Devin Moss to fill recently established position
Meet Devin Moss, a 27-year-old originally from Memphis, Tenn., who's big on friends, family and volunteering.
Moss has worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, volunteered in teaching a gender course and worked at Isaac Newton Middle School in Harlem, N.Y.
"Being able to hang out with people and enjoy their qualities — that's one of the bigger things that stand out for me," Moss said.
But that's not all Moss has done. After getting his bachelor's degree in English from the University of Memphis, he worked as the graduate LGBT resource coordinator at University of Kansas while he also received a master's degree in higher education administration there.
Now, Moss is gunning for another master's degree, this time from New York University, for gender politics.
This, combined with his new position at USC, was the direction Moss wanted his career to go in, he said.
"I really wanted to go the route of sexuality and gender within higher education," Moss said.
Even though he has already talked to some of the students in the LGBT community, such as Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Straight Alliance (BGLSA), Moss said that his role will be different from the Alliance's.
"I see my role as being the backdrop of what they do. The student group's role is to outreach to their peers — doing the social aspect, doing some creative programming that educates the general public," Moss said. "But my role is really the educational piece behind that, making sure that this space and this campus [are] a safe and inclusive community for all students that we serve, essentially."
Rodrick Moore, director of OMSA, said in an email that Moss will be a great addition to his office and that he looks forward to his contributions to the office and the USC community.
"I believe that Devin will contribute and help move forward our LGBT programs and services to the next level here at USC," Moore said.
The coordinator's position was created through a November 2010 benchmark study and a February 2011 Student Senate resolution that established a USC resource center for LGBT students.
"I feel that it's definitely a progressive move to have the position in place," Moss said. "I'm excited to be the person filling the place."
For a salary of $31,787 with full state benefits, Moss will be tasked with leading and developing programs and services for LGBT students, advising in BGLSA, serving as the Safe Zone program adviser for OMSA and conducting workshops on LGBT issues.