Office of LGBTQ* Resources Awards Scholarships and Grants to Eight Students
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 3, 2017) — The University of Kentucky Office of LGBTQ* Resources recently announced the winners of the office’s second annual cycle of endowed scholarships and its first-ever cycle of research grants. Five undergraduate students received scholarships totaling $8,000. Three graduate and professional students were awarded research grants totaling $3,000.
"LGBTQ* Resources is incredibly proud to be able to support many wonderful graduate and undergraduate students through our second annual scholarship cycle and first annual grant cycle," said Lance Poston, director of LGBTQ* Resources.
"These awards serve important roles at the university, helping to support students who are working hard to achieve their academic goals despite unique identity related obstacles and highlighting young LGBTQ* focused research that has the potential to positively impact our campus and communities far beyond."
LGBTQ* undergraduate scholarships were funded by an endowment started by Keisha and Amanda Fallin-Bennett as well as funds raised at the UK Feast on Equality fundraiser held in December 2016. Three undergraduate scholarship winners received $2,000 and two undergraduate scholarship winners received $1,000. Scholarship winners came from four different colleges and three states.
- College of Engineering undergraduate from Georgia;
- College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate from Ohio;
- College of Agriculture, Food and Environment undergraduate from Georgia;
- College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate from Fayette County, Kentucky; and
- Gatton College of Business and Economics undergraduate from Harlan County, Kentucky.
In addition to the undergraduate scholarships, this year the Office of LGBTQ* Resources offered Graduate and Professional Students LGBTQ* Research Grants. The grants were made possible by a partnership between the Office of LGBTQ* Resources and the Graduate School. Three graduate students received a $1,000 research grant. Grant recipients include:
- Marc Guest, doctoral student in gerontology, College of Public Health Project funded: “A Needs Assessment of Kentucky’s Older LGBTQ* Populations: Identifying Community Strengths and Opportunities”
- Sophonie Bazile, doctoral student in geography, College of Arts and Sciences Project funded: “Queer Haitian Women in the Rural South”
- Holly Brown, doctoral Student in counseling psychology, College of Education Project funded: “Gatekeeping Systems for Transgender Healthcare”
"We are thankful for the support that make these scholarships possible, including gifts from alums like Drs. Keisa and Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Dr. Amy Meadows, Dr. Garrett Sparks and others who have given through UK’s Feast on Equality fundraiser," Poston said.
For more information about the Office of LGBTQ* Resources, visit their website or connect with them on Facebook.