, founding member of UNO Melanated Queerations
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award Recipient: James Freeman
2020
No event was held. All were honored at 2021 virtual experience.
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award Recipient: Nikola Halcyone Zaporowski (honored at 2021 celebration)
2021
Student Address: Anaise D'Quila, QTS board member
Keynote: KP Patrick, former TRANScend facilitator and former MBLGTACC advisor
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award Recipient: Jen Skidmore, former TRANScend facilitator and former MBGLTACC advisor
2022
Keynote: Zhomontee Watson, former UNMC CAPS counselor and founder of Creative Counseling and Studio, LLC; Katie Kough, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and former GSRC graduate assistant
Student Address: Daniel Stokes, LezBiReal Queer facilitator
Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award Recipient: Ally Nelson-Matute
