Simpson Earns Iowa Safe Schools Award

Simpson College recently earned the Partner in Progress Award from Iowa Safe Schools for its commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of its LGBTQ students. Each year, this award is presented to an individual, organization, corporation, or faith community that embodies Iowa Safe Schools’ mission to support LGBTQ youth.

In 2022, Simpson applied for and received an Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grant aimed at reducing sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking on campus. Upon earning the grant, Simpson immediately recognized the heightened risk faced by LGBTQ students and proactively sought to ensure these students were not left out of the conversation.

Iowa Safe Schools, Director of Educational Programming Jordan Mix, partnered with Simpson to earn the OVW grant and later served as an LGBTQ content expert on the College’s Coordinated Community Response Team. When presenting the award, Jordan spoke about their experience interacting with Simpson and witnessing the College’s commitment first-hand.

“When Simpson was awarded the grant, I was truly impressed by the level of buy-in from all areas of the campus. From campus security to faculty and students, from college athletics to college leadership—every stakeholder made it a priority to learn how to better support LGBTQ students. They approached this work with open hearts and a genuine desire to create a safer, more inclusive campus for everyone.”

Simpson’s Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students Matt Hansen touted his team’s fantastic work and spoke to the College’s continued commitment to LGBTQ+ youth. “The award recognizes the dedication and great work of our entire response team. It is wonderful recognition for the commitment of Jessica Pierce and Jenny Vargas leading the way for us,” said Hansen. “We are excited about continued improvements for both Simpson and our community partners as we continue this important work.”