UNF named “Best of the Best” college for LGBTQ+ students in the southeast

Carter Mudgett, Editor in Chief
August 25, 2022

The University of North Florida was recognized as the “Best of the Best” college in the southeast for LGBTQ+ students on Wednesday by Campus Pride — an organization focused on creating safe and welcoming campuses for LGBTQ+ people. 

Featuring 40 four-year campuses across the country split up by region, UNF was ranked five out of five stars on the Campus Pride Index (CPI) — the definitive national benchmarking tool measuring LGBTQ-friendly policies, programs and practices. This year, the Best of the Best list was based on an overall score of 93% or higher. 

 Members of the University of North Florida LGBTQ Center table in the Student Union after the university was named one of the “Best of the Best” colleges for LGBTQ+ people on Wednesday. (Carter Mudgett)

“When I first came to UNF, our Campus Pride ranking was 3.5 stars, which is a huge accomplishment for any university. In the last two years, my team and I worked closely and tirelessly with many departments on campus and organizations outside of campus to improve equality and inclusion, not just at UNF, but in the greater Jacksonville area as a whole,” wrote UNF LGBTQ Center Director Manny Velásquez-Paredes in an email to Spinnaker. “Our mission continues because we need to be the leaders in diversity and equality. We will continue to create more opportunities for LGBTQ+ students, staff and faculty to feel more welcome and to find a safe place at UNF.”

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