The SMU Women’s Center and the Hegi Family Career Development Center sponsored a diversity symposium Thursday in the forum of the Hughes-Trigg Student Center.

The symposium opened at 12:30 p.m. with a speech by Dr. John Corvino, a philosophy professor at Wayne State University. Titled “Homosexuality, Morality and Diversity,” the speech covered gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues in today’s society.

Senior Michael Jimenez said he had been to several of Corvino’s lectures, and stated that he was very happy that Corvino returned to SMU this semester. Jimenez said Corvino was very insightful and thought provoking for many people.

“It’s good to see people come, hear his lectures and actually take something away from it,” Jimenez added.

The speech was followed by a panel discussion covering “GLBT Issues in the Workplace.” Providing several different perspectives, the panelists included Fred Swanevelt from American Airlines, Jim Dees of the SMU School of Engineering, Vicki Lynn Cartwright of the Diversity Team at JC Penny, Christopher White, chairperson of the GLBT group at JC Penny, Derek Leighton, a LPC-Intern and LMFT-associate, Janine D. Johnson, a diversity trainer and consultant, and Dr. Susan Gore, a corporate consultant.

The panelists were asked a number of questions, read by Jodie Elder, a career counselor on campus. One question asked, “How would you suggest managing your sexual orientation during an interview?”

“I quit editing my comments,” Leighton said. He said that he would not “flaunt” his sexuality or tell the interviewer what his sexual orientation was, but he would make a point to casually insert it into conversation.

“How would you suggest handling your sexual orientation once you are hired?” Elder asked.

“You should just be who you are, and people will like you for who you are,” White said. He added that hiding your sexual orientation in the workplace and keeping your personal and work lives separate takes a lot of energy.

“If you will just be yourself you will be more productive, and you will be happier,” White said.

The floor was then opened for questions from the audience. Christopher Sanders, a senior majoring in finance, asked how important it is for supervisors to know their employee’s sexual orientation.

It was really a matter of personal choice, Swanevelt said, and it depends on how much of your personal information you wish to disclose.

“If you are invited to an event and you are going to bring your partner, the event probably shouldn’t be the first time your co-workers hear about him or her,” he said.

White added, “It is no longer economic to discriminate.”

Whether you are homosexual, heterosexual, black or white, you all have one thing in common, White continued: “Your money is green.”