The Safe Space program helps those students of the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender and Questioning community on the Wilkes Campus to identify a supportive faculty/staff member or student group. The visibility of the safe space sticker allows the campus community to identify faculty/staff members and know that they can speak freely with these individuals about LGBTQ issues.

Ms. Erica Acosta
Director Diversity Initiative
Diversity Affairs
Max Roth Center erica.acosta@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-7856

Dr. Mark R. Allen
Interim VP Student Affairs
Student Affairs
Passan Hall Second Floormark.allen@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4103

Dr. Mischelle B. Anthony
Associate Professor/Chair
English
Kirby Hall 201mischelle.anthony@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4529

Megan Boone Valkenburg
Coordinator
Learning Center
Henry Student Center megan.boone@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-5905

Ms. Carol A. Bosack Kosek
Director
Career Services
Rear 236 South River Street First Floorcarol.bosack@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4063

Anita Burns
Health Services Assistant
Health and Wellness Services
Passan Hall First Floor First Flooranita.burns@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4730


Dr. Evene Estwick
Associate Professor/Chair
Communication Studies
Karambelas Media and Comm Ctr 106evene.estwick@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4161

Dr. Jonathan D. Ference
Associate Provost
Provost Office
Conyngham Hall 214jonathan.ference@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4271

Melissa A. Gaudio
Campus Counselor
Wilkes University Counseling Center
Passan Hall Second Floor Room 204melissa.gaudio@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4358

Mohsen Ghamari
Associate Professor
Mechanical Engineering
150-180 South River Street 138mohsen.ghamari@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-3319


Dr. Del M. Lucent
Associate Professor
Math Physics and Computer Science
Stark Learning Center 231del.lucent@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4834

Dr. Blake L. Mackesy
Associate Professor
EDD Education Doctorate
Breiseth Hall 215blake.mackesy@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4157

Jennifer M. Malinowski
Assoc Dean, Academic Affairs
Nesbitt School of Pharmacy

Dr. Mary F. McManus
Associate Professor
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Stark Learning Center 320amary.mcmanus@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4273

Dr. Ellen E. Newell
Associate Professor
Psychology
137-159 South Franklin Street Breiseth Hall 309ellen.newell@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4568

Diane E. OBrien
Director
Health and Wellness Services
Passan Hall First Floor First Floordiane.obrien@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4734

Mrs. Amy M. Patton
Associate Director
Undergraduate Admissions
Chase Hall amy.patton@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4407

Dr. Linda M. Paul
Assoc. Professor Philosophy
Global Cultures
Breiseth Hall 101linda.paul@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4243

Jill Marie Price
Adventure Ed Coordinator
Student Development
Henry Student Center jill.price@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4036

Mrs. Roberta J. Shaffer
Residence Life Assistant
Residence Life
Max Roth Hall 2nd Floorroberta.shaffer@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4350


Dr. Jennifer J. Thomas
Associate Professor
Psychology
137-159 South Franklin Street Breiseth Hall 306jennifer.thomas@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4567

Dr. Andrew R. Wilczak
Associate Professor and Associate Dean, of Arts and Sciences
Sociology / Criminology
137-159 South Franklin Street Breiseth Hall 325andrew.wilczak@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4041

Dr. Linda A. Winkler
Professor Anthropology
Global Cultures
Breiseth Hall Room 112linda.winkler@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4605

Ms. Gretchen S. Yeninas
Associate Dean/Community Dev.
Student Affairs
Passan Hall 2nd floorgretchen.yeninas@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4107

Dr. Chelsea D. Chamberlain
Assistant Professor
Global Cultures
Breiseth Hall Room 109chelsea.chamberlain@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-5470

Mrs. Gabrielle M. DAmico
Associate VP Marketing Comm.
Marketing Communications
170 South Franklin Street Room 312gabrielle.damico@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4510

Mrs. Michelle A. Strickland
Executive Administrative Asst
Provost Office
170 South Franklin Street michelle.strickland@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4116

Mr. Jared M. Menghini
Vice President of Enrollment Management
Financial Aid

Dr. David M. Ward
Senior Vice President/Provost
Provost Office
170 South Franklin St 205david.ward@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-3882

Mrs. Elizabeth C. Leo
University Counsel and Title IX Coordinator
Presidents Office
Weckesser Hall 2nd Floorelizabeth.leo@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-7788

Dr. Matthew S. Finkenbinder
Associate Professor
Earth Systems Science
Cohen Science Center 424matthew.finkenbinder@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-3871

Mrs. Annet Kaminski
Administrative Assistant
Sidhu School of Business
Simms Center on Main Room 216Gannet.kaminski@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4725

Dr. Saritha Karnae
Assistant Professor
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Cohen Science Center Room 417saritha.karnae@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-5566

Mrs. Andrea J. Rizzo
Office Assistant
Social Science
Breiseth Hall Rm 327andrea.rizzo@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4040

Dr. Christopher R. Zarpentine
Assoc. Prof. Philosophy/Chair
Global Cultures
Breiseth Hall Room 110Bchristoph.zarpentine@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4597

Maria C. Richards PsyD.
Psychologist
Wilkes University Counseling Center
Passan Hall Second Floor Room 211maria.richards@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-6210

Mr. Jason W. Wagner
Courseware App Developer
Technology for Teaching and Learning
Conyngham Hall 309jason.wagner1@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-3859

Heather M. Sincavage
Associate Professor/Director
Sordoni Art Gallery
Karambelas Media and Comm Ctr 139Aheather.sincavage@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-3365

Ms. Julia M. Jacien
Experiential Prog Coordinator
Pharmacy Practice

Jacqueline Eovitch
Communications Manager
Undergraduate Admissions
184 South River Street Chase Hall 3rd Floorjacqueline.eovitch@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4135

Jennifer Lynn McLaughlin
Assistant Director
Honors Program
150 South River Street SLC 262jennifer.mclaughlin1@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-7831

Mr. Justin Collins
Director Adm and Student Affairs
Nesbitt School of Pharmacy

Mrs. Megan J. Pitts
Assoc. Director Admsn and Events
Undergraduate Admissions
84 West South Street Henry Student Ctr 1st Floormegan.pitts@wilkes.edu

Mrs. Julia Ann Panzitta
Associate Director
Institutional Research
10 East South Street julia.panzitta@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-3828

Dr. Jamal A. Ghorieshi
Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Stark Learning Center 230jamal.ghorieshi@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-4889

Jeanne Rabel
Senior Advising Coordinator
Advising Services
130 South River Street Conygham Hall Rm 203jeanne.rabel@wilkes.edu
(570) 408-5884

The program is completely voluntary. The reason why we are offering these sessions is because we want to educate ourselves about LGBTQ issues and concerns and how they relate to colleges and universities. There will be two ways this program will be offered: Safe Space Ally Training and LGBTQ awareness training. The sessions are offered to faculty/staff and students.
In the Safe Space Ally training session, we will provide participants with the tools to take action against negative attitudes towards the LGBTQ community on and off campus. “In the most general sense, an “Ally” “is” a person who is a member of the dominant or majority group who works to end oppression in his or her personal and professional life through support of, and as an advocate for, the oppressed population.”(Washington and Evans, Becoming an Ally) Participants in the Ally training will receive a Safe Space sign and/or button to display and may choose to be listed in our online Ally registry.
LGBTQ awareness training introduces participants to terminology that is used in the LGBTQ community and includes discussions of different scenarios. The Ally program will also be introduced so that those who attend the Safe Space training will know about the Ally program and can sign up for Ally training if interested.
What is Safe Space?
Surveys indicates that a majority of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (GLBTQA) students do not feel safe at school out of fear for personal safety. Students who can identify a supportive faculty/staff member or student group are more likely to feel a sense of belonging at their school than those who cannot. For many students, the presence of allies to whom they can turn for support - or even the simple knowledge that allies exist - can be a big factor in developing to improve school climate. Safe Space programs increase the visible presence of students and adults allies who can help to shape a school culture that is accepting of all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/ expression, or any other difference.
Safe Space Mission
- To foster an inclusive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning students, and their allies.
- To provides educational opportunities, advocacy, and programming for students, faculty, and staff on the Wilkes University campus.
- To aspire that Safe Space will help develop and support inclusive understanding of gender and sexuality, as well as foster a community that is open, safe, and supportive.
What Can You Do As An Ally
Get Involved!
- Display your Safe Space Sticker! The sticker indicates that, within your office or room, homophobic and heterosexist comments and actions will not be tolerated silently, but instead will be addressed in an educational and nonthreatening manner. The sticker does not indicate whether or not you are LGBTQA; it merely states that you are an Ally.
- Support policies that bring equity to and give open support to LGBTQA issues.
- Encourage others to become a part of Safe Space.
- Attend Safe Space training to further increase your knowledge and awareness.
- Pay attention to the words people use to describe themselves. Not everyone identifies as “gay”, “lesbian”, “homosexual,” etc.
- Do not assume that a gay, lesbian, or bisexual person is attracted to you just because they have disclosed their sexual identity.
- Respect the desire for secrecy of a person you know to be gay, lesbian or bisexual. Do not “out” someone.
- Speak out against statements and jokes that attack LGBTQA people. Letting others know that you find anti-LGBTQA statements and jokes offensive and unacceptable can go a long away towards reducing homophobia.
Resources
Campus Resources
- Safe Space | safespace@wilkes.edu
- Office of Diversity Initiatives | diversity@wilkes.edu
- Wilkes Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) | Facebook page
Community Resources
- Sexual Orientation: The desire for intimate emotional and sexual relationships with people of the same sex (homosexual), the other sex (heterosexual), or both sexes (bisexual).
- Gender Identity: A person’s sense of being male or female.
- Gay: The adjective used to describe people who are physically romantically, and/or emotionally attracted to people of the same sex.
- Lesbian: A woman whose enduring physical, romantic, emotional and/or spiritual attraction is to other women.
- Bisexual: An individual who is physically, romantically, emotionally and/or spiritually attracted to men and women.
- Transgender: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from sex they were assigned at birth.
- Transsexual: A person who has changed, or is in the process of changing, his or her physical sex to conform to his or her internal sense of gender identity.
- Heterosexism: The assumption that everyone is heterosexual, and that heterosexuality is superior to homosexuality or bisexuality.
- Questioning: A term or period where an individual re-assesses (however privately or openly) the orientation/identity that they have either asserted for themselves, or been brought up as.
- Intersex: Describing a person whose biological sex is ambiguous.
- LGBTQA: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Ally.