The Penn State Monty Python Society's satirical 1993 "Coke-In" nodded to the university's disregard for student concerns, while also generating a few giggles.
The Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity at Penn State is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with programming that celebrates and honors two decades of inclusivity in the University community. Continuing throughout the month, the center will present the exhibit “Penn State Queerstory" on the lower level of the HUB-Robeson Center.
IMAGE: Provided
A native of Pennsylvania and 1983 graduate of the College of Agricultural Sciences, Conrad said his gift to the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity was inspired by his lifetime journey as a gay man and by his dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community. As a first-generation student coming from a small, rural community, Conrad faced many challenges in his undergraduate experience, compounded by his experiences struggling with his sexuality and negative stigmas about the LGBTQ+ community in the early 1980s. Conrad endured a lack of support and resources for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as sometimes outright hostility, while earning his degree in agricultural business. Those same experiences persisted as he began a career in business where, if revealed, disclosure of his sexuality at that time could have resulted in a loss of employment or derail his career.