Doug Bauder was honored for a lifetime of “service above self” at the Bloomington Rotary Toast Friday, November 1 at Ivy Tech’s Shreve Hall, 200 N. Daniels Way, Bloomington.

Doug has selected Quarryland Men's Choir as his charity for this fundraiser, hosted by the three local Rotary clubs.

About Doug 

Doug Bauder was born in 1949 and raised in the historic town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. From a young age, Doug’s passion for history and music was evident through his active participation in various choirs and a nationally recognized high school marching band. His education in Bethlehem’s public school system and the nurturing fellowship of the Moravian Church laid a solid foundation for his lifelong spirituality and commitment to community service.

The Moravian Church, one of the oldest Protestant denominations, profoundly influenced Doug’s values with its humble approach to faith, dedication to supporting the oppressed, commitment to universal education, and profound appreciation for music. These experiences inspired Doug to pursue a degree in Sociology, earning a B.A. from Moravian College in 1971.

Doug’s calling to ministry led him to Princeton Theological Seminary, where he obtained a degree in practical theology in 1975. That same year, Doug married and embarked on a diverse career serving churches in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He also volunteered in hospice care and directed and counseled youth camps, reflecting his deep commitment to helping others.

In 1992, following a later-in-life realization of his identity as a gay man, Doug moved to Bloomington, Indiana, to share his life with IU Professor of Informatics and Education Marty Siegel. Doug’s early years in Bloomington were marked by his work with Stone Belt and his volunteer service as a chaplain at Bloomington Hospital. In response to a 1994 announcement from Indiana University, Doug applied for and became the founding Director of the GLB Office and what later became known as the LGBTQ+ Culture Center, a role in which he served for 25 years.

Under Doug’s stewardship, Indiana University became a national leader in serving the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students. His contributions extended to various diversity and multicultural committees, earning him numerous awards, including the IU Presidential Medal for Distinguished Service. He also served on the Human Rights Commission for the City of Bloomington, co-chaired Bloomington United, and was a founding member of the Quarryland Men’s Chorus and a board member of Beacon. Doug retired in 2019, significantly contributing to the university and the wider community. In 2021, he wrote a book, The Privilege of Being Queer: A Life Full of Surprises. Doug describes it as part memoir and part queer history, with a few life lessons.

Today, Doug resides in Bloomington with his husband, Marty. Their supportive family includes four adult children, Tiffani, Courtney, Adam, and Mara, who live in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, along with ten beloved grandchildren.

Doug reflects on his journey with characteristic humility and humor, saying, “I didn’t choose to be gay. I just got lucky.”

About Quarryland Men’s Chorus