Struby Struble seems to always be on the move.
After graduating in 2004, she moved to Spain. A year later, she was back at MU working as a support staff member for the social justice centers on campus. Shortly after, she took over as the center’s adviser. After a year in charge, she stepped down to pursue soccer dreams in San Francisco, until last year, when she came back as a social justice support staff member.
Thursday, she found a new home where she said she plans to stay for a while: the LGBTQ Resource Center.
“I came back for a lot of reasons, but I think I’m the happiest I’ve been since being back, just getting to be here with the opportunity that is in front of me and having a job that I believe in,” she said. “Playing soccer, I really missed being involved with the community, and now I’m excited to make change on campus and make a difference in students’ lives. I think I really have an opportunity to do that in this position.”
Having dabbled in MU’s entire social justice world, she’s excited to be back in a space that was so important to her during her undergraduate career.
“I love the LGBTQ Resource Center,” she said. “I love the space. It’s played an important part in who I’ve become today because it was a part of my undergraduate career at Mizzou.”
Struble didn’t come out as a lesbian until she was in college, so the center played an important role in her life. Through the center’s countless books, videos and people to talk with, she said she was able to find where her and her personal identity fit in within the LGBTQ community at the time.
“It was a place that I could hang out,” she said. “It was place that felt like my second home on campus. I made so many friends that I’m still in contact with through my connections through the center.”
Although they didn’t meet through the center itself, Women’s Center Adviser Suzy Day and Struble eventually began working alongside each other. Day said she expects nothing but the best from Struble in the new position as coordinator.
“I think if there’s any time, with the new space and all of the new organizations starting, now is the time to really hit it hard,” Day said. “Now, what we need is a motivator. That is what Struby’s always been. I think people who didn’t even know they wanted to be involved will get involved because of her.”
Where Struble said she hopes this new involvement will be the most visual is in the Coming Out Day photograph.
“I want this year’s photo to be huge,” she said. “I strongly believe that Mizzou is a friendly, welcoming community to all Tigers, including the LGBTQ community. I want that to be visible. I want to help allies have a chance to show that they are our allies, because I think the negativity and hate that the community feels is much more visible than the love and community that we actually have.”
The photograph is at 5 p.m. Oct. 11 on the steps of Jesse Hall. Until then, Struble will spend the next few weeks moving into her new home.
“I’m so excited to be a part of all of this right now in this time because I can just feel that the campus is ready and excited to have us be a part of this great institution,” she said.
