July 8, 2026 | By Danny Silva (MM '26)
As Dawn Espy completes their first year as the associate director of Spectrum Center, they reflect on the 2025-2026 school year defined by learning, relationship-building, and community impact. Stepping into a new role supporting students of all genders and sexualities across the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus, Dawn quickly found themself immersed in the mission and impact-driven culture, and the people who make Spectrum Center such a meaningful space.
Building community through connection
For Dawn, one of the most memorable aspects of their first year at Spectrum has been the opportunity to learn, build relationships, and meet a diverse community of students who share similar identities and experiences.
"I learned a lot, built a lot of community, and I’ve appreciated being part of the culture... The students impress me every day, and it’s been one of the most exciting things about working here."
Throughout the year, several events stood out to them as most memorable. Dawn shared their excitement for large-scale community gatherings such as Let's Have a Ball and Pride Outside, events that bring students, staff, faculty, and community members together in celebration and connection. Pride Outside is our annual kickoff celebration for the school year, welcoming both new and returning students to build community, connect with campus resources, and celebrate the start of the semester in a fun and inclusive environment.
"In terms of events, I really enjoyed Let's Have a Ball and Pride Outside. I loved the large scale of Pride Outside. Let's have a ball was so cool…it brought in black, queer artists to share their craft and knowledge, in a way that I don't feel like students are often exposed to, and I think that was very powerful."
They also highlighted the annual Lavender Graduation as a memorable experience, especially as they watched student staff members they had come to know throughout the year reach an important milestone.
"Lavender Graduation was just a beautiful experience. I found myself tearing up at times. I was so impressed and excited, and loved seeing students walk across the stage with pure joy and pride in a way that was different from any other graduation ceremony. It was incredibly intimate, emotional, and impactful, and also joyous and fun."
Working behind the scenes
While Dawn expected to supervise many of Spectrum’s programs and initiatives, one surprise during their first year was the unbelievable level of intricacy that goes into every event hosted by Spectrum Center. From larger celebrations to educational programs, they gained a new appreciation for the planning that happens behind the scenes to create welcoming and impactful experiences for students.
"Honestly, the amount of attention, care, and detail that goes into every event and program we put on. It’s wild and impressive the amount of coordination and planning that takes place to then allow for something to happen on a given day, run smoothly, and be a place of fun and joy. There is so much work that leads up to making that space."
This deeper understanding also influenced how Dawn viewed their role. Entering the position, they initially imagined taking a more hands-off approach. Over time, however, their vision evolved as they became more engaged in the day-to-day work of supporting staff, programs, and students.
"I thought of myself as a bit more hands-off in my role as the associate director; it is often me supporting our programming team. I was supervising them, checking in on them, and seeing how things were going... but I’ve realized being in the center, being in community, is also the work. It's not just me doing paperwork, budget sheets or assessment in the office. It's really about building out the space and having it be a warm, welcoming environment."
Leadership through support
As they reflect on the year, Dawn points to several accomplishments and moments of growth that make them very proud. One stood out in particular: their commitment to students and engaging with them to see what they expect from Spectrum.
"Let me be nerdy for a second, we’ve really been able to strengthen our assessment approach. And by assessment, I mean we’re able to check in with the students... get their feedback, check to see what they need in the space and adapt. Students are tired of surveys so I worked with the programming team to explore different ways of assessing the student experience... We started creating things like Venn diagrams that you put stickers on, building out word walls together, and doing creative versions of assessments... we’ve gotten way more student feedback this way and are able to adjust our programming to meet their needs."
Beyond specific achievements, Dawn hopes students, staff, and community members have experienced their leadership as supportive, collaborative, and grounded in care.
"I hope that people have seen me as receptive. I like to think of myself as fun and a good time. I hope that I have brought joy to the space and also been a place where people feel safe. Obviously, there were relationships built before I got here, so it's been important for me to build out relationships. I think I’ve done a good job at that."
Their first year has also been one of personal growth. Like any leadership transition, the role has brought new challenges, opportunities, and lessons.
“I feel like it’s expanded the scope of my knowledge of the spectrum of queer and trans identities... there are a lot of identities I hold that are marginalized. I’m used to being the person in the room who holds the least amount of identity privilege. It's been humbling to be in a community where that's not necessarily true. There are places I need to learn and grow, so I think that was a way that I was challenged that I had to unpack some of my own biases or assumptions of identities or different things that hadn’t shown up in my life because of the space I am often in... I appreciated learning from each other about the experiences of others.”
Looking ahead
As Dawn enters their second year as associate director, they remain focused on fostering community, supporting student growth, and continuing to build more meaningful experiences that affirm and celebrate LGBTQIA2S+ identities. When asked about the legacy and impact they hope to continue building, their answer reflects the values that have guided them throughout their first year: connection, care, and community.
“Looking at organizational culture and building out a culture of feedback…creating a space where working with a supervisor feels good and is a place of growth and celebration at the same time. I think those relationships between a supervisor and supervisee can feel really stuck in a level of power and hierarchy. I try to do my best to challenge that system. I try to create a space where feedback goes both ways, and hold myself accountable and model it to somebody who might be in a position lower than mine. It's not necessary to provide direction…I like to operate from a place of love.”
While one year has already brought countless memories and milestones for Dawn, their journey at the Spectrum Center is only beginning, and the community they have strengthened will continue to shape the years ahead.
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