This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.

One of the things I was most excited to check out after setting foot on the University of Iowa campus last fall was Spectrum UI, our campus’s LGBTQ+ student group. Spectrum is the longest running and first established LGBTQ+ university organization in the United States, and just thinking about that always makes me feel so proud of my school. I met Mary, the president of Spectrum, at the first meeting of the year and have now decided to interview her because she’s super friendly, this organization means so much to me, and she has inspired me to run in this spring’s upcoming election so that I can be a Spectrum board member, too!

How many years have you been a member of Spectrum UI, and why did you join it?

I’ve been a member of Spectrum since my first year at Iowa, so about 3 years now. I first joined because the previous president, Haley Altman, lived on the same floor as me freshman year. When I was first questioning, I came to her, and she was really great to talk to. She mentioned Spectrum and said I was more than welcome to come. So I did. It was a really good outlet for me during that time when I really had had no previous exposure to anything about the LGBTQ+ community or culture.

How would you describe Spectrum? What do you think makes it unique?

Currently, I would describe Spectrum as a social group that meets weekly to support and educate one another. We do make an effort to do fun socials as well as more educational/LGBTQ+ issue focused meetings, which is what I think makes it somewhat unique. We are not entirely focused on being social, but we do have a very tight-knit group, and at the same time we make an effort to bring current events and social justice to the table in the form of our educational meetings. I do really love that.

What is your favorite Spectrum-related memory?

My favorite Spectrum-related memory would probably be MBLGTACC [Midwest Bisexual Lesbian Gay Transgender Ally College Conference] last year, which was the first time I had ever gone. It was a really personal experience for me. I come from a small town in Iowa and had never had the privilege of being in such a space. Surrounded by so many other people who were similar to me, who wanted to make the world better for others like ourselves, for future generations like us, where we could all feel safe enough to have those kinds of conversations and to wholly be ourselves… that was powerful. That was also a time where I felt like I got a lot closer to other people in the organization. It was really wonderful. Plus, I got to see Laverne Cox speak, and that was incredible in itself.

How has Spectrum helped you during your years at Iowa?

Spectrum has taught me so, so much. It’s hard to put it all into words, honestly, which, I know is very cliche. But it’s true. In the beginning, I learned a lot about what it meant to be okay with myself and who I was and that it was okay to not be sure. That it was also okay to feel like you didn’t fit into one label or another, that gray areas existed and were valid. There was so much I didn’t know, too, about the multitude of identities that existed and the culture and everything that went with it. That was the most eye-opening thing for me. The sheer amount of things I just did not know. Looking back, it really blows my mind how simple I thought everything was. That it was pretty black or white, you felt one way or you didn’t and everyone just knew for sure regarding sexuality, etc. So finally having access to a community like Spectrum with people who could help me figure it out and listen and teach me was really instrumental in my whole experience. Figuring out that I didn’t have to fit into any box was the best thing that discovering this community taught me.

What have you learned and how have you grown through being president of Spectrum?

As president, I have learned an incredible amount about myself as a leader. I ran for president because I wanted to be there for someone the way that Haley had been there for me. I wanted to help someone, many someones, if possible. I wanted to be the person I had needed for someone else. I know now too that I really love being a leader. I like the challenge and taking initiative to make the changes that need to be made. I like talking to people and listening to their experiences. Most of all, I like the fact that as a leader, I have even more of a reason to learn from others and educate myself on what the pressing issues for the LGBTQ+ community are and how I can help facilitate change. I love that. There are always opportunities to grow and be better. I feel solid in my leadership skills and that’s a pretty great feeling, knowing I can take that and apply it to other endeavors in my life.

What are your plans after graduation?

As far as the rest of my life goes, I am an art student. As of last semester, I am officially a BFA student, which just means I’m pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts, in ceramics specifically. I am also working on a Critical Cultural Competence certificate (another educational endeavor that has changed my life for the better). I will be a fifth year student when I do graduate, which I’m fine with because I love school. (Just not how much it costs!) After I graduate I plan to do a few different things, like getting certified in massage therapy, going to graduate school for Biological Illustration as well as applying to (and hopefully getting in) the Peace Corps. I have no idea in what order those three things will happen, but if I play my cards right, I’ll be lucky enough to do all three.

More than anything I just want to get out of Iowa because the world is so big, and I’ve been here long enough that I’ve developed some major Midwest cabin fever. A ferocious case of it, in fact. But no matter where I go, between taking breaks from activism, I want to stay involved and keep my hands busy with art and social justice.

Meet Mary Clark

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