Hayley Nicholas
Director of Gender and LGBTQ+ Equity and Engagement
Phone: 413-542-5667
E-mail: hnicholas@amherst.edu
Pronouns: they/them/theirs or she/her/hers
Hi, everyone! My name’s Hayley Georgia Nicholas, and I am the Director of Gender and LGBTQ+ Equity and Engagement. In this role, I oversee both the Women's and Gender Center and the Queer Resource Center. As director of the Queer Resource Center (QRC), my primary role on campus is to support queer* and trans students throughout their journey at Amherst (*queer is used here as an umbrella term for the LGBTQ+ community). You can reach out to me regarding how to navigate resources on campus, to schedule training, ask questions concerning collaborative programming with the QRC, and/or booking the QRC space. I graduated from Bowdoin College in 2017 where I studied Sociology and Education Studies. At Bowdoin, I oversaw the Alliance for Sexual Assault Prevention and was deeply involved in their Center for Multicultural Life and their Sexuality, Women, and Gender Center.
Before my time as Director, I worked in Amherst College’s Admission Office for 2.5 years on the Diversity Outreach Team. In this role, I supervised the Diversity Outreach Interns and led programs for prospective and admitted first-generation, low-income, and/or students of color. I am passionate about understanding and celebrating the experiences of women, femmes, trans, and nonbinary folks at Amherst and about creating inclusive space for individual and collective learning, growth, and healing. In my free time, I love hiking with my dog, throwing clay on the wheel, road-tripping, cooking, and listening to music and podcasts. I’m excited to continue my journey at Amherst with you as the Director of Gender and LGBTQ+ Equity and Engagement and can’t wait to meet you.