(l) Gilbert Vansoi and (r) Darren Roesch, Ph.D.

This fund was established by Gilbert N. Vansoi and Darren M. Roesch in 2004 for the purpose of supporting the building of a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender film collection in the George A. Smathers Libraries and the development of related academic and community programs.

This film collection will promote the importance that the GLBT community has in the field of humanities and social sciences while raising awareness of the commonalities shared between the GLBT and the straight communities. Another function of the collection is to support developing GLBT-related academic programs at the University.

Vansoi graduated from the University of Florida in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. Also a graduate of UF, Roesch earned his bachelor’s degree in microbiology and cell science in 1993 and his doctoral degree in pharmaceutical science in 1998.