Fifteen ISU students traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to attend a regional conference on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues that will be hosted in Ames next year.

The Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Ally College Conference — an annual conference that was held last weekend and originated in Ames — provided an opportunity for people to work together on issues relevant to the LGBT community, said Scott Reichman, co-chairman of the planning committee for next year’s conference.

“We’re just looking for better ways for everyone to live comfortably,” said Reichman, senior in aerospace engineering.

David Perez, sophomore in physics, said the conference was a great tool for connecting with others to work on common issues.

“It’s great to connect with other groups to work for equal rights,” he said. “This conference incorporates political, social and educational aspects all in one weekend.”

Perez said the conference in Ohio drew about 1,500 people and he predicts the same turnout for the conference next year when it will return to Ames.

The conference included a series of workshops on topics including body image, gay marriages, organizing campus LGBT groups, religion, spirituality, gender issues and media stereotypes, Reichman said.

“There were a wide range of issues and a variety of people there,” he said.

Patricia Coleman, co-chairwoman on the planning committee for next year’s conference in Ames and junior in sociology, said the Ohio conference had several influential keynote speakers.

“RuPaul was there, as well as the director of ‘The Laramie Project,’ Moises Kaufman,” Coleman said.

Coleman said one of her main reasons for attending Ohio’s conference was to get ideas to better plan the Ames conference.

“We were really critical of the conference in Ohio, since we’re holding it here next year,” she said.

“The conference was great, but we’ll be sure to change some of the logistics for our conference.”

About 200 people were turned away from Ohio’s conference due to the facility’s capacity, Reichman said.

“The event was held in a venue similar to Iowa State’s Memorial Union and it was just too small,” he said.