Atlanta College Fair Recruits LGBT Students

For the first time ever, Campus Pride comes to Atlanta to host one of its national college fairs, specifically for recruiting lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender (LGBT) students. The fair will be held in conjunction with the Atlanta Pride Festival on Saturday, October 12 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on festival grounds in Piedmont Park. The fair is sponsored by PNC Bank and is free and open to the public featuring colleges and universities from across the country as well as resources for financial aid, scholarships and ACT/SAT testing services. Colleges and universities may still register online to have a table at the fair. More information is online at www.CampusPride.org/CollegeFair

"Accessibility to higher education for LGBT youth should be a number one priority, especially in the South. Research tells us that LGBT youth are at higher-risk when it comes to harassment and safety in secondary education, so we need to be sure that they find the right college for post-secondary education," said Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride, "The colleges at this fair are actively providing services to LGBT students and want students who are out and part of the campus community."

Held in partnership with Atlanta Pride and coinciding with National Coming Out Day, the LGBT-Friendly College Fair will include several representatives from local, regional and national colleges and universities to allow LGBT students to interact with campus representatives and ask questions. Campus Pride will also provide scholarship, financial aid assistance and ACT/SAT testing services.

Campus Pride is the leading national educational organization for student leaders and campus groups working to create safer college environments for LGBT students, The Campus Pride National College Fair program is the only one of its kind and has occurred for six years across the country. The fair has already stopped this year in Charlotte, N.C., (Aug. 24). Upcoming stops include Chicago (Oct. 5), Boston (Oct. 11), Los Angeles (Oct. 19), and New York City (Nov. 1). The fairs are held in tandem with the Campus Pride Index, the nation's most comprehensive benchmarking tool for colleges and universities seeking to create safer and more inclusive environments for LGBT students.

For more information on Campus Pride, the Campus Pride Index, the College Fair Program or other Campus Pride projects and services, visit www.campuspride.org.