(Posted February 23, 2015)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College's Office of Diversity & Inclusion will offer several Safe Zone Trainings on Monday, March 2 and Tuesday, March 3 to help students and Juniata employees understand how to create spaces or areas where all people feel welcome and safe.

Safe Zone training helps increase awareness and develops the skills and knowledge need to understand the challenges that exist when individuals want to help lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual or queer (LGBTQ) family members, peers, friends or co-workers feel protected.

Juniata will hold three workshops March 2-3. All three sessions will be held in Sill Boardroom in the von Liebig Center for Science. The workshops will be given by Gene Kelly, associate dean of intercultural development/director of gender and sexuality programs at Lafayette College, in Easton, Pa. The workshops are free and open to the public.
The first is a beginner's session, Safe Zones 101 at 7 p.m., Monday, March 2. The following day, Tuesday, there is a reprise of Safe Zones 101 at 10 a.m. The final session will be an advanced workshop called "Understanding Fluid Identities" at 3 p.m.

The training will give participants the language and skills they need to provide support and create areas that are safe, welcoming and inclusive.


Kelly has worked at Lafayette since 2012. Prior to that he served on the faculty and in student services at Marywood University, in Scranton, Pa. He also has worked as a consultant for Pyramid Consulting Services.

Kelly was associate director of student activities at Lebanon Valley College from 2004 to 2008. He also worked as a residence life coordinator and coordinator of programs for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students at Lehigh University from 2003 to 2004.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.