Rebekah Harless-Balmer named recipient of third annual Triangle Award

8:37 a.m., April 19, 2016--The University of Delaware LGBTQ Faculty/Staff Caucus has chosen Rebekah Harless-Balmer as the recipient of the third annual Triangle Award. 

Harless-Balmer is the LGBT program coordinator in the Office of the Dean of Students. She started in this newly-created position last summer, and has been integral in helping the UD campus become more welcoming and supportive of LGBTQ students.

Honors Stories

National Medal of Science

President Barack Obama recently presented the National Medal of Science to University of Delaware alumnus Rakesh Jain.

Warren Award

Rosalind Johnson, assistant dean for student success in the NUCLEUS Program in UD's College of Arts and Sciences, was presented the John Warren Excellence in Leadership and Service Award during a May 26 ceremony.

• Warren Award
• Athletic training accolades
• Outstanding student teachers
• Library recognition

This award recognizes outstanding leadership and contributions in promoting an inclusive and safe campus climate that respects the diversity of the LGBTQ community at UD. The “Triangle” represents three key components of leadership for our community: support, advocacy, and visibility.

The LGBTQ Caucus chose to create this award because it wanted to be able to recognize and thank people in the UD community for their tireless efforts in being visible and active in improving the campus environment for students and employees through support and resources.  

To highlight some of this past year’s efforts by Harless-Balmer, she has:

• Expanded and reworked the LGBTQ+ ally trainings to be offered to students as well as faculty and staff. She has offered LGBTQ+ Ally Booster trainings to those who had previously completed the ally training to offer ongoing training opportunities for allies. 
• Consulted with numerous faculty and staff when questions or concerns arose in regard to LGBTQ+ undergraduate students, as well as how offices and departments can become more inclusive and supportive of members of the LGBTQ+ community.
• Met with Admissions and LGBTQ Caucus to help advocate to add optional sexual orientation and gender identity questions to the University’s undergraduate application, which follows best practices.
• Trained hundreds of faculty, staff and students on a variety of topics including LGBTQ+ 101, Trans 101 and Ally Trainings. She has been able to offer trainings to various departments as well as student groups, including first year seminar classes and Blue Hen Leadership Program.
• Co-sponsored events with different committees, offices and registered student organizations including, but not limited to: Haven’s drag show, the Promoters of Wellness speaker series (Alexa Carlin, Aydian Dowling, and Quiet Riot), Sexual Assault Prevention Education (SAPE) Committee speakers Jessica Valenti and Gale Dines.

The Triangle Award will be presented at a spring social gathering to be held from 4-5:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, at The SpeakEasy at the Wright House, 44 Kent Way. All members of the University community are invited to attend.

More information about the LGBTQ Caucus can be found at this website. 

Photo by Evan Krape