Grand Valley State University’s Graduate School held a Professional Advancement Communications Engagement Success (PACES) event to assist non-binary or trans-identifying students on campus with navigating interviews and working through the graduate school process on Oct. 27. 

Many students have expressed concern over how they might interact with possible employment or internship hiring management as non-binary individuals. The PACES interview event was able to calm some of these nerves, advising students on tools, resources and practices they can utilize to ensure they are representing themselves well while also joining a work environment that will support them.

D.L. McKinney is the Director of the Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center at GVSU and is the Interim Director for the Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity at GVSU. McKinney has earned degrees in Business Administration Economics and a Masters in Public Administration and Health. They serve as support to QTPOC, Queer and Trans People of Color, as a member of various West Michigan community committees focusing on wellness, homelessness, equity and social change. 

McKinney hosted the interview strategies session, supporting the notion that students should find a “safe” workplace through reflection on their own careers.

“It’s so important to know that the space that you’re stepping in is safe enough to maybe not disclose or come out. But if there is any inclination or the language that they use, that’s not affirming, you don’t want to be a part of it,” McKinney said. “And so, I think for me, it was super important to do my research to advocate for myself. And so, even though I was applying, applying, applying just to get a paycheck, I wanted to know that I was safe, especially as I got older into my professional career.” 

McKinney said it is important for students to learn how to advocate for themselves and have confidence in their capabilities as a non-binary candidate.

“I think another thing to note is if you are unsure if an organization is safe and affirming or LGBTQ plus literate, you either have to find someone who knows or you have to advocate and ask for yourself, and that is something that I’m saying with privilege. I find that I have privilege in saying that I can step up and stand for myself because of the positions that I have,” McKinney said.

McKinney emphasized the importance of finding safe spaces where each student can be themselves without worrying about the dangers of coming out and feeling the need to hide in the workplace.

“We have to understand that is all of our stakes in this to make sure that we’re giving everyone the right opportunity to shine because just think that the more people that we leave out of our circles out of our organizations, the more we miss out on great ideas, new inventive ways of doing things, access to other people who may be just as creative. We’re going to miss out on that,” McKinney said.

The PACES program offers professional development opportunities for students and helps students increase their professionalism, academic advancement, communication, engagement and success. By participating in PACES, students will be supported in developing communications, interview, stress management and debt management skills – among other critical and timely topics.

Trista Bergerud, Assistant Director of Programming and Communication, joined GVSU in July of 2021 and the Graduate School in February 2022. In addition to managing the programming and communication of the Graduate School, they are also the Thesis and Dissertation Coordinator.

Bergerud assisted the discussion, raising the question of how students and LGBTQ community members can find safe spaces for employment.

“If you’re a non-binary or trans, you know a candidate that is searching for a job and you’re wanting to find a company to work for that will be more accepting of you or even just a less hostile work environment than you know of some of the other options,” Bergerud said. “Do you have recommendations for places to look beyond, you know, just that company’s website?”

McKinney suggested utilizing social media groups and urged students to do outside research on each organization they are interested in.

“I know Facebook is outdated, but there’s so many Facebook groups. I don’t know if the people in the audience are aware of this, but there is a huge Facebook group that started maybe three years ago called Queer GR. It’s huge,” McKinney said. “I feel they get like dozens of posts every day, and it’s usually about where housing is, who’s the safe employer, etc. Just yesterday, there were a few posts about who’s a safe hairstylist, and who could do top surgery. That’s a great resource for that.”

The PACES LGBT interview strategy session teaches students to protect their identities while advocating for their own success in the workplace and other professional spaces. A person’s gender identity does not make them any less valuable as a candidate for internship or work programs than anyone else, and this is a position that GVSU values and supports.