Alumni gifts expand sense of belonging at The Beach
Jane Lee Mullowney ’74, an environmental consultant and a published novelist, wanted to support a place on the Cal State Long Beach campus “that gives kids a voice,” where they can “relate with other people of their thinking and understanding.” A place “to escape to, relax, do homework and not have a difficult time,” she said.
“I just wanted to be able to give students some resources to understand what they’re going through and understand what problems they’re going to be facing, issues they’re going through in their lives,” said Mullowney, a transgender woman who writes novels about lesbian and transgender experiences. “Since I went to school there, I thought it would be good to give a piece of my life and help people in that area.”
Her gift, the Jane Lee Mullowney Endowed Fund, is the first planned gift to CSULB’s LGBTQ+ Resource Center and is one of two recent, first-of-their-kind gifts to the center. The Mullowney Fund will help with programming and ensure that the center has a lasting foundation to grow for years to come.
The other gift is from Susan Rigney ’81, who has provided two separate endowment donations to support programs at the center, and to benefit students with an endowed scholarship so they can participate in a CLA course focusing on queer studies. Rigney’s donations will continue annually.
“I want people to feel safe,” said Rigney, a psychotherapist and retired marriage and family therapist. “I have many friends and family who identify (as LGBTQ+). I had many openly gay clients in my practice. I always wanted them to feel safe and understood. Everybody needs support and community.”
The LGBTQ+ Resource Center at CSULB first opened in 1989. Its mission is to provide support services for students who identify as LGBTQ+. The center’s ground-floor space can be used for group meetings, support programs, teach-ins and other programs, according to the Office of Belonging and Inclusion’s website.
During the 2024-25 academic year, the center had more than 2,000 visits, according to LGBTQ+ Center data.
The university does not have exact figures on people on campus who identify as LGBTQ+, and not everyone is “out,” or open about their LGBTQ+ identities. However, a recent Gallup survey found that 9.3% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ+, with 23.1% of Generation Z and 14.2% of millennials identifying as part of that community.
“We continue to see these numbers increase as LGBTQ+ identities are more accepted and more resources are provided for the community,” said Ash Preston, who has been assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center since January 2024.
Preston said the two recent gifts from Mullowney and Rigney “are truly inspiring,” and “come at such a meaningful time.”
“Their generosity is a powerful affirmation of the importance of supporting LGBTQ+ students and creating inclusive spaces,” they said.
Cal State Long Beach is committed to creating an environment where all students feel valued, supported and empowered to succeed.
A future move
As part of “The Future U” Student Union expansion and renovation project, the LGBTQ+ Resource Center will be moving into the USU, along with all the other student resource centers under the Office of Belonging and Inclusion. The grand reopening is scheduled for August 2028.
“That’s great to have it in the center of campus. That’s perfect,” Mullowney said. “People should have open access to it.”
Preston said the move should help increase visibility and access as well as “show the campus community the commitment CSULB has toward supporting and uplifting the important work and connections that come out of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center and other identity centers.”
The LGBTQ+ Center will continue to operate in FO4-165 until the new USU opens.
