At American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC), the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer-plus (LGBTQ+) Club was established on a foundation of creating a safe place for the LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff and allies who have a commitment to embracing diversity. As the club has grown since its founding, so too has its purpose to include fostering an educational environment dedicated to improving healthcare for marginalized communities.
The club’s leaders – Dannica Hennings, president; the vice president; Samantha Moss, treasurer; Dallas Esquibel, secretary; Katrina Dumuk, social media - have been guided by a purpose to ensure the most current LGBTQ+ health topics are part of AUC’s curriculum, and the community is committed understanding LGBTQ+ through healthcare. In her duties as 2023 president of the LGBTQ+ Club, Dannica Hennings, class of ‘26, attends monthly curriculum meetings to help assess ways in which LGBTQ+ topics are incorporated into the medical sciences courses, ranging from patient interaction to more specific topics like gender dysphoria case studies.
“Something like asking for pronouns in an interview can be a real signal for patients that we as physicians are committed to their care as humans,” said Hennings. “It’s important for us to be exposed to things even as simple as this now to create more acceptance in sensitivity for the queer community.”
Beyond the classroom, the club has also invited specialists to present to members and other students on academic topics like plastic surgeons practicing gender confirmation care. “These are not topics that medical students typically come across,” said Hennings. “It’s a good way to learn about alternative paths into residency.”
Leading With Pride
As she settles into her leadership role, Hennings has set up Pride Month events through which proceeds will be donated to the Sint Maarten AIDS Foundation, a local organization that has been promoting HIV/AIDS awareness on the island and assisting with the care and support of people with HIV/AIDS.
On campus, the vice president has led one of the club's priorities to promote intersectionality with other student-led groups on campus and has been hard at work collaborating with other club leaders to increase visibility of the LGBTQ+ club and their efforts. Pride Month, for instance, intersects with the commemoration of Juneteenth, an opportunity to collaborate with the Black Medical Student Association.
“Interacting with others and incorporating other clubs into events is another opportunity to inform and educate someone on a topic they may otherwise not taken a chance to learn about because they are not gay or any other reason,” said Hennings. “Social events allow us to prioritize interaction and meet new people with school on hold even if just for an hour.”
When students began to return to in-person learning in Sint Maarten post-pandemic, Jodie Stobierski, class of ‘25, led the charge to reestablish the LGTBQ+ Club on campus after most activities and interaction ceased while everyone was remote. When the club had to complete its annual transition to new leaders, Hennings took over the president’s role from Stobierski to keep a strong bond between students together.
“I came from a close-knit group of friends from home and having to go to school far from home, you have to kind of build your own little community all over again,” Hennings shared. To find her community, she attended the campus club fair in her first semester.
“Jodie and other members had such a welcoming presence, so I went over and talked about what the club does. It was good for me to come into AUC and just jump right into a welcoming community.”
To find out more about how you can get engaged with student groups and organizations like the LGBTQ+ Club throughout your journey at AUC, visit our Student Life page