J’Lissabeth Faughn Named Director of LGBTQ* Resources
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 21, 2022) — J’Lissabeth Faughn (she, her, hers) has been named director of the Office of LGBTQ* Resources, housed in the Office for Student Success, at the University of Kentucky. Faughn will begin her position May 9.
An experienced leader with a passion for social justice and student development, Faughn brings a rich history of advocacy and community building from similar roles in California, Iowa and Missouri. She holds a graduate degree in higher education and social justice from Iowa State University and an undergraduate degree from Murray State University.
“We are very excited to welcome J’Lissabeth Faughn to Student Success as the director of LGBTQ* Resources,” said Marianne Young, assistant vice president of Student Development and Support. “Her experience in developing partnerships and building opportunities for community and support will play a vital role in continuing the strong history of this office on UK’s campus.”
As an advocate and educator, Faughn strives to help students, staff and faculty connect to their campus and challenges them to succeed in all facets of their lives. Her leadership of the Office of LGBTQ* Resources will continue to build on the unit’s rich history of programming and services that contribute to UK being recognized as a top 30 institution in the country for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety.
“I am excited to continue the office’s legacy of creating a safe, open environment for all,” Faughn said. “I will be focusing on what programs and initiatives we have in place for our LGBTQ students who are coming to UK and what keeps them here.”
The Office of LGBTQ* Resources is the University of Kentucky's central hub for accessing information, groups and services related to diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Located in the Dinkle Mas Suite in the Gatton Student Center, the resource center is a campus-wide office that works to make sure that our community is a welcoming, safe and supportive place for all students, faculty, staff and alumni.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.