Binghamton University’s Rainbow Pride Union will host the 2011 Northeast Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Conference, aimed at inspiring attendees in the LGBT community.

The 2011 conference will be held from April 8 to 10. RPU is expecting nearly 500 people from at least 58 schools to attend.

The Northeast LGBT Conference (NELGBTC) is an annual conference for LGBT groups and allies — straight college students who advocate for LGBT people.

According to the NELGBTC website, the goal of the conference is working to unite people of diverse backgrounds through education, activism and networking.

“We want to touch on leadership, community building and serious issues in the LGBT community,” Phil Calderon, a senior majoring in accounting and director of RPU, said.

The three-day conference has been held annually in March and April since 1995 at different locations around the Northeast.

BU was chosen out of 14 schools, including the University of Connecticut, the University of Massachusetts, Rutgers and other New York City schools. The announcement came at this year’s conference, which was held earlier this month.

According to Calderon, RPU is now in the early stages of planning the conference and is working on booking keynote speakers, organizing programs and creating entertainment.

The conference will be held in the Old University Union, but some events may take place in the Lecture Hall as well.

Calderon said RPU is also considering a trip to the Nature Preserve for an environmental program and to present different aspects of the University to attendees.

There will be a registration fee required for schools to participate, but the conference will be free for BU students as part of the student activity fee. There will be between 30 and 50 spots for BU students available on a first-come, first-served basis.

David Hagerbaumer, director of campus life, said his job is to help the student group in reserving facilities, ensuring food availability and coordinating with any University services to help RPU meet their goals.

“I think it’s a really great opportunity for our students in RPU,” Hagerbaumer said. “Anytime we can bring other students to Binghamton, it’s a chance for us to showcase the University and student groups.”

BU’s RPU students recently returned from this year’s conference in Buffalo.

Attendees interested in holding the conference at their school next year submitted bid proposal to NELGBTC officials.

“We have to say what we would bring to the conference that a different school would not bring,” Calderon said. “It was a 10-page bid outlining what BU has to offer. Our bid organizers loved it.”

According to Calderon, BU was chosen because of aspects such as logistical space, the fact that RPU is student-run and how BU is LGBT-friendly.

In addition, information needed to be provided about the layout of their university and what kind of support the student organizers would receive, Calderon said.

After reviewing the bids, conference officials came to visit the schools that they were interested in before making their final decision.

RPU is working with offices such as Campus Life, the Multicultural Resource Center and Binghamton’s Chamber of Commerce.

“Community members are behind it 100 percent,” Calderon said. “It’s not just an LGBT conference, it’s a leadership conference. Our goal is to help as many people as we can.”