Spring Break
Gay and lesbian financial aid opportunities growing
Makoto Yamagishi
Issue date: 3/28/05 Section: News
Dupuis added that he has seen the things that the gay and lesbian community has done around campus and is impressed with it.
"I've been very impressed with the BGLFA and Unity and their activities. A lot those students don't have the opportunities to get recognized by traditional scholarships or awards, partly because of discrimination and partly because of lack of opportunities. This was my chance to recognize all the great things those students do in campus. And it was very much an honor for me to facilitate that," Dupuis said.
Watt, who works with Unity, also is impressed with Dupuis.
"He has done so much for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students at WIU," Watt said.
This is the first year the scholarship was started at Western and the student has been picked and will be announced in April for GLBT Awareness week, April 1 through 8.
Students who are eligible have to apply in the junior year and are asked to submit a short essay along with two letters of recommendation. The students demonstrated outstanding leadership in the gay community on campus. According to Dupuis, the recipient of the award receives $1,750 used toward tuition or books.
"We looked for leaders all over the campus; we tried to be flexible, but the idea is to recognize a student who identifies as gay or lesbian and has demonstrated great leadership skills for the award," Dupuis said.
Another organization that awards lesbians and gays across the country is the Point Foundation, which is the first and only organization of its kind. The Point Foundation is a nationwide lesbian and gay scholarship organization that focuses on granting assistance to undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students. Recipients are chosen for their demonstrated leadership, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities and involvement in the GLBT community.
"It is such an honor to create the first award for lesbians and gays, and hopefully other funding opportunities will arise," Dupuis said.
"I've been very impressed with the BGLFA and Unity and their activities. A lot those students don't have the opportunities to get recognized by traditional scholarships or awards, partly because of discrimination and partly because of lack of opportunities. This was my chance to recognize all the great things those students do in campus. And it was very much an honor for me to facilitate that," Dupuis said.
Watt, who works with Unity, also is impressed with Dupuis.
"He has done so much for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students at WIU," Watt said.
This is the first year the scholarship was started at Western and the student has been picked and will be announced in April for GLBT Awareness week, April 1 through 8.
Students who are eligible have to apply in the junior year and are asked to submit a short essay along with two letters of recommendation. The students demonstrated outstanding leadership in the gay community on campus. According to Dupuis, the recipient of the award receives $1,750 used toward tuition or books.
"We looked for leaders all over the campus; we tried to be flexible, but the idea is to recognize a student who identifies as gay or lesbian and has demonstrated great leadership skills for the award," Dupuis said.
Another organization that awards lesbians and gays across the country is the Point Foundation, which is the first and only organization of its kind. The Point Foundation is a nationwide lesbian and gay scholarship organization that focuses on granting assistance to undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students. Recipients are chosen for their demonstrated leadership, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities and involvement in the GLBT community.
"It is such an honor to create the first award for lesbians and gays, and hopefully other funding opportunities will arise," Dupuis said.
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