Atlas Center Opens on Campus
Nazareth College’s Atlas Center is now open to help students, faculty, and staff navigate life by offering guidance to those at an intersection of sexuality and gender.
What does Atlas stand for? “Atlas is not an acronym. We actually play off the definition in two ways,” said Director for Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Education Olajiwon McCadney. “An atlas is a tool for navigation, and Atlas will be a place to assist in the navigation of identity at the intersections of gender and sexuality. Additionally, Atlas was the name of a titan in Greek mythology who was tasked with carrying the world on their shoulders. Atlas will be a place where LGBTQ+ identifying students can take off that 'weight' and be their authentic selves.”
Located behind the Forum in the Shults Center, the Atlas gender and sexuality navigation resource center includes a library space with books donated by Out Alliance of Rochester. This allows campus members to read fiction and non-fiction books with LGBTQ+ characters. Other campus resources include information on the school’s food pantry, the Health and Counseling Center, and a myriad of community partners in the Rochester area such as Trillium Health, Victory Alliance, the MOCHA Center, and more.
Nazareth community members will also be provided with assistance with locating chosen name and/or gender identity change forms, LGBTQ+ friendly clubs on campus, as well as locations for all-use restrooms on campus.
"You want to create spaces and mitigate barriers to belonging,” said McCadney. “So, if this is a barrier to belonging, how can you make students feel like 'I’m here, I matter, and I’m here on purpose?"
The hours of the Center for the fall semester are:
- Monday: 12pm to 4pm
- Tuesday: 10:30am to 3:30pm
- Wednesday: 10:30am to 3:30pm
Someone will be in the Atlas center during open hours to assist visitors.
For More Information
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | 585-389-2456 or jlong2@naz.edu
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
