The Pride Center hosted an open house mixer at the Center for Inclusion and Belonging on Wednesday.

The mixer lasted from 12-2 p.m. with more than 30 students attending.

“There’s a space for all of our students,” said College President Dr. Edward Bush, “You don’t have to conform to a certain type of way in order to belong or fit in.”

Twenty-year-old psychology major Annalyse Thorpe said the campus has a good support system for its LGBTQ+ identifying students.

The Pride Center offers resources to LGBTQ+ students such as counseling and a place to mingle.

“Growing up queer, it was always really hard. So, I think having a way to form a community around it in an easily accessible way is really important,” Thorpe said.

The mixer involved interactive games including bingo and trivia, along with an array of snacks and stickers for students and faculty.

“I’m wanting to see socialization between faculty, staff and students,” said Psychology Professor Amanda Procsal, “I want people to be aware of the pride center, it’s here.”

Nineteen-year-old Cathryn Ours, an English major, said the group makes her feel connected.

“It’s really great, it’s really inclusive in that sense and I feel like it’s a big family right now,” Ours said.

Students who attended the event said other campus events similar to it leave positive impacts on students.

“It builds community, especially for like LGBTQ+ youth when coming from other places where they didn’t have that community,” said 20-year-old graphic design major Jirah Lope. “They can find connections and other people like them.”

Ours said that events such as this could bond students and faculty closer together as well.

“I definitely think it impacts our community,” Ours said, “It brings people together, it brings awareness to the club itself too.”

Alejandra Trejo, the student personal assistant for the Pride Center, said that more people came than she expected.

“I am very happy, I’m smiling ear to ear,” Trejo said, “I definitely think this is needed all the time, we want to continue this and make this probably bigger.”

The Pride Center opened in 2022 and has grown their community’s awareness.

“I’m just really proud of CRC, the Center of Inclusion and Belonging and our Pride Center for the work that they’re doing,” Bush said.

The Pride Center is located in the Library downstairs in L-106 and is open Monday through Friday to all students and staff.