Remembering the Contributions and Legacy of Dr. Michael I. Loewy

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Friday, February 7, 2023, marked the passing of Dr. Michael I. Loewy, a beloved member of the psychology community and advocate for LGBTQ+ individuals. He was known for his warmth, generosity, and dedication to social justice and equity. He made significant contributions as a scholar, activist, advocate, and educator.

Most recently, Dr. Loewy served as an associate professor and was the program director of the Ph.D. clinical psychology program from 2009 to 2015 at Alliant International University’s San Francisco Campus. Earlier in his career, he taught multicultural counseling at San Diego State University (1995–2001) and counseling psychology at the University of Missouri (2001–2002) before he went to the University of North Dakota, where he served as the program director of the doctoral program and then became chair of the department of Counseling and Community Services (2002–2009).

Born in 1952 in Los Angeles, he earned his B.A. in sociology from the University of Las Vegas (1987) before moving to Santa Barbara to obtain his Ph.D. degree in counseling psychology in 1994. His professional interests included health at every body size, physical appearance, sexual orientation, race, gender, and gender expression as well as religion, age, and social class. Dr. Loewy enjoyed telling personal stories complementing his expertise in qualitative research and scholarship. For example, he would recount his

The Mardi Gras Carnival is an annual event, hosted by AGUILAS, the award-winning nonprofit organization honoring Latin culture. The organization offers multiple ongoing services, including HIV/HCV and STIs testing referrals, counseling, support groups, and educational and social events.

The Mardi Gras celebration for 2023, held on Friday, February 24, at the SF LGBT Center, featured live musical performances and refreshments and cocktails customized for the occasion.

experiences, which happened before he decided to become a psychologist, about working in casinos. He attracted students within marginalized communities, including those who are LGBTQ+, to pursue research on a wide array of topics, such as fat shaming, health at every body size, and social justice.

As a leader, he had a major role in developing the careers of numerous students; he embraced their intersectionality as developing clinical psychologists. Dr. Loewy was a true activist with a heart of gold. He possessed the gift of humility, and his genuine compassion toward his students, colleagues, friends, and family will live on through his legacy.

He was honored by the American Psychological Association’s Society of Counseling Psychologist for his work as one of the co-authors of the Counseling Psychology Model Training Values Statement Addressing Diversity. Dr. Loewy was also recognized for his outstanding service to the Southern Nevada community, receiving the

Community Foundation Award and Congressional Recognition for being one of the 25 most influential LGBTQ leaders of that region. He was also one of the founders of the More Pie Initiative, which brought together counseling psychologists across identities to engage in dialogue about current events, controversial topics, and community building.

Dr. Loewy will be greatly missed, not only as a friend and colleague,

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