Need Money for College? Two Opportunities for LGBT students by Andy Peters

Of course you do. Who doesn’t? Beyond the academic achievement-based scholarships, tuition assistance programs, and government grants available to any qualifying student, LGBT youth should know about two scholarships specifically dedicated to helping them further their education. The Bill Borman Memorial Scholarship will award $3,000 to a local college-bound high school senior, recent graduate (G.E.D. is Ok) or current college student for the 2011/2012 year. The selection committee is looking for openly LGBT students who have shown leadership and community service in the area of LGBT rights and/or HIV/AIDS. Past winners include PFY alumna Julie Kaer who advocated within the agency for more transgender education and support and was active at Coffeehouse and at Nassau Community College’s P.R.I.D.E. student group. The website: http://billbormanfund.org will give you more information about this opportunity as well as the downloadable application. The application deadline is March 17, 2011. Live Out Loud will provide four college-bound students with scholarships of $2,500 each this year. According to its website: http://livoutloud.info, the scholarships will go to LGBT students who have a strong capacity to “Live Out Loud” and who demonstrate leadership skills in their school and in their community. Live Out Loud is based in NYC, but the competition is open throughout the metro area and they have awarded scholarships to Long Island students in the past. PFY alumni and former peer educator Nelson Rodriguez is a past winner for having started his high school’s first-ever Gay/Straight Alliance and educating students, faculty and adults who work with youth about homophobia. Live Out Loud scholarship winners are treated to a sleek reception in Manhattan (last year’s event was hosted by Alan Cumming). If you’re planning on going to college next year and active at an LGBT organization or at your school’s GSA, you’re a great candidate for both of these awards. If you’re not yet a senior, here’s another reason to get involved in LGBT activism: being active can pay off. Start building up a portfolio of things you’ve done in your school and your community. It will put you in position for LGBT scholarship money AND help your college applications. Send questions or comments to: AJPeters@longislandcrisiscenter.org.