Point Foundation Opens 2009 Application Season

Filed Under Education, Gay Awards, Gay Students | December 11th, 2008 

Point Foundation Scholarship NewsLOS ANGELES, Calif. (PRNewswire-USNewswire) — Point Foundation (Point), America’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit, announces the opening of its 2009 application season starting December 12, 2008. Students who will be enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs for the 2009-10 school year are eligible to apply for the prestigious, multi-year scholarships. The application deadline for this year’s scholarships is February 9, 2009.

Point’s rigorous selection process for its prestigious scholarships is highly competitive and requires demonstrated academic excellence, leadership skills, community involvement and financial need. Particular attention is paid to students who have lost the financial and social support of their families and/or communities as a result of revealing their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The selection process begins with on-line applications and concludes with face-to-face interviews with selected finalists in April. Point Regent and Selections Subcommittee Chair Shelley Fischel comments, “The application and selection process is rigorous but rewarding. To be part of this process is both a great honor and a great responsibility.”

Current Point Scholars attend the nation’s foremost higher educational institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Rice, UC-Berkeley, UCLA and many other outstanding institutions.

On average, a Point Scholarship awards $13,200 in direct financial support, in addition to the programmatic support Point provides in leadership training and mentoring. The average amount of annual support devoted to each scholar is between $26,000 – $31,000. Point’s multifaceted support for scholars extends far beyond their time in school.

Point Scholars agree to maintain a high level of academic performance and to give back to the LGBT community through the completion of an individual community service project each year. In addition, scholars are matched with mentors from the professional world through Point’s Mentoring Program; mentors lend their professional expertise and career guidance and become important role models to scholars. The Mentoring Program and Point’s professional support network equip scholars with skills to ensure a lifetime of leadership, success and well-being.

Since its inception in 2001, Point Foundation has invested over $3 million in the education of outstanding LGBT students. The organization’s growth over a short period of time is noteworthy. In its first year, Point received 268 applications and granted eight scholarships. In 2008, approximately 1,344 applications were submitted and a record-breaking 27 students were granted scholarships. As of October 2008, there are 90 Point Scholars currently enrolled in school and 42 Point Alumni.

Executive Director & CEO Jorge Valencia noted that the need for funding and mentorship among LGBT students is vast. “A great number of LGBT youth in this country face enormous challenges simply because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity,” Valencia said. “In a recession we expect a significant increase in applications this year.”

The Named Scholarship Program allows individuals, organizations, foundations and corporations to provide substantial support to Point Foundation by honoring the name of an individual or organization and to demonstrate a public commitment to Point’s vision of valuing education, leadership and diversity.

A Named Scholarship is a commitment of $100,000 over four years. This gift can be made as a one-time gift or through a commitment of four consecutive $25,000 annual installments over four years.

The following corporations, individuals and supportive organizations have partnered with Point to create the following Named Scholarships: Jan Aronson, Norman Blachford, Thomas & Sara Branton, The Calamus Foundation, Walter M. Decker, Elsie de Wolfe, Bob Fennell, Dr. Joan W. Shelley Fernandez, Allan Gilmour & Eric Jirgens, David B. Goodstein, Greg Grosh, Evelyn W. Harrison, HBO, Joanne Herman, Kevin Hummer, Lawrence King/Jeffrey FashionCares, Bryan L. Knapp, Jonathan D. Lewis, Minton-Spidell, Casey Sakir, Paul W. Speier, Time Warner, University of Phoenix, and Wells Fargo.

“Time Warner is proud to be a corporate sponsor of Point Foundation and it’s critical programs,” said Lisa Quiroz, Senior Vice President/Corporate Responsibility for Time Warner. “Our commitment to Point Foundation and the students it serves is reflective of our belief that all young people deserve the opportunity to succeed and their talents must be cultivated and nurtured. We hope that others will join us in supporting the important work the Point Foundation is doing to ensure the future of a new generation of leaders.”

For information on how to apply for a Point Scholarship, please visit: Apply to Point Foundation

Source: Point Foundation