By Isabel Smith
Correspondent
The College has always strived for excellence and inclusivity. PRISM, a student organization, aids the college in just that way. From the beginning of PRISM’s history to now, students have always played a vital role in the success of the organization.
In 1976, Joseph Paul Schirehak formed GUTS, an acronym for Gay Union of Trenton State, as the College was known back then. The main goals of GUTS, according to PRISM’s website, were:
“Provide a social setting in which gays can communicate and find support through group interaction. Have a gay hotline to help students to adjust to being gay on campus, i.e. information-resource. To plan activities and programs which would meet the needs of the gay community, but in addition since these activities are open to the entire college, they will also serve as learning experiences for the straight community, i.e. help to alleviate negative societal stereotypes.”
Since then, the same goals have been kept, however, they have been expanded. On PRISM’s updated website, the club explains that “PRISM strives for acceptance and equality for all people regardless of gender expression, gender identity, sex, sexuality, age, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, socioeconomic status, health status, or immigration status.”
Izzy Riddick, a senior history education major, is the current president of PRISM and joined as soon as they came to campus as a freshman. They’ve played the role of treasurer, education advocacy chair, vice president and now president. The roles change every semester, which Riddick said “is really nice because then we get freshmen on e-board.”
Mary Ziminski, a freshman psychology major, joined the e-board their second semester in. As secretary, they write minutes during the meetings, send out weekly emails, aid in presentations and help run events.
“[PRISM was] the first place where I met a lot of queer people and could talk about queerness and not feel weird talking about it,” explained Ziminski. “I am one of the only ones from home that is openly queer and trans, so I don’t feel like I can easily talk about these things with them. PRISM makes it easy to have people to talk to and people in the community to talk to.”
Riddick, who was previously a member of a queer student union in high school, said that the club simply gave them something to do.
“At first I went to events and meetings and eventually joined E-board, but I told myself I’d never be president, but now here we are,” said Riddick, adding that they value “being in the position to do stuff for people and feel like I’m actually getting stuff done while I’m here.”
Riddick reminisced on their favorite memories from their time at PRISM, saying that one of their best memories was rewriting the constitution along with other E-board members during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Even during those pandemic semesters of 2020 and 2021, PRISM still managed to create a safe, inclusive environment. They held events online, including their drag shows and speakers, and created a discord server for students to more easily communicate, which students still use to this day.
“We conferenced [with] a lot of people about the language of things and logistics of some things trying to make it very thorough, to make it better than it had been,” said Riddick. “We wanted to emphasize the advocacy and education perspective of the group more so than it had been prior.”
Riddick added they are sad to leave but are ready to “leave it to the next group of kids.”
Ziminski, being a freshman, has a long way to go in the group before they graduate. They have interest in staying on e-board and noted wanting to counsel queer youth when they graduate.
Both Ziminski and Riddick agreed they couldn’t imagine the College without PRISM.
“TCNJ without PRISM and previously GUTS would not be the institution it is in any way,” Riddick said. “I don’t think I can conceptualize the campus without PRISM. It’s so built into TCNJ at this point.”
LGBTQ+ students on campus never have to feel lonely having an organization like PRISM at their grasp. “I’ve become more of myself in PRISM,” said Ziminski.
