Staff Spotlight: Amanda Del Gaudio
Amanda Del Gaudio, Gettysburg’s inaugural Director of Gender Equity and LGBTQIA+ Life (Photo provided)
By Sydney Dyer, Contributing Writer
In June, Gettysburg College welcomed Amanda Del Gaudio as the inaugural Director of Gender Equity and LGBTQIA+ Life. Del Gaudio, who uses she/they pronouns, took the first full-time position as director when the college decided to combine two offices to create a single space.
Their first order of business has been rebranding and hiring; a total of 10 student employees now work at the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) as program coordinators and office assistants, and the name change has meant a fresh start for the Resource Center.
Del Gaudio graduated from Montclair State University twice, getting their undergraduate and graduate degrees from the institution. Her bachelor’s degree is in women, gender and sexuality studies and family and child studies with a minor in LGBTQ studies, and her master’s degree is in counseling with a concentration in higher education.
While Del Gaudio is not a licensed counselor or social worker, the role of counseling and mental health is extremely important in their position.
“I chose to earn my master’s degree in counseling because it gave me important life skills of being able to actively listen, ask helpful follow up questions, navigate difficult conversations, etc.,” they said. “These skills are important in any position, but are especially important in my role as a person someone might go to for support.”
Del Gaudio was a resident director at Ramapo College of New Jersey where they also interned at the College’s Women’s Center, and in the past three years, Del Gaudio worked at Hofstra University as the Assistant Director of Intercultural Engagement and Inclusion.
When asked what brought them to Gettysburg, Del Gaudio’s response focused on the tight-knit community here and how her current position has been asked for by students for several years now. Before, there had been no full-time director of either the Women’s Center or LGBTQIA+ Life. The combination of the offices and hiring a full-time director has been advocated by students, and that advocacy as well as the college’s response was in part what led Del Gaudio to the position. She is also excited to become a leader of such important resources to the community.
“I believe that the number one thing that should inform GSRC programming is listening to what students need/want!”
The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center is located on the first floor of Apple Hall and is open every day from noon to 9 p.m. during the semester. This is where Del Gaudio and her team do most of their work, creating programming and events for students as well as offering a space that all students are welcome to visit and make themselves at home.
Del Gaudio stressed that the GSRC is not just for underrepresented students, but a place for everyone on campus to come together, educate themselves, and socialize. The GSRC room has a kitchen, a hang-out space, and a study space open for all students to use. Hera’s Closet is also located within the GSRC, a closet of donated clothes for students to borrow at Gettysburg. The Resource Center always has free safe-sex supplies and menstrual products available, as well as coffee and tea. Starting the last week of classes, free hot chocolate and snacks will also be readily available.
When open, the front desk at the GSRC is always staffed with someone who is trained to answer questions related to gender and sexuality as well as direct students to any additional resources or information they may need. The GSRC is also available to be booked for events on 25Live by students.
Del Gaudio offers training to groups upon request, usually student groups around campus such as clubs and residential assistance training. She also made it clear that whatever a student may need, the Resource Center is there to help them get resources and that no student should hesitate to reach out.
While much of Del Gaudio’s time has been spent settling in this semester, they are looking forward to ramping up the Center’s programming. All of their events are up on engageGettysburg, and they frequently post on their Instagram, @gburg_gsrc. They have a reoccurring LGBTQIA+ Discussion Group on Fridays at 4 p.m. in the Resource Center, as well as special events throughout the semester.
Del Gaudio looks forward to putting on more student-requested events, working with other offices, and possibly inviting guest speakers in the future. She is also focused on continuing to make Gettysburg College a welcoming place for all students with its resources and community.
“I believe that the number one thing that should inform GSRC programming is listening to what students need/want!” she said. “I’ve spent the time since beginning my position getting to know campus, getting to know students, getting to know the history of what the resources in my area have been available in the past, and listening to what resources and programming are wanted/needed within the GSRC for the future.”
This article originally appeared on pages 10–11 of the December 6, 2021 edition of The Gettysburgian’s magazine.
