The Rainbow Educators (REs) are a group of students, staff, alumni/ae and faculty who create and present workshops at the University of San Diego on sexual orientation and other diversity issues. In the past, workshops have been offered to residence halls, athletic teams, staff and faculty groups, Greek organizations and student clubs. The workshops are interactive, dynamic and fun; they include films, role plays, visualizations, Q&A and personal stories.

Mission Statement

The Rainbow Educators strive to promote greater awareness, knowledge and inclusion of its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community so that accordingly, a safe and just environment may flourish at the University of San Diego.

Program History

The Rainbow Educators Program of the University of San Diego (USD) began in September 1999 as part of the Rainbow Visibility Grant. Funded by the Irvine Foundation through USD's Cultural Competencies Project Team, Rainbow Visibility was a comprehensive plan to raise the collective awareness of the university community to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture and history.

After two years of receiving funding from the Irvine Foundation and Cultural Competencies Project Team, in the 2001-2002 academic year, the program was institutionalized and funded through the Student Affairs Division and housed within the Office of Student Affairs at USD.

In accordance with its mission statement, the Rainbow Educators Program at USD supports the principles of Catholic Social Thought (CST).  To read more about these principles visit the USD CST website.

For more information about the history of the Rainbow Educator Program at USD please click here.