Rainbow Resource Center renaming honors Milt Ford’s legacy, celebrates the future

December 9, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 8)
Article by Julianna Schrier

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Members of the Grand Valley community gathered on November 25 to celebrate the renaming of the LGBT Resource Center, which is now the Milt Ford Legacy Collective: The Rainbow Resource Center. The center’s new Mission, Vision, and Values were also unveiled at the celebration. 

The new name continues to honor the late Milton E. Ford, who created the first LGBTQ scholarships at Grand Valley and played an integral role in establishing a dedicated space for the community on campus.

“We hear often that LGBT doesn't really encompass the full scope of identities,” said DL McKinney, director of the Rainbow Resource Center. “The center means home for a lot of people. But it's more than just a service counter, right? The new name really dives the collective work that we do.”

Gary Van Harn, Milton Ford’s partner of 17 years, commissioned a portrait of Ford that was unveiled at the renaming celebration. Milton's son, Dave Ford, a 1993 GVSU graduate, was the artist.

Van Harn spoke at the event, explaining that the portrait is based on one of his favorite photos of Ford, taken on the day the state of California legalized same-sex marriage. “The smile on his face absolutely nails his fundamental joy of life that day and it's burned in my mind as sort of the quintessential image of him,” said Van Harn. 

The painting will be displayed in the Kirkhof Center atrium outside the Rainbow Resource Center.

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