About Our Organization

Mission Statement
Broad Spectrum Veterinary Student Association’s mission is to connect, support and empower community for LGBT+* students and allies across veterinary education.
*LGBT + will be used as an inclusive acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer,Questioning, Asexual and others who self-identify on the sexual orientation and/or gender expression continuums.

Vision Statement
Broad Spectrum desires greater support and a sense of community for all LGBT+ students and allies throughout veterinary medical education. We actively strive to counter episodes of bigotry and marginalization with positive messages of diversity and inclusion. We have healthy, supportive and encouraging relationships with pre-veterinary, veterinary and graduate students, faculty, staff and administrators. We are known for advocating for the respect and equality of seen and unseen LGBT+ members in the academic veterinary community and beyond. We contribute to the development of safe and welcoming veterinary school environments for pre- and current veterinary students. Broad Spectrum makes veterinary schools more inclusive for all students, especially LGBT+ students. We accomplish this by starting important and courageous conversations about LGBT+ inclusion, in addition to maintaining much needed support for LGBT+ students in veterinary medicine.

Our History

We were founded in 2011 at the SAVMA Symposium hosted by UC Davis. The name 'Broad Spectrum' came out of a calculated attempt to be as inclusive as possible to any student who falls anywhere on the spectra of sexuality, sex, or gender. We welcome all students no matter their sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression. And yes, allies, this means we welcome you, too!

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Thursday, July 26, 2012

LGVMA Calendar for AVMA Convention in San Diego!!!!!


 LGVMA Annual Meeting
(open to all members, allies and friends)

... Friday, August 3
5:00-6:00 PM
Manchester Grand Hyatt
Room Ford A

AGENDA: AAVMC Student Survey discussion, LGVMA leadership and achievement awards, accept 2013 Budget, welcome new board members, group photo, Broad Spectrum and LGVMA Student Chapter discussion, 2013 Board Strategic Planning Meeting WVC, Las Vegas.

Dinner: afterwards TBA.

General Meeting sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health

Sunday, August 5
Manchester Grant Hyatt
Room Ford A

5:00-6:00 PM
“LGBT People and the Veterinary Profession: From Legal Obligation to Economic Value,” with Brad Sears of the Williams Institute.

6:00-7:00 PM
Annual LGVMA Networking Social
Light food, cash bar and networking.

EXHIBIT Hall Booth 2115

LGVMA is looking for volunteers to help staff our info-booth for 1-2 hours sessions. Please sign up at our Annual Meeting, stop by the booth or contact us at info@lgvma.org.

EXHIBIT HALL LGVMA Booth Hours
Saturday, August 4
Exhibit Hall Grand Opening 9:00-10:00AM
Exhibit Hall Hours 9:00 AM- 6:30 PM
Sunday, August 5
Exhibit Hall Hours 9:30 AM-4:00 PM
Monday, August 6
Exhibit Hall 9:00 AM-4:00 PM


We Hope to see you there representing BSVSA!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

We Want YOUR Feedback!!

Check it out!! We want to hear your reactions to the verbs and value statements that you have submitted. Follow the link below to the quick two minute survey to rank your favorite verbs and value statements: http://tinyurl.com/BSVSAsurvey

We will be able to use these words to create a powerful mission statement that represents all of the members of BSVSA. An example sentence for the mission statement using your submissions could be, “Broad Spectrum looks to provide *encouragement* and foster *equality* by *connecting* and *representing* individuals.” Make sure your voice gets heard! We appreciate ALL of the awesome feedback we have been getting. Keep it up guys!

"It Gets Organized" Episode 3

It's time for the launch of the final episode from the It 


Gets Organized project! After watching the video below 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4UbFZbXnS0&feature=youtube_gdata


follow the link to submit your ideas here: 

www.tinyurl.com/populationwords

Make sure your voice is heard and that you help Broad Spectrum 


become a more unified and cohesive organization!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Summer Update!

Hello Broad Spectrum!

We are so excited to tell you about all of the exciting stuff that we have coming up. 

A few of the Broad Spectrum leadership crew met via a Google + hangout for the first time and had a little too much fun playing around with the effects feature:
Pictured: Top - Sonia Fang (Western U); Bottom Left - Nikki Wright (U Penn);
Bottom Center - Amanda Fischer (Cornell); Bottom Right - Arturo Otamendi (LSU)



We are officially transitioning leadership from our outgoing Executive Board (Sonia Fang, Liam Gilles, and Nikki Wright) to our new Executive Board. 

Give it up for your current  BSVSA Leaders, Arturo Otamendi (LSU) and Amanda Fischer (Cornell)!! They have already been doing an amazing job and we are very excited about where BSVSA is headed.


“So... what are you up to?” you ask.
Well, to start things off we talked about our finances.
      The Lesbian Gay Veterinary Medical Association has generously donated $500 to BSVSA as seed money to help us get on our feet as a new organization! We are SO incredibly THANKFUL for their continued support and encouragement - we would not be where we are today if it weren’t for them.

      We are working on getting a BSVSA Bank Account and partnering with a 501c3 organization to borrow their tax-exempt status while we earn our own as a well-oiled nonprofit organization. If you have a 501c3 organization and you want to fiscally sponsor us, let us know! broadspectrumoutreach@gmail.com

We then switched gears and talked about what we are DOING
      We are still working with Lisa Greenhill and the J-team (her amazing AAVMC diversity interns -  Josh and Janelle) on their “It Gets Organized” Campaign. PLEASE check out their awesome mini videos and respond with your input on the google docs! It is really EASY, FUN, and QUICK - and you will be helping us out a lot!
                            Then click here (http://tinyurl.com/ItGetsOrganizedEpisode1) to respond
      Episode Two (http://tinyurl.com/BSVSAepisodetwo)
                            Then click here (www.tinyurl.com/ItGetsOrganizedEpisode2) to respond

      Nikki, Sonia, Charlie Alex (VMRCVM), and the Texas A&M gang are going to be at the AVMA Convention in San Diego August 3-8. The LGVMA will be there too - check them out in the exhibition hall and don’t miss out on the amazing lecture that they are hosting (details below), their general meeting, and a fun networking reception.  Students are always invited to their events! Last year we had a great time in St. Louis with the gang. Definitely post on the BSVSA facebook group or email broadspectrumoutreach@gmail.com to get in touch with us if you are planning on going!
      The Lesbian and Gay Veterinary Medical Association (LGVMA), thanks to the sponsorship of Pfizer Animal Health, and UCLA’s Williams Institute, is proud to announce the seminar entitled “LGBT People and the Veterinary Profession: From Legal Obligation to Economic Value”  followed by a networking reception at this year’s AVMA Convention in San Diego on Sunday, August 5th, 2012 from 5:00 – 6:00 PM at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Exact room location to be announced.
      For more details about LGVMA events at AVMA Convention stay tuned to: http://www.lgvma.org/cal/index.html

      Arturo, Amanda, Charlie, and Stephen Cole (U Penn) will definitely be at SAVMA Symposium next year March 21-24 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  We hope to see you ALL there!  Arturo is already hard at work planning the diversity forum. BSVSA is planning all sorts of great events for you and LGVMA will most likely be hosting their annual evening mixer and also a LGVMA/BSVSA Leadership Breakfast!  Don’t miss out on your chance to visit the Big Easy and “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” with us. We can’t wait.

      We are working on putting together another interview with an OUT veterinarian for you all. We know how much you guys love the interviews and we have had a lot of great feedback about Sonia’s interview with Dr. Patrick Mahaney: http://broadspectrumvsa.blogspot.com/2012/04/interview-with-dr-patrick-mahaney-vmd.html

      We also talked about our roles within the organization. Are you itching to get involved? or Dying to start a Queer kids/BSVSA/LGVMA/whatever-you-want-to-call-it-Chapter at your Veterinary School??  LET US KNOW!!! broadspectrumoutreach@gmail.com

That’s all for now folks!! 
Hope you are all enjoying SUMMER :)
Cheers,
BSVSA

Monday, July 2, 2012

Help BSVSA with the "It Gets Organized" campaign!


PART 2: After watching Episode Two (http://tinyurl.com/BSVSAepisodetwo


from the It Gets Organized series, visit the Google Docs link (www.tinyurl.com/ItGetsOrganizedEpisode2


to complete the *short and easy* assignment.


We thank you for your cooperation and dedication to Broad Spectrum Veterinary 


Student Association! With your input, we can take this organization to new heights! 

We are very excited about hearing what YOU have to say!
HELP BSVSA GET ORGANIZED!! It takes less than 5min

The AAVMC "J Team" and Lisa Greenhill are helping us - We are delighted to launch "It Gets Organized!" 

Through a series of videos, we are going to take Broad Spectrum through a series of exercises that will 



help crystalize the group’s mission, create a clear vision and develop a structurally sound constitution.

After watching Episode One
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6U9oEnXrew&feature=youtu.be (http://youtu.be/-6U9oEnXrew)

please visit the Google Docs link
(http://tinyurl.com/ItGetsOrganizedEpisode1) to complete the short 


assignment. It’s EASY!