University Park

New director for LGBTQA Student Resource Center named

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Brian Patchcoski has been named the director of the LGBTQA Student Resource Center at Penn State effective July 3. Patchcoski comes to Penn State from Cornell University where he was, most recently, the associate dean of students and director of the LGBT Resource Center.

Patchcoski will succeed Allison Subasic, founding director of the LGBTQA Student Resource Center, who retired in November.

“The LGBTQA Student Resource Center became a national leader in its programming and resource offerings under the direction of Allison Subasic,” said Damon Sims, vice president for Student Affairs. “I am confident that Brian’s considerable experience in higher education will allow him to continue the great work of our center and explore new ways to engage and educate our community. Brian is very familiar with the center and Penn State, having worked at the center for five years as a graduate assistant and then assistant director. This knowledge will be an asset in his new role and we are excited to welcome him back to our community.”

In his new role, Patchcoski will oversee the center, which provides a comprehensive range of programming, education, information and advocacy services for the entire Penn State community around LGBTQ issues. The center, which is a unit of Penn State Student Affairs, works to create and maintain an open, safer and inclusive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students at Penn State.  

“At this time and moment in higher education and the world, conversations and dialogues reflecting the complexities of historically marginalized diverse genders and sexualities, but more specifically, if not importantly, their intersections with a student’s holistic identities, are much needed. Identity is complex and I believe it is through opportunities embedded in spaces like the LGBTQA Student Resource Center that we can help challenge our university communities to grow and support them in that growth by providing the resources and education necessary for cultural change,” said Patchcoski. “There continues to be a great investment in the center on behalf of the University and I look forward to learning from and listening to Penn State students, faculty, staff and alumni about their desires for future growth in space, programming and community reach.”

Prior to joining Cornell University, Patchcoski was the founding director of the Office of LGBTQ Services at Dickinson College. Within his roles as associate dean of students at Cornell and director at Dickinson, Patchcoski also served as a university victim advocate on issues of sexual violence, bias, discrimination and harassment, deputy Title IX coordinator and university crisis manager.

Patchcoski has participated in several national research projects examining student identity development and campus climate and has served as the Mid-Atlantic representative for the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals. He has worked extensively providing trainings and discussions exploring issues of sexuality and gender identity and has presented at several national conferences. His specific research focus resides at the intersections of spirituality, religion, sexuality and gender. One of his most recent published chapters focuses on navigating the intersection between spiritual and sexual identity amongst LGBTQ college students. The chapter centers on “queering” the work of higher education administrators and encouraging dialogue amongst some of the most “separate” entities on campus.

Patchcoski has served as the chair of the Pennsylvania College Personnel Associations LGBTQ Committee providing advocacy and education surrounding sexuality and gender related issues to colleges and universities across the state of Pennsylvania.

“Penn State's LGBTQA Student Resource Center continues to be nationally recognized for its student support, programmatic innovation and direct advocacy,” said Patchcoski. “I am thrilled to be returning to Penn State and I look forward to using my experience across higher education to create and foster community and bring the center and the communities it represents – all in.”

Brian Patchcoski has been named the director of the LGBTQA Student Resource Center at Penn State effective July 3.  Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

Last Updated June 20, 2017