Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students will be in good hands at Georgetown University after former National Football League Commissioner Paul J. Tagliabue and his wife donated $1 million to create a new program to assist LGBT students.
The money will start a new LGBT program called the Tagliabue Initiative for LGBT Life: Fostering Formation and Transformation. The program will be hosted at Georgotown’s LGBTQ Resource Center, the first of its kind for a Catholic university.
“The Center is inspired by Catholic and Jesuit principles of respect for the dignity of all and education of the whole person, and we are very pleased to support its services that provide a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for LGBTQ students and promote their acceptance in the entire campus community,” the Tagliabues said in the statement.
The gift is part of the Tagliabue’s overall $5 million donation to Georgetown University.
“To have someone of Paul Tagliabue’s stature and reputation make this commitment is a huge validation and endorsement of the necessity, value, and importance of the work we do,” Sivagami Shiva Subbaraman, director of Geogetown’s LGBTQ Resource Center, told the Blade. “Paul and Chan’s generosity – their courage and vision – sets an incredible example of the importance of our allies,” she said. “Given his stature in the world of athletics, this is even more powerful.”
The new program will help support student and academic life on campus for LGBT students, and will likely be developed and executed within the next few months.
