Current and former Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services coordinators gathered Thursday in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union to honor “small victories” in the LGBT community.

The fifth annual Small Victories Celebration was also a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the LGBT Student Services office.

The ceremony honored the accomplishments of the ISU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance community.

“This is a chance to celebrate LGBT and ally students,” said Johnny Rogers, graduate assistant in the LGBT Student Services office. “There are few visible celebrations, and this one is important.”

The event celebrates small victories while maintaining the larger goals for the university community, he said.

Each year, LGBT Student Services brings a nationally known advocate to campus as the keynote speaker for the event, said Rogers, graduate student in educational leadership and policy studies.

This year, the keynote speaker was Ronni Sanlo, director of the UCLA LGBT campus resource center.

Sanlo said she is impressed with Iowa State’s Small Victories Celebration.

“I think this is an amazing event – so much is happening here,” said Sanlo, who also is the founding chairwoman of the National Consortium of Directors of LGBT Resources in Higher Education.

Several awards given to the LGBT community on campus were part of those small

victories.

Jeremy Hayes, former LGBTAA president, was presented with the Scott Rohlf Presidential Leadership Initiative Award.

“I am very grateful to the people on this campus who have made it possible for me to be where I am today,” he said.

Hayes, senior in management information systems, is on the LGBT Student Services Advisory Board and has given several presentations for the service office Speakers Bureau.

The leadership award is presented annually to a student with an exemplary academic record and a commitment to enhance the LGBT community at Iowa State, Rogers said.

This year’s celebration also featured an award for an ally, or a member who does not necessarily fall into the LGBT community. Nancy Evans, professor of educational leadership and policy studies, was presented with the W. Houston Dougharty Ally Award.

The award is given each year to an individual who displays a high level of support and commitment to the LGBT community. The award is named for Iowa State’s former associate dean of students, Houston Dougharty.