SpectrumSC, Marshall School of Business’ only undergrad LGBTQIA+ business community, was reestablished in Spring 2024 by club president Martin Aguirre after its discontinuation in 2018. 

Aguirre, a junior majoring in business administration as well as theatre, said he was dissatisfied when he could not find the club either at the Involvement Fair or on the Marshall website in his previous years at USC. He asked around and discovered it had been abandoned when club members could not find a president, prompting him to undertake the role and find an executive board to support him.

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“I need the space. I know that if I need this space, other people also do,” Aguirre said. “We want to be able to open up spaces where we can safely, in a professional, organized, structured way, talk about things that concern us and questions about the experiences we’ve had, and do so with people who are well equipped to do that.” 

The club aims to create an environment for students to network and build connections while feeling the support of an LGBTQIA+ community. It plans to host industry workshops and events inviting recruiters to discuss diversity pipelines, providing mentorship opportunities for members. They also plan to invite LGBTQIA+ professionals to discuss their experiences working in the industry alongside having professional conversations about identity exploration facilitated by Marshall professors.

Avery Wilson, vice president of SpectrumSC, said he believes experiences like these are essential in bridging the divide between different facets of one’s life in a sector that often lacks the representation of different identities. Being a member of the Black Business Student Association aided him in feeling more comfortable in his racial identity in corporate spaces, and he strives to accomplish something similar for LGBTQIA+ Marshall students through SpectrumSC.

“We’re wanting to create that same thing for specifically queer folk, especially when the way in which you present yourself and your identity is something that’s not like being Black or being [Latine], where it’s something you can walk into a room and people see. How is it that we can walk in those doors and still continue to be who we are but also show up and do the work that we know we can?” Wilson said.

John Huynh, the club’s director of finance, said he wishes he had the opportunity to join a safe space to discover his identity like SpectrumSC as a freshman and hopes to contribute to creating a place for other students to do that. 

“For a lot of undergrads … this is the first time where they get to feel that freedom of finally exploring their identity. And what better way to explore your identity [than] through [your profession], but also through your background?” Hunyh said. “Having that combined would be a very good way to ensure yourself within this environment.”

Despite being a Marshall affinity group for those aspiring to have a business career, the club opens its doors to all undergraduates of all majors and identities who have an interest in business. Aguirre stressed that members are free to attend meetings of their volition and take advantage of the resources offered without feeling pressured to discuss their own experiences. Privacy is protected by not photographing members who do not wish to be recorded, and no confidentially shared details are discussed externally.

Aguirre said he believes that learning to be comfortable in one’s skin is a journey that takes time, but experiences in an affinity group like this can transform the way one thinks about themselves in a positive way. He encourages potential members to join the club if they have an interest in business even if they aren’t sure where they’re at concerning their identity, as he believes the club can help in one’s journey of self-discovery and career development.