People who promote diversity on campus were recognized Wednesday evening during National Coming Out Days.

Marcia Purdy, Jorg Vianden and Kathy MacKay all accepted the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Alliance Ally Award during a small ceremony in the Maintenance Shop Wednesday evening.

“An ally is a person who is not necessarily lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but someone who is supportive of LGBT issues and stands up against discrimination,” Alliance President Jeremy Hayes said. “What we want to do is recognize some of the outstanding allies on campus. It would be great if we could have every ally on campus here and recognize them, but unfortunately we can’t do that.”

Hayes said the three recipients were selected based on nominations submitted by Alliance members.

Three people have received the Alliance Ally Award each year since it was founded in 1997.

Purdy, secretary at the Sloss Women’s Center, was nominated by Laura Armstrong, sexual-assault awareness coordinator and outreach-education coordinator for the Sloss Women’s Center, and Andrea Conner, educational programs and volunteer-outreach coordinator.

“She makes an impact on our lives and supports our sexual orientation without realizing it,” Conner said. “I’m so grateful that ally support comes from Marcia.”

Purdy said she will use the award as a stepping stone to help more people.

“I think everyone should feel honored and respected,” she said. “Sometimes, I feel so invisible. I hope to become more visible and have as much impact on as many people as I can.”

Vianden, Upper Friley Hall director, said the award was “very, very unexpected.” Still, he said he saw it as an honor and would put the certificate in a “prominent place in [his] office.”

“I think it’s important for me and all hall directors to support anyone and anybody from a group not in the majority on this campus, in our country and in our society,” Vianden said. “I would do this for anyone being discriminated against.”

The final award was presented to former Dean of Students MacKay.

Hayes, reading from the nomination form, said several important things would not have happened for LGBT students “without Kathy’s vision and advocacy” and her actions have “greatly impacted the past, present and future of LGBT students.”

MacKay said she was not the only person involved, but she was glad she could be a part of it.

“The awards from students are the most important,” she said.

“Those of us who choose to do these jobs want to be student advocates. Sometimes, when you have a title like dean, you have to work harder to get people to see that.”