Kansas State University purple pride is in the most recent ranking from Campus Pride, a national nonprofit that works for a safer college environment for LGBTQ students.

For the second year in a row, Campus Pride lists Kansas State University among its30 Best of the Best LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities with the highest ranking, five stars. The university is the only school in Kansas and the only Big 12 Conference school to be included in the 2018 and 2017 listings.

“Our university has worked very hard to achieve a greater understanding of diversity and inclusion,” said Brandon Haddock, LGBT Resource Center coordinator. “It is with great gratitude to our students, faculty, staff and administrators who have made these accomplishments possible, especially the Resource Center student staff, our student organizations, and faculty and staff affinity organization.”

Kansas State University was given the five-star ranking because it meets benchmarks regarding policy inclusion, support and institutional commitment, academic life, student life, housing, campus safety, counseling and health, and recruitment and retention for LGBTQ individuals. One of the largest strengths for the university is its LGBT Resource Center, which promotes equity, respect, and social justice through programs, outreach and education.

“The LGBT Resource Center helps nurture and support an inclusive environment, which is a key component of Kansas State University’s student life initiatives,” said Pat Bosco, vice president for student life and dean of students. “This ranking is a tribute to the inviting environment that those in the LGBT Resource Center, supportive organizations and student life have worked hard to provide for all K-Staters.”

The university’s diversity and inclusion efforts also have been recognized nationally by the SR Education Group, which lists Kansas State University among the 60 accredited institutions on its 2018 Best LGBTQ-Friendly Online Schools. In addition, the university has been consistently recognized with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity, or HEED, award.