UGBC is an organization designed to connect students to support networks among their peers and across the whole campus. Browse through the files and directories linked below to learn how UGBC serves as a resource for the Boston College community.
For more resources,
visit the Office of Student Outreach and Support Services.
LGBTQ Resources
Spectrum Weekend Retreat
Spectrum is a confidential, free weekend away for LGBTQ students. In this welcoming environment, participants will be encouraged to engage in conversation and reflection about their personal identities and to discern who they are and who they are called to be at Boston College and beyond.
The weekend also builds community among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning students, staff, and faculty at Boston College. Every year, participants say that the retreat was transformational, with many claiming it was their best experience at BC thus far.
Space is limited, so we encourage you to register ASAP, as we reserve on a first come, first served basis with preference toward those who have never attended Spectrum.
Save the Date!
Spectrum 2020
February 7–9
Spectrum Weekend has left an indelible mark on the lives of many LGTBQ+ students here at BC. Watch this video of anonymous testimonials from past participants to see what so many had to say about their experiences on this confidential and free weekend away.
How much does the retreat cost?
The weekend is free!
When is the retreat?
Spectrum 2020 will be sometime in February 2020! Check back for more details this fall!
When does registration open?
Registration for Spectrum 2020 will open fall 2019! An email annoncement will be sent to the campus community announcing the opening of registration.
Who is encouraged to attend?
Any Boston College undergraduate student who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and those who may be questioning. *This weekend is not intended for allies.*
If I have attended Spectrum before, can I participate again?
Priority registration is given to those individuals who have never participated in the past. However, individuals who have previously attended Spectrum may register and attend if space permits.
What should I expect from this weekend?
You will be invited to engage in reflection and conversation about your personal identity and to explore who you are at Boston College and beyond. The weekend will also build community amongst LGBTQ+ students as well as provide faculty/staff who may be resources for students.
Who should I contact if I have additional questions?
Questions and comments may be directed to:
Caroline Davis, Assistant Dean of Students, at caroline.davis.2@bc.edu or 617-552-3470.
Lastly, you can email the Spectrum Weekend Leadership Team at spectrum@bc.edu.
After participating in the Spectrum Weekend, students will be able to...
- Demonstrate a greater understanding about their own personal identities by engaging in conversation and reflection in a safe and tranquil space.
- Display a deeper understanding of the significant relationships in their lives, such as family, friends, partners, etc.
- Articulate with greater clarity and specificity the role of faith or spirituality in their lives as a GLBTQ student.
- Identify supportive resources and role models in the Boston College community, including faculty and staff.
- Name new peers with whom they share common experiences, thus building a greater sense of community amongst GLBTQ students.
Lavender Graduation
Lavender Graduation is a celebration that recognizes LGBTQ students of all backgrounds and acknowledges their contributions to the University. Graduating seniors from all different LGTBQ & Ally groups on campus are recognized by The Office of Student Outreach and Support Services and the Rainbow Alliance for their leadership, successes, and overall commitment and contributions to the LGTBQ community. Through such recognition, LGBTQ students may leave Boston College with a positive final experience, filling them with pride both in themselves, and in their college experiences.
Visit the Office of Student Outreach and Support Services for updates on the 2020 celebration!
LGBTQ Resource Guide and Training
The Office of Student Outreach and Support Services (SOSS) is proud to offer training to anyone listed in our Boston College LGBTQ Resource Guide to ensure competence and confidence when working with our LGBTQ students! Moreover, we're happy to offer our training to any department or office that would like us to work with their faculty and/or staff. Our sessions can be tailored to your needs in terms of length and content, and will cover many topics affecting LGBTQ identity construction so that you can be the best possible resource for LGBTQ students at BC. Contact Angelique Bradford or Caroline Davis for more information.
LGBTQ&A Sessions
Our LGBTQ&A sessions were born out of our Spectrum Retreat when our students wanted to extend conversation around a range of topics specific to LGBTQ identity construction. Accordingly, we now offer six sessions a year on various topics that are relevant for our LGBTQ students. In a casual space over refreshments, we'll engage in meaningful discussion with friends, peers, and knowledgable guest speakers and panelists around issues facing our LGBTQ students today. For more information, contact Angelique Bradford.
LGBTW Film Series
The Office of Student Outreach and Support Services is proud to sponsor the screening of some LGBTQ-themed films and engage in meaningful discussion afterwards over refreshments. Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to join us as we watch everything from historical LGBTQ documentaries to powerful LGBTQ dramas and hilarious comedies and discuss how the issues presented relate to LGBTQ identity construction at Boston College and beyond.
Community Dinners
Once a month, the Office of Student Outreach and Support Services is thrilled to host "Community Dinner Night." Breaking bread together provides the perfect casual and welcoming forum for members of the LGBTQ student body to come together and share their student experiences, all while building a more robust LGBTQ community on campus.
Open Houses
Come one, come all to our LGBTQ Open House! A couple times a semester, Office of Student Outreach and Support Services is happy to host an Open House for LGBTQ students as a chance for them to engage with BC peers, staff, and faculty. Regardless of the role you play on campus, come join us for coffee, tea, and snacks and get to know our amazing LGBTQ students.
Prism and Horizon Drop In Discussions
The Office of Student Outreach and Support Services offers private, reflective, and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ students to meet and engage in meaningful discussion around identity development in support groups facilitated by graduate students. Horizon (gay, bi trans, queer, genderqueer, and/or other male-identified students) and Prism (lesbian, bi, trans queer, genderqueer, and/or other female-identified students) meet weekly for an hour and are open to anyone who wants a confidential and comfortable space to interact with peers exploring similar issues around what it means to identify as LGBTQ at BC and in the world. Gender-nonbinary, agender, bigender, gender-fluid, and genderqueer students are welcome in the group of their choice. No appointments, formal arrangements, or commitments necessary--drop by whenever the support group is meeting and we'll be there waiting to welcome you with open arms, hearts, and minds!
Pride Peers
A program that pairs LGBTQ+ students with LGBTQ Peers and/or LGBTQ student Mentors, creating spaces to bond and reflect on sexual and gender identity. Additionally, Pride Peer Presenters educate the BC community through their Hall Talks program. Contact us for more information about joining Pride Peers - a program dedicated to supporting queer students and connecting them to their queer peers here at BC.
Student Clubs and Organizations
GLBTQ Leadership Council (GLC)
A governing body of UGBC focused on GLBTQ+ and Allied Issues
Allies of Boston College
A group of LGBTQ+ and straight students working to foster a better community for everyone
Health and Wellness
Located in the 2150 Commonwealth Ave building, University Health Services (UHS) provides help to students with any physical, emotional or transitional issues by providing treatment, resources, or referals. It has a Primary Care Center with both an Inpatient and Outpatient Unit. In addition to general medicine, UHS also offers specialty services such as diet and nutrition services, immunizations, orthopedic services, skin services, travel consultations, and women's health.
Visit the UHS website to learn more and make an appointment.
University Counseling Services (UCS) provides many options for students, including individual counseling and psychotherapy, group therapy, consultation, psyciatric services, and more. The UCS website also provides online resources such as WellTrack and Feel Better Now Resources.
To make an appointment, call the office at 617–552–3310 or visit the office in Gasson 001 during regular office hours: Monday through Friday 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Visit the UCS website to learn more.
University Health Promotion seeks to educate students on how to maintain a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle so that they thrive intellectually, spiritually, socially, and physically. The office offers many programs to focus on a variety of issues plaguing college students, such as time management, stress management, sleep education, healthy eating and low risk drinking strategies. Their website also offers information to help students "Feel Healthy Now" as an interactive way to engage with health information.
Visit the University Health Promotion website to make an appointment and learn more about the programs they offer. You can also call 617–552–3310 during the day and 617–552–3227 on nights and weekends.
The mission of the Boston College Sexual Assault Network (SANet) is to connect those who have been directly or indirectly affected by sexual violence with trained advocates who can: offer empowering support to survivors, provide on and off campus resources, explore all available options, and be a compassionate and affirming presence throughout the healing process.
As a result of engaging with a SANet Hotline Advocate, callers will be able to:
- Demonstrate feeling supported and affirmed by SANet regarding their experience of trauma.
- Identify common reactions to trauma, which they might encounter in the aftermath of sexual misconduct.
- Identify on or off-campus resources available to provide ongoing support and education.
- Describe on-campus reporting options for a filing formal complaint of the misconduct.
If you have been affected by sexual violence, contact the Sexual Assault Network at anytime at 617–552–2211.
The purpose of Eagle Escort Services is to provide safety services for all members of the Boston College community traveling in and around campus. It is provided as a public safety service and is not intended as a substitute for public transportation, the various BC shuttles (including the Grocery & Newton Center shuttle) or local taxi services.
Some of the transportation options that the Eagle Escort provides are:
- Infirmary shuttle: provides regularly scheduled shuttles from the Primary Care Center to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Monday through Friday
- Medical transport: provides assistance to Boston College students with a medical or temporary disability by picking up and dropping off in Middle Campus once a day
- Safety escort: Provides safety transportation for Boston College students who are traveling to or from locations that are located within a 2 ½ mile radius from the Chestnut Hill campus.
Contact the Eagle Escort 24 hours a day at 617–552–8888.
Students Clubs and Organizations
To Write Love on Her Arms—Boston College
To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding help and presenting hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and invest directly into treatment and recovery.
TWLOHA-BC exists to spread the mission of TWLOHA, Inc at university or college campuses. At Boston College, our goal is to break the stigma associated with mental health - the lie that says we can't talk about and ask for help for our mental illnesses the way we can for our physical ones. We want to create a community on campus that understands the truths about mental health and one that fosters support and love for those struggling. We especially want to create a community where those that are struggling can feel comfortable admitting their hardships to find others to walk beside them in their process towards recovery.
We Run BC
WeRunBC is a means for all of Boston College to come together, enjoy and share in our love of running. Our mission is to offer an opportunity for non-varsity runners to relish the camaraderie and spirit that comes with being part of a running organization.
WeRunBC welcomes all runners, regardless of speed or ability level. We have a training schedule that is flexible for anyone who wants to join: those who want to jog casually with the group a couple times a week, those who want to push themselves but not compete, and those who want to be in peak condition for racing against other Bostonians and other college students. If you're a runner or would like to start running,
WeRunBC is the perfect organization for you. All members of WeRunBC have one thing in common: they love to run! Whether you just got into running or you raced varsity cross-country in high school, you should consider joining in this fun and supportive atmosphere of fellow runners.
Bike BC
Bike BC organizes group rides throughout the Boston area, conducts bicycle safety and repair clinics, and is leading a Bike Share initiative at BC. Whether you own a bike on campus or not, this is the club for anyone who enjoys bike riding. They are always looking for new members to help the organization grow, especially those with bike repair experience or with interests in environmental and business issues.
Check out the Bike BC website and take a look at the "Events" section to learn about upcoming events. Also, make sure to join the Bike BC Facebook page to be notified about all upcoming events. If you want to learn more or have any questions, contact Bike BC at info@bikebc.org.
Real Food
Real Food BC is a student-initiated organization committed to the creation of a more just, sustainable food system. This club cultivates stronger community ties through the promotion of food that is local, organic, fairly traded and humane. They are dedicated to bringing more local, sustainable, and fairly traded foods inot BC Dining. They want to have 20% of the food in the dining halls locally or fair trade sourced by 2020. This is done through a variety of activities, such as working with Dining Services on souring, cooking classes, and educaitonal speakers & field trips.
Lean On Me
Lean On Me is a non-emergency mental health hotline that automatically and anonymously matches peers to create crowd-sourced texting networks Lean On Me is an anonymous, non-emergency, student-run mental health support text hotline here at BC. If you’re feeling stressed, lonely, sad, or just need someone to talk to, you can text us at 617-553-6655 to be confidentially connected to a trained peer-supporter. We’re here to listen. If you have any questions about Lean On Me, please visit our website at https://lean0n.me/bc/.
Connect with Us Online
Free Expression Form Reporting
This reporting form serves multiple purposes:
- To allow the Boston College community a private and efficient means to report incidents of restrictions on free expression they have experienced or witnessed.
- To assist those who have have their expression rights infringed upon, and provide a means for the UGBC to voice these concerns to the appropriate administrators.
- To document incidents and concerns as a means to track patterns, and to eventually create policy change that address the restrictions on free expression in our community.