Joel McDonald to Participate in Panel Discussion on LGBT Student Issues at Old Dominion University

Joel McDonald, Vice Chair for Technology and Communication of the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Virginia, will participate in a panel discussion hosted by the Division of Student Affairs at Old Dominion University as part of the organization’s Safe Space Training Program.

The panel discussion will focus on participant’s coming out experiences, their experience as LGBT student at Old Dominion University and how faculty and staff can serve as allies. The goal of the Division of Student Affairs for this program is to reduce homophobia/transphobia and heterosexism on the Old Dominion University campus.

The panel discussion will take place on Thursday, March 24th, from 9:20 AM to 10:10 AM in the Richmond Room of the Webb Center on Old Dominion University.

Joel McDonald is a Political Science major at Old Dominion University, having transferred to ODU after completing his associate’s degree in Information Technology at the University of Phoenix. His coming out experience includes being immersed in religious fundamentalism, even serving as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2004 to 2006. Joel has served as Vice Chair for Technology and Communication of the LGBT Caucus since 2009, and was also elected Treasurer of the Virginia Beach Democratic Committee that year.