Transitioning In College

When I started grad school, I was still saddled with my male identity. The first day of classes the professors called out my legal male name, when I replied I said that I went by “Diana” and from that point on, they always called me Diana and use female pronouns. It was a non-issue. But then again it was the School of Social Work and I wouldn’t expect anything less. When I matriculated, I had transitioned and legally changed all my records from earlier classes. When I submitted my application to the university, all my old college records were in my male name. I received a voice mail one day from admissions saying that there was discrepancy in my record and could I come in and discuss it with them. When walked through the door, they took one look at me and said, that everything was straighten out.

However, there are many other college students who have transitioned in college with mixed results, but there are success stories. One of them is in the Philippines where a trans-student was elected to the chair of the student government.

Transgender heads Philippine university's student body
By Julie M. Aurelio
Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
Sunday, Mar 04, 2012

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - Marking a new milestone, students of the premier University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, elected their first openly transgender chairperson of the university student council (USC).

In elections concluded Thursday night, Heart Diño bested three other candidates, including independent candidate Martin Loon of the UP College of Law and Amancio Melad III of the militant Stand UP coalition.
[…]
According to the Philippine Collegian, the official organ of the UP Diliman students, Diño's party clinched 13 out of 34 seats in the USC, including six councillor seats and six college representatives. The Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (Stand UP) won 10 seats while the Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan sa UP (Kaisa) also got 10 seats.

It is hearting to see positive change happening around the world. While I was in grad school, I was also on the student government at school and chair of two organizations.

Here in the U.S. conservative heartland, Kansas, a professor at University of Nebraska at Omaha has transitioned.

Kelly: Protecting rights hits home for transgendered prof
WORLD-HERALD COLUMNIST
By Michael Kelly
March 4, 2012

Despite her initial fears of becoming "a social outcast," the professor said, UNO faculty members and students accepted her new identity.

"Around here, I don't get many glances," said Meredith, who stands 6-foot-3. "Some might look at me and think 'I hope you play basketball' or something like that. But aside from that, I blend into the woodwork."

There are other trans-professors who have transitioned and have had no problems. One I know is a professor at a college in Maine, another is now retired and was dean of Engineering at a Michigan university.