Trevor Burgess '94 is a control freak. That's why he wanted to be president of his fraternity and why, soon after he came out of the closet, he became co-chair of the Dartmouth Area Gay and Lesbian organization.
Burgess considers himself a caring and compassionate person but it is the desire to have everything under control that most influences his life.
He grew up here in Hanover and his experience as a closet homosexual motivated him to become an active leader and visible role model for the gay and lesbian community at Dartmouth.
"I am the type of person to get into a situation and run it the best I can," Burgess said. "If I am the one with the responsibility, I will know that if something goes wrong, it's my fault, and when things go well, my credit."
As co-chair of DaGlo, his responsibilities include chairing weekly meetings, organizing support groups, and communicating regularly with DaGlo members.
Burgess wears a necklace with pink triangles as a remembrance of the Holocaust. Homosexuals were forced to wear the pink triangles so Nazis could distinguish them from the heterosexual population.
"I hope that when gay students see me wearing the pink triangles, they realize that I am happy as a gay man," Burgess said.
Burgess represents DaGlo on the faculty-based Coalition for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns. The two groups work closely together to organize events concerning the gay and lesbian communities.
John Crane, an administrative services librarian and co-founder of the coalition, works with Burgess.
"Trevor had the option of passing as a straight male and all the privileges that our society accords to white straight males," Crane said. "Instead, Trevor has chosen honesty and all the challenges it presents. That exhibits more courage than what a lot of students show."
Burgess's other interests include a company he created two years ago named Consult U., which assists businesses that want to expand into college markets.
"I created Consult U. because I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit," Burgess said.
Burgess is currently participating in corporate recruiting in hopes of pursuing a career in business.
He said he is making certain that companies are aware of his homosexuality. On his resume, he wrote that he is gay.
And he said he continues to be involved with his fraternity, but is not as active as he was before he announced his homosexuality. He served as president of Gamma Delta Chi during Summer term 1992.
"We are very supportive of Trevor coming out of the closet, and there is no one who has a problem with him being gay," said Todd Brackett '95, the current president of Gamma Delt.
"However, many members of the house feel that it is unfortunate that in his fight for gay rights, Burgess's actions could conflict with house interests," Brackett said.
Burgess created such a conflict when he made a music video about being a non-drinker on a drinking campus.
The video, called "Vita Sine Amicitiia Mors," portrays two of his fraternity brothers involved in drinking games and sexual behavior while drunk.
The title translates as "Life without friends is death."
Burgess also spends time with his friends.
"After coming out of the closet, I started having better friendships with female friends," Burgess said. "There is no sexual tension, and we can talk about men."
"Trevor is a really easy person to talk to," said Maggie Lockwood '94, a close friend. "He's someone who I can call at two in the morning about absolutely nothing. Besides, he loves to talk."
Burgess plans to move to a big city after leaving Dartmouth.
"I have spent my whole life in Hanover, it's time for me to go to a city with over a million gay men and start a great life," Burgess said.
