Moving to the big city became a reality when Graham Nolan landed his first internship in Chicago to take place right after his 2001 graduation from Ohio University.
Little did he know that a year after graduation he would be living with Bobcats and coming out as gay.
Nolan, now living in New York City and working as the vice president for marketing and communications in North America for Momentum Worldwide, will return to his alma mater to speak to classes, the advertising club and a forum for the LGBT Center.
Nolan contacted the LGBT Center with an interest to speak in a “brown bag” format.
“As an individual who is out in the non-college world, Graham can offer our students a unique perspective on life after Ohio University,” said Megan Villegas, the program coordinator for the event and a graduate assistant for the LGBT Center. “I expect students to be interested in the general climate of the working world.”
Nolan said topics would cover whatever students attending ask, including life after Athens and being out as an LGBT person in the business world.
Entering the workforce for the first time is challenging for any student, but LGBT students face a unique set of circumstances, Villegas said.
“An LGBT individual could be fired simply for being who they are,” she said.
However, Nolan said he has found that his sexuality has led to knowledge that can help him professionally.
“Advertising is a place that is more often open to (LGBT people),” he said. “You can’t restrain who you are if you want to come up (with a) great idea. … It’s all about being expressive and being who you are.”
However, LGBT students can face chilly or even hostile climates from their co-workers, Villegas said.
“Even small decisions such as whether or not to display a photo of a significant other at work become more weighty for LGBT (people),” she said.
Nolan said he hopes to impart the importance of rolling with the punches and going after what one wants. He added that he thinks discussions like these can give youth LGBT mentors both in and outside the business world.
“(It’s important to be able) to look forward and see people who are out and say ‘Hey, they did it too,’” he said.
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