In April 2025, a new member joined the Student Affairs team to support our queer community and allies across campus. Stevie Edwards, our new Assistant Director of LGBTQIA+ Outreach and Title IX Resource Provider, joined us from the University of Iowa and jumped right into campus life by providing support services and programming for our campus community.
Stevie Edwards, Assistant Director of LGBTQIA+ Outreach and Title IX Resource Provider
An avid fan of Dungeons and Dragons and originally from Duluth, Georgia, Stevie now resides with his partners in the city of Worcester and comes to us with a bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from New York University. As the Assistant Director of LGBTQIA+ Outreach, Stevie oversees the new LGBTQIA+ Community Center and social and educational programming for the center and campus. He also serves as an advisor for the LGBTQ+ Alliance, our major organization dedicated to supporting our queer community as well as allies, and he also advises the Drag Club. Stevie also serves on the LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee, which is a campus-wide committee made up of faculty, staff, and students that discusses issues and provides programming for the campus community. Stevie has found the environment at WSU very welcoming since he started in April. He feels that he doesn’t need to be as stringent, as on-guard, as defensive a leader as he had to be before coming to WSU.
Stevie has already accomplished a lot in his short time at WSU. In addition to advising the student organizations, Stevie opened the LGBTQIA+ Community Center with a grand opening in September of this year, which provided an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to check out the new space and learn more about the resources that are available through the center and his office. Developing programming specifically for the space, as well as programming for the entire campus community, is another area where Stevie has put a lot of work into since arriving in April. His first large-scale event was Lavender Graduation in May. This nationwide ceremony is held on university campuses to celebrate seniors who identify as members of the queer community. Faculty and student speakers address the attendees and graduates with well-wishes and messages of resilience and strength, and graduating seniors receive lavender cords to wear at commencement. Consistent monthly and weekly programming as well as educational training, has also been a focus of Stevie’s this year. Programming has included the Allyship Workshop, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Queer BBQ during Welcome Week, and many queer socials held throughout the semester. Stevie also partners with Counseling Services to provide a monthly support group for students in the queer community.
Steve’s Leadership Perspective
Stevie has learned many lessons during his career as a leader. He defines a great leader as “someone who can mess up, apologize, and work to do better next time. It’s okay to make mistakes and to own them! Making mistakes is part of learning, and it will only make you a stronger leader to acknowledge and welcome your mistakes and work to recover from them.” Stevie believes that the biggest misconception of what makes a good leader is that a leader is never wrong. “We’re all going to be wrong at some point! It’s unrealistic to expect anyone to be right 100% of the time.” Stevie believes that taking ownership of decisions made, whether right or wrong, will make us better leaders as we continue through life.
Identity and Leadership
Identity and culture play into how people define their leadership style as they progress through their lives. Identifying with the queer community has really shaped Stevie into the leader and professional that he is today. “I am a trans man, and before I transitioned, I was labeled as “annoying” and other less-flattering words. But after I transitioned, suddenly I have “leadership skills”! It’s been interesting to live on two different sides of gender and see how differently people treat me. Ultimately, I think my transness has taught me how to incorporate joy and resilience into my leadership, to celebrate the wins and small victories, and to welcome others for who they are.” Through his own personal experiences, Stevie serves as a valuable resource for students exploring and/or struggling with their own gender and sexual identities. His most valuable experiences at WSU, so far, have been with the students he works closely with through the LGBTQIA+ Community Center. “In the short time I’ve been here, I would say students trusting me with their stories has been the most meaningful experience. They still don’t know me very well, and they choose to trust me with part of themselves, which I think is a profound gift.”
Advice for Leaders
When asked if he had any advice for future leaders, Stevie focused on a message of taking in as many experiences as you can to become a better leader. “Lean in as much as you can– there is something you can learn from every experience, from every person. Even if you think you know better than someone else, chances are that they have something they can teach you, either about leadership or life or other people’s perspectives. Leadership is a skill; it takes practice. If you wait to be comfortable to be a leader, you never will be. It is uncomfortable work, but so is all meaningful work.”
