13 people have been appointed a seat on the new LGBTQ Advisory Committee in State College.

The group will give insight on future decisions made by the State College Borough Council.

Douglas Shontz, Communication Specialist for State College Borough, said the region thrives on being inclusive.

And along with Penn State, the mayor and manager of the borough have established the committee, which was approved on May 1st.

“I think it’s definitely a step forward to have a specific group focused on this specific group,” Shontz said.

It’s a diverse group including representatives from the University, the State College Police Department, and the area school district.

“They’ll produce a formal report, they’ll really help the borough on multiple initiatives, yeah, it means we’re open to anyone,” Shontz said.

Brian Patchcoski, Director of LGBTQA Student Resource Center at Penn State, said this is a tool to build off of established progress.

“It’s not about reinventing the wheel,” Patchcoski said.

Rather it’s about giving local government a perspective that will benefit anyone of any background.

Patchcoski said as a member on the committee he’s eager to help shape decisions made by the council.

“Maybe adding an additional question around ordinances and how this might affect a specific community and not just the communities around gender and sexual diversity but communities with historically marginalized identities,” Patchcoski said.

The annual cost to keep this committee going is about $800.

And members on the committee are not necessarily a part of the LGBTQ community.

Patchcoski said he’s excited to be part of a supportive system overall.

“When structures start to support these initiatives in a local community, that’s when true change and cultural transformation can happen,” Patchcoski said.

Shontz hopes once all 13 members meet, plans can be made to bring more Pride events to the area.