Guest Column
Latino(a) Scholars Awarded National Scholarships by Point FDN
Latino(a) Scholars Awarded National Scholarships by Point FDN
Point Foundation, the nation's largest
publicly-supported organization granting scholarships to lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, recently announced
the 2007 Point Scholars. Point scholarships are substantial and
multi-faceted; the average annual award is $13,600, and will be
renewed annually for the remainder of their degree program as long
as a student maintains academic standards. Point runs a formal
mentoring program that matches each scholar with a successful
professional in a field related to that particular scholar's area
of interest. Finally, Point also hosts a leadership conference
each year for all current scholars.
The press release below contains information about the substantial
scholarships and support provided by Point, as well as a listing
of all 38 new Scholars. I'd like to call your attention to Lilia
Espinoza and Allan Acevedo, new Point Scholars who are of Latino
and Latina heritage:
Born in Mexico and raised in San Diego, Allan Acevedo grew up
surrounded by a predominately conservative Latino community. In
school, Allan pursued challenging courses and was a cross-country
runner and the President of his school's Gay-Straight Alliance.
Allan served for three years as a Student Coordinator for the
GLSEN Jumpstart Leadership Team, a Trainer for GSA Network, and
most recently as a leader of the Stonewall Young Democrats. He
has also spoken across the country advocating and promoting youth
involvement in social justice issues. Allan will attend San Diego
State University in the fall. He aspires to go to law school and
be able to take a more direct role in ending social and economic
inequalities.
Here's a link to Allan's full bio and photo on Point's website:
http://www.thepointfoundation.org/scholars/scholars07/acevedo.html
Lilia Espinoza grew up in Chicago, IL, in the Rogers Park
neighborhood. Lilia has been an active member of the Chicago
Children's Choir for ten years. Her experience in the choir, a
not-for-profit organization founded as an outgrowth of the Civil
Rights movement, enabled her to see firsthand the unifying
potential of music. Lilia is a National Hispanic Scholar as well
as a National Merit Finalist. This fall, Lilia will be an
undergraduate at Columbia College at Columbia University in New
York, NY. She especially hopes to work with queer youth who have
encountered extreme adversity in both their homes and schools.
Here's a link to Lilia's full bio and photo on Point's website:
http://thepointfoundation.org/scholars/scholars07/espinoza.html
Please let me know if you'd like to speak with one of these Point
Scholars, or perhaps a staff member at Point Foundation.
Sincerely,
Syd Peterson
Communications Executive
Renna Communications
syd@rennacommunications.com
cell #917.621.6411
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
POINT FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2007 SCHOLAR CLASS
GROWING ORGANIZATION NAMES 38 NEW LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND
TRANSGENDER STUDENTS TO RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL EDUCATIONAL
SCHOLARSHIPS
Media contacts:
Cathy Renna, 917.757.6123,
cathy@rennacommunications.com
Syd Peterson, 917.621.6411,
syd@rennacommunications.com
Note to Editors: to request high-resolution photos or interviews
with a Point Scholar, please call the contacts listed above.
Los Angeles, CA, June 5, 2007.Point Foundation - the nation's
largest publicly-supported organization granting scholarships to
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students - today
announced awarding the largest number of scholarships in its
six-year history. The diverse group of 38 recipients includes many
firsts for the organization.
"Since taking the helm at Point earlier this year, I have been
pleased with the high caliber and diversity of candidates who
applied for support," said Executive Director Jorge Valencia.
"This class represents many 'firsts' for the Point Foundation: our
first male-to-female transgender Point Scholar, our first Muslim
Point Scholar and our first Point Scholars who are also parents.
This class expands on the current diversity among our scholars and
we are excited to begin working with them," concluded Valencia.
"As someone new to the scholar selection process, I was
immediately struck by the profound impact it has on everyone
involved," commented Valencia. "For example, after the panel
interview with a finalist who appeared particularly nervous, I
approached him and asked, 'It wasn't all that bad, was it?' The
young man replied, 'No, not really. It is just that I have never
been surrounded by so many people who were accepting of me and who
simply wanted me to succeed.'" Valencia concluded, "If that does
not underscore the importance of our work with these bright and
promising individuals, I don't know what could."
Point Foundation provides financial support, leadership training,
mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized
because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender
expression. As of June 2007, a total of 84 Point Scholars will be
currently enrolled in school, and 26 alumni will have continued on
to pursue their life goals.
In addition to an average scholarship award of $13,600, Point also
provides leadership training and mentoring to its scholars. The
Foundation matches each Point Scholar with a mentor who is a
highly successful professional in a field related to that
particular scholar's area of interest, ranging from the arts,
education and other humanities, to business, law and medicine.
Point also hosts a leadership conference each year to train
scholars in the skills necessary for leadership and success.
Including monies spent on mentoring, leadership training and
scholarships, Point devotes an average of $34,000 to supporting
each Point Scholar.
Since its inception in 2001, Point Foundation has expanded into an
organization with a staff of 12 full time and part time employees
and an annual budget of $2.9 million. The organization recently
opened its new headquarters in Los Angeles.
The 2007 Point Scholars are listed below.
Ali Abbas, from Carol Stream, IL, and Beirut, Lebanon, is a
Philosophy major at DePaul University in Chicago, IL.
Allan Acevedo, from San Diego, CA, and originally from Guanajuato,
Mexico, is majoring in Political Science at San Diego State
University in San Diego, CA.
Benjamin Ancher, from Bristol, CT, is majoring in both
Communications Studies and Gender & Sexuality Studies at New York
University in New York, NY.
Amy Andre, from San Francisco, CA, is an MBA student at the
University of California at Berkeley in Berkeley, CA.
Jacob Breslow, from Walnut Creek, CA, is majoring in both
Community Studies and Feminist Studies at the University of
California at Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA.
Tim Bresnahan, from South Berwick, ME, is a law student at
Chicago-Kent School of Law in Chicago, IL.
Ivan Bukta, from Novi Sad, Serbia, is a film student pursuing a
Master of Fine Arts at City College of New York in New York, NY.
Jack Cen, from San Francisco, CA, is majoring in Biological
Sciences at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.
Angela Clements, from Elmwood, NE, is a law student at the Boalt
Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley in
Berkeley, CA.
Derrick Clifton, from Chicago, IL, is an undergraduate at Pomona
College in Claremont, CA.
Mark Cornelsen, from Ferndale, WA, is majoring in Resort &
Commercial Recreation Management at San Francisco State University
in San Francisco, CA.
Steve Dry, from Hopkinton, MA, is studying Chemistry and Religion
at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.
Daan Erikson, from Providence, RI, originally from Bridgewater,
MA, is majoring in both Entertainment Media and Gender & Sexuality
Studies at New York University in New York, NY.
Lilia Espinoza, from Chicago, IL, is an undergraduate at Columbia
College at Columbia University in New York, NY.
Joe Goldman, from Los Angeles, CA, is studying Political
Communication at George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Kim Hackford-Peer, from Brighton, CO, is pursuing a Ph.D. in
Education, Culture & Society at the University of Utah in Salt
Lake City, UT.
Kate Jerman, from Essex Junction, VT, is pursuing a Master of
Public Health at Columbia University in New York, NY.
Shaun Kasperbauer, from Carroll, IA, is majoring in Design and
Architecture at New York University in New York, NY.
Patrick Kelly, from San Francisco, CA, and New Orleans, LA, is a
law student at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, MA.
Andy Kirk, from Scott City, KS, is majoring in both English and
Psychology at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO.
Brandon Kneefel, from Detroit, MI, and Dallas, TX, is majoring in
Organizational Leadership at Pennsylvania State University in
State College, PA.
Corey Koscielniak, from Webster Groves, MO, is majoring in
International Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN.
Zach Lundin, from Seattle, WA, is majoring in both Sociology and
Education at Columbia University in New York, NY.
Jeff Manassero, from Sacramento, CA, is majoring in both History
and Political Science at the University of California at Berkeley
in Berkeley, CA.
Tony Meyer, from Mission Viejo, CA, is studying Political Science
at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.
Andrew Moe, from Janesville, WI, is an undergraduate student at
Arizona State University and will pursue graduate study in
Education in 2008.
Tina Owen, from Milwaukee, WI, is a graduate Administrative
Leadership student at Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI.
Andrew Park, from Wheeling, IL, is a law student at Yale Law
School in New Haven, CT.
Greg Payton, from Florissant, MO, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical
Psychology at the Teachers College of Columbia University in New
York, NY.
Brandon Perkovich, from Naples, FL, is an undergraduate studying
Biological Sciences at Harvard College at Harvard University in
Cambridge, MA.
Philip Rogers-Reeves, from Thompson, ND, is an English major at
the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, NY.
Joelle Ruby Ryan, from Newfields, NH, is a Ph.D. candidate in
American Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University in
Bowling Green, OH.
Michael Semensi, from Gloucester, MA, is majoring in History at
Williams College in Williamstown, MA.
Zak Sinclair, from San Francisco, CA, originally from Houston, TX,
is pursuing a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology at the
California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA.
Kha Trinh, from Norcross, GA, and originally from Ho Chi Minh
City, Vietnam, is a History major at Notre Dame University in
South Bend, IN.
Stanley Vance, from Houston, MS, is a medical student at Harvard
Medical School in Boston, MA.
Stacy Weibley, from Newark, DE, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Public
Health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.
Emily Williams, from Minneapolis, MN, is pursuing a Master of
Science in Nursing at Yale University School of Nursing in New
Haven, CT.
Point Foundation is the nation's largest publicly-supported
organization granting scholarships to lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Point provides financial
support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT
individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual
orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Prospective donors and potential applicants can learn more about
Point Foundation and Point Scholars at
www.pointfoundation.org.
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed by HispanicVista.com (www.hispanicvista.com) without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.)