Jay Smith
Position: President
Main Email: lgbtu@uakron.edu

Bio: This has been a great year for LGBTU, we had many great speakers, events, and fundraisers. Of course the biggest achievement was having the Associated Student Government pass both LGBT resolutions. The first resolution supporting and encouraging the University of Akron to create an LGBT Equality Week and the second resolution supporting and encouraging a staff position focused on LGBT student support.

I am excited to being my second year as President of LGBTU and in working to make The University of Akron an LGBT inclusive campus.

I encourage all UA students, staff, faculty and community members to attend our meetings, events, and fundraisers. We host a wide range of speakers and discussion forums as well as social activities and volunteer opportunities through out the year. Be sure to check out the calender to see up coming meetings and events.

A few great quotes:

"To stay the same is to fall behind"

"Ya gotta give 'em hope"

"Those who mind dont matter, those who matter dont mind"

"The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think - rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men."

"If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him
that you are his sincere friend."

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it." - Abraham Lincoln

Krystal Lamb
Position: Vice President
Email: lgbtu@uakron.edu

Maha hatoum
Position: Treasurer
Email: lgbtu@uakron.edu
Bio:Though from Cleveland, I came to The University of Akron to major in Communications, and minor in Philosophy. I'm currently unsure of where I want to work after graduation. I first started caring Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues when I saw "Anatomy of a Hate Crime," the MTV movie that tells the story of Matthew Shepard. A few years later, one of my closest friends, Cara was afraid to come out to me, because she was afraid it would end our friendship. On a much happier note, I love seeing old friends, making new ones, the band Keane and watching Scrubs.

Becca Salchak
Position: Secretary
Email: lgbtu@uakron.edu
Bio: I am An Akron Ohio native and lover of the rubber city. I graduated from Firestone High School in '08 and was v.p. of the GSA there. I've been out for a while as a lesbian and will tell you my story any time you ask it is just too long for this bio. I am a philosophy major cuz i like to philosophize and i plan on going to chicago for seminary training to become a minister. I have a dog name frank he's cool. i have a few tight friends who we all went to the same middle school and/or high school and we are theater nerds together. I'm really excited to be an LGBTU officer this year. peace and love to you all

Javier Aliegro
Position: Faculty Advisor
Email:jdc37@uakron.edu
Bio:Javier Coronado-Aliegro is originally from Cartagena, Colombia. He received a B.A. in Translation with the title of Profesional en Idiomas in 1991 from the Universidad de Antioquia. In 1998 he earned the title of Especialista en la Enseñanza de Lenguas Extranjeras at the Universidad de Antioquia. He taught EFL at the Universidad de Antioquia and at the Universidad Pontifica Bolivariana until 1998. In 2000 he received a M.A. in TESOL from West Virginia University. From 2000-2004, he taught Spanish at the University of Pittsburgh while under a Fellowship with the Center for Latin American Studies. He was also School Visit Program coordinator during this period. In the fall of 2006, he completed his. Ph.D. in Foreign Language Education at the University of Pittsburgh. His dissertation topic focused on self-assessment and its effect on self-efficacy among undergraduates studying Spanish as a foreign language.