Grad to Continue Activism After Graduation

MILWAUKEE—Ellen Semran is one of those people who radiates positive energy when you meet her.

In her case, she has focused that enthusiasm to advance a cause she is passionate about: supporting equal rights and access for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Semran, who earns her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Sunday, has been formally honored for her efforts during the past year. As Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Issues director of the UWM Student Association, she received the LGBTQ Issues Director of the Year Award from the United Council of UW Students. (The United Council of UW Students is the statewide student governance organization.) The Ally Program, launched at UWM by Semran, received awards for Program of the Year from UWM’s Student Organizations Advising and Resources (SOAR), and Best Campaign of the year from the UWM Student Association.

She also has worked long and hard to help others realize that protecting the rights of those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is important to everyone.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. quote, “Injustice anywhere affects justice everywhere,” has been a guiding light for her.

The Ally Program seeks to improve campus climate by creating awareness of LGBTQ issues through the implementation of educational workshops. Semran planned the meetings of the Ally Program to be based on “experiential learning and having fun,” and was gratified when 75 people attended the first meeting. In a nutshell, she describes the approach of the Ally Program as, “What, so what, and now what?”

Semran also has been recognized as outstanding lobbyist by the UWM Student Association for her work opposing the proposed constitutional amendment against gay marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). She was part of a group of students making presentations at the UW System Board of Regents meeting in February. Semran’s speech urged the board to adopt a resolution encouraging the state to extend full benefits to domestic partners. At their April meeting, the board approved such a resolution. She describes lobbying as “really all about creating momentum.”

Semran, who also is a student member of the UWM Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues Advisory Committee, describes UWM as having the best benefits package for domestic partners in the UW System. (One of the recent accomplishments of the advisory committee was a statement of policy regarding domestic partnership policies and procedures at UWM that was signed by Interim Chancellor Bob Greenstreet in December 2003.) Full health insurance benefits to domestic partners, however, must be awarded by the state legislature.

The UWM LGBT Advisory Committee and Student Association have recommended an amendment to the UWM nondiscrimination policy to include “gender identity.” As one of her final efforts, Semran helped organize a campaign collecting over 700 postcards to illustrate the faculty, staff and student support for the recommendations. This week, she will lead a student-based discussion on this issue with Monica Rimai, interim vice chancellor for administrative affairs, and Mary Roggeman, interim vice chancellor for student affairs.

After graduation, Semran moves on to a position at Iowa State University, where she will be director of LGBT Student Services. The university has one of the best programs in the country for higher education student affairs administration, and she looks forward to pursuing graduate studies, even as she applies her “hands-on” learning from UWM.

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