Grand Valley State University’s LGBTQ community came together on Tuesday to celebrate and honor those who have positively impacted the campus community during the annual Pride Awards.

The event was hosted by GVSU student Nathan Bentley, who performed as drag queen Ginger Ambrosia.

“(The Pride Awards) recognizes people that may not be recognized otherwise,” Ambrosia said. “It’s showing people on campus that we’re here, we’re queer…we’re doing great things on campus just like you can do. (It aims) to show that we’re different, and that’s what makes us important.”

This is Ambrosia’s second year hosting the event but the first year hosting in drag. She is involved with the LGBT Resource Center, and has hosted events and run workshops with the center in the past.

Those honored at the event included students who have been Intersections Ambassadors, members of Loud and Queer, the First Year Queer Alliance, Student Diversity Coalition and Student Senate.

Although the event centralized around honoring students, faculty and staff were recognized as well. Professor Danielle DeMuth and faculty member Dwight Hamilton were both given the solidarity award, while Dr. Cael Keegan was given the FIERCE award as the only transgender faculty member at GVSU.

Dr. Kathleen Underwood was the recipient of the Milton E. Ford LGBT Leadership Award due to her extensive work at GVSU with the LGBT Resource Center upon her retirement at the end of this year.

Ford, the founder of the LGBT Resource Center on campus, passed away last year – shortly before the Pride Awards ceremony. To recognize Ford, the center invited Ambrosia to host this year’s award show.

The Pride Awards featured poetry readings and live music performed by students – a new feature to the event this year.

The event was semi-formal with a turnout of about 100 people, including a blend of professors and students. The mood ranged from lighthearted, with Ambrosia delivering laughs, to more serious and pensive with student poetry which centered solely on what it’s like to be an LGBTQ student.

The night ended with an a cappella cover of Sam Smith’s “Nirvana” and a reception for attendees.  

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