A psychologist at West Virginia Universitys Carruth Center for Counseling and Psychological Servicesknown for her advocacy in behalf of the Universitys gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communitywill retire after 21 years.

“Rosemary Srebalus has been a tremendous asset to the Carruth Center and to the WVU counseling program, helping numerous students, faculty and staff in her years of service at WVU ,”said Catherine Yura, center director.

“Dr. Srebalus has been especially well regarded for her work to provide programs and services to care providers and clients dealing with issues pertaining to sexual orientation,”Dr. Yura added.

In addition to teaching numerous courses, she has annually coordinated a series of colloquia on the unique counseling needs of persons with HIV /AIDS, survivors of sexual assault and sexual orientation issues.

“There is no doubt that Rosemarys most prominent claim to fame,”Yura said,”has been as a social justice advocate and change agent for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people, leading many of the Universitys founding efforts in the area of social justice for sexual orientation.”

She co-founded the Committee on AIDS Education and Prevention, which ultimately evolved into the University Committee on Sexual Awareness.

Later, as a member of a task force studying the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons, Srebalus became first co-chair of the Presidents Council on Sexual Orientation (COSO), eventually chairing its Policies and Procedures Committee and co-authoring its bylaws.

In 1997, she helped to develop the WVU Safe Zone programa program that recruits and trains WVU faculty and staff to be”safe”and approachable people to students with sexual orientation questions, concerns or issues.

In 2000, she became the first recipient of the Office of the Presidents Advocacy Award.

Dr. Srebalus, also an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling and Counseling Psychology, has counseled students, supervised doctoral students and served as a consultant to faculty and staff during her years of service to WVU .

“We will miss Rosemarys counseling expertise, but most of all her compassion and kind spirit,”Yura said.”We wish her all the best in retirement.”

Srebalus plans to relax, play piano, garden, cook and spend time at her West Virginia mountain cabin.

She is married to David Srebalus, also a counseling professor at WVU .