LGBTQIAP+ Student Support

How WPI Systems Manage Your Name

Utilize this page to learn about the WPI name change process and to understand when, where, and how lived name changes are managed within WPI systems.

For more information or assistance, please contact Lauren Buffone (She/Her), Director for Student Success & Support [Dean of Students Office].

To learn about how to file for a legal name change as an adult in Massachusetts, visit this website.

• The Alliance, oSTEM Affiliate Chapter is a student organization at WPI whose mission to provide a voice and body for students of WPI of all sexual orientations and gender identities. The organization offers social and educational programming and a support networks for students.
  • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/allianceatwpi
  • Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association for LGBTQ+ people in the STEM community. With over 100 student chapters at colleges/universities and professional chapters in cities across the United States and abroad, oSTEM is the largest chapter-based organization focused on LGBTQ+ people in STEM.
• Queer and Trans People of Color Coalition (QTPOCC) 
  • WPI’s first ever intersectionality club celebrating both POC and LGBT voices on campus! 
  • Linktree: https://linktr.ee/qtpoccwpi 

There are numerous all gender and gendered restrooms available on campus.

A full listing of the locations can be found on WPI’s Interactive Map.

The Housing & Residential Experience Center offers a variety of undergraduate housing opportunities that support students with a variety of gender expressions. For more information on housing options and directions on how to update your preferred name in StarRez, WPI’s housing selection and roster database, click here. While your legal name and sex will appear in your housing application, you do have the ability to create your own username for the online housing application search function.

Lavender Lane is WPI's LGBTQIAP+ affinity housing, designed to support an inclusive and affirming environment for residential students who identify within that community to comfortably live and explore their shared identities. Please contact The Housing & Residential Center at housing@wpi.edu or Lauren Feldman (she/they), Assistant Director for Gender Equity & Sexuality at diversity@wpi.edu with any questions.

The Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC) affirms and supports students of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. SDCC staff strive to provide a secure, confidential, and intentional space where LGBTQIAP+, trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming students can have their wellness needs met. The SDCC is located at 16 Einhorn Road and can be reached at 1-508-831-5540 and/or sdcc@wpi.edu.

WPI’s Center for Well-Being (CWB) is a hub for cross-functional campus efforts aimed at improving student, community, and campus well-being through evidence-based practices, coordinated initiatives, the support of student and faculty research, and strategic visioning. The CWB is located in Daniels Hall and can be reached at +1-508-831-6494 or cwb@wpi.edu.

Looking for Additional Resources? View the Student Resources & Support website for a large list of WPI resources, available to all students. 

Participating in a therapeutic group can be a helpful resource for students to use both as a stand-alone tool for support, or as an adjunct to individual therapy. Not only will you have the ear of a trained therapist and counselor, but you’ll have an opportunity to connect with peers and form new relationships, provide and receive support to/from others, and discover that you are not alone.

Students interested in group therapy should complete this form. A group counselor will be in touch with more information.

WPI Student Health Services (SHS) is an appointment-based medical office and can provide or refer any primary care needs.

WPI’s approach to preventing sexual misconduct is comprehensive and progressive. All members of the WPI community are protected by federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination based on sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and transgender status. 

You can report Sexual Misconduct to the Equal Opportunity & Outreach Office in person, by mail, by telephone, by email, or anonymously. Contact information for the Title IX Coordinator and Deputy Coordinators can be found HERE. 

• Title IX Coordinator Rm 234 Campus Center 
• Phone: 508-831-6514 
• Email: titleix@wpi.edu 
• Address: 100 Institute Road Worcester, Massachusetts 01609 

The Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education (ODIME) is proud to offer members of the WPI community access to our apparel pantry Gompei’s Closet located in the Collegiate Religious Center (CRC) at 19 Schussler Road. 

Gompei's Closet is currently housed on the second floor of the Collegiate Religious Center (CRC) and serves as an on campus resource for students and employees to request and receive clothing products, ties, dress shirts, blouses, shirts, underwear, socks, and other garments. This can be a resource for those looking to find gender-affirming clothing options. 

The Bias Response Program allows the university to provide support for individuals looking to better understand their reporting options, serve as a resource and measure of accountability to formal reporting channels, and advocate for individuals who may not be comfortable pursuing formal reporting channels. Additionally, the BRP will serve as a means of data gathering and assessment on patterns and trends of bias to mitigate the pervasive effects and recurrence of bias on campus. 

You can report a Bias Incident through the Bias Incident Online Reporting Form. 

You can update your name in Canvas on your own. Be sure to update both the Display Name and the Full Name fields your Canvas settings. This can be completed by following these steps:

• How do I change the settings in my user account as a student?

You can add your pronouns in Canvas on your own.  Add your pronouns by following these steps:

• Personal Information And User Settings In Canvas

The Heebner Career Development Center offers a wide variety of tips and support for LGBTQIAP+ students when it comes to the job search.

These resources include news & advice, job & internship opportunities, career videos, and more on their LGBTQIAP+ page!

Download and review the LGBTQIAP+ Job Search Tip Sheet (PDF) for information on identifying LGBTQIAP+ friendly employers, coming out at work, and more.

If you wish to share your lived name and gender identity in Handshake, you can edit this in your student profile. 

Campus Pride has created a resource for LGBTQIAP+ folks looking for jobs, mentorship, career centers and so much more on their Career Connect website. 

Global Experience Office (GEO) recognizes that different aspects of your identity may impact your experience abroad. We encourage all travelers to reflect on the different aspects of their identity when preparing for travel abroad.

Considerations

How you identify in the United States may not be how you choose to identify abroad and may not be how you are identified by your destination country. We encourage all travelers to research your destination country’s history, culture, laws, and demographics.

''When you go abroad, it's inevitable to find yourself in a conversation with someone whose opinions vary greatly from yours.'' Read this helpful article from Diversity Abroad on how to engage in challenging conversations while abroad.

Please consult the following resources as you consider and prepare for your experience off campus.

Supporting Diversity Off Campus - LGBTQIAP+ Students

The George C. Gordon Library has a variety of Collections and Library Guides about and for the LGBTQIAP+ community:

• Collection of LGBTQIAP+ Books
• LGBTQIAP+ History Month Library Guide
• LGTBQIAP+ Pride & Culture
• Transgender Resources
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Library Guide

WPI’s Division of Marketing Communication team uses the Merit Pages, Inc. platform to share student news through hometown press releases.

If you would like to use your preferred name, please claim and update your Merit Page at https://wpi.meritpages.com/.

For more information on Merit Pages, visit Student Merit Pages: Frequently Asked Questions.

Best Colleges and Scholarships.com have curated a scholarship guide for the LGBTQIAP+ community.

• College Scholarships for LGBTQ+ Students
• Scholarships for Gay or Lesbian Students