Office of Common Ground hires associate director to lead LGBTQ campus life programs

July 24, 2012

Ted Lewis, who has taught women’s and gender studies and managed LGBTQ programs in North and South Carolina, has joined the University of Richmond as associate director of Common Ground for LGBTQ campus life, a new position at the university.

Lewis will be responsible for the development and administration of LGBTQ-related programs for LGBTQ students, student organizations, staff and faculty. As a member of the Common Ground team, he will help develop general diversity and social justice programs, including workshops and community outreach projects.

He will serve as a counselor and advisor to LGBTQ students and organizations and promote civic engagement opportunities for students through the university’s Bonner Center for Civic Engagement and local LGBTQ organizations.

Lewis spent five years as assistant director of sexual/gender diversity at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he also taught in the women’s and gender studies program. He previously served as a residence coordinator at UNC Charlotte and program director for sexual health programs at University of South Carolina.

Lewis received a bachelor’s degree cum laude in English and history from the University of Mary Washington, a master’s in higher education and student affairs from the University of South Carolina and a master’s certificate in women’s and gender studies from the UNC.

“Bringing Ted to Richmond strengthens the university as a regional leader in support of LGBTQ people,” said Glyn Hughes, director of Common Ground, the university’s diversity and inclusion initiative, founded in 2006.

“It adds to an impressive list of accomplishments here, including adding gender identity and expression to the university’s nondiscrimination policy in 2011, training of more than 400 faculty, staff and students in the Safe Zone program, adding an LGBTQ and Ally Community to the university’s Living and Learning options, and creating a LGBTQ alumni group.”

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