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GLBT youth win college scholarships
Wed Jul 14, 8:30 PM ET
David Ryan Alexander, PlanetOut Network
Before turning 18, Ryan Kim told his parents he was gay. He was quickly disowned, and his parents forced Kim to leave their home outside Denver. He traveled to Los Angeles and lived in Salvation Army housing for a year.
Although an ambitious student and valedictorian of his high school, Kim did not have the resources to enroll in a university. "Last spring I was unable to attend the schools I was accepted to," he said, "because my parents withdrew all monetary support."
This year, however, Kim has become one of 25 GLBT youth announced Wednesday as this year's Point Scholars. In its third year, the Point Foundation has awarded over $500,000 "to support academic achievement in higher education among disenfranchised GLBT youth." Kim will receive a $4,000 scholarship to study economics at Princeton University. The average scholarship this year was $14,000.
"Because of homophobia and transphobia in their hometowns, and often within their own families, Point Scholars lack access to traditional sources of college funding," said Vance Lancaster, executive director of the foundation. "The Point Foundation acts as a lifeline for outstanding GLBT students."
"When I was a young man," said Bruce Lyndstrom, who co-founded the organization in 2001 with his partner Carl Strickland, "my family decided to turn their back on me. I had to navigate those waters, but in the future I wanted to be in a youth organization that could help other individuals."
"We wanted to focus on supporting future leaders," he added. "Anything we have accomplished is not guaranteed to remain in place, and they're the ones who will be fighting for both themselves and for future generations."
The foundation also partners scholars with mentors that can assist them with their lives and careers. "We wanted to do more for these students then give them money for college," Lyndstrom said. "We wanted to give them someone they could turn to."
In exchange for the multi-year scholarships, students are asked to take an active leadership role for GLBT youth at both their university and in their community. They are asked to present a report on these roles at the end of each year.
Lyndstrom and Strickland currently cover all costs for administration and fund-raising, so that "every philanthropic dollar will be used to support scholars." Money for the scholarships comes from a variety of donors, Lancaster said, including one anonymous donor in the Midwest who provided $600,000.
"Always forgive your enemies...nothing annoys them quite so much." Oscar Wilde
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