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A newly expanded scholarship from the San Diego Foundation offers LGBTQ+ students thousands of dollars to help pay for college, along with privacy protections for those who may not have come out to their family and friends.
It’s a consideration that could be welcome to some youth in an increasingly hostile climate as the new Trump administration targets LGBTQ+ identities, rights and protections, particularly in schools.
The National College Rainbow Fund will provide $2,500 each to 200 students throughout California, to be used for public or private nonprofit undergraduate schools, community college or trade schools. Students have until March 5 to apply.
“The mission of Rainbow College Fund is to ease the financial burden on LGBTQ+ youth, including those who may not be open about their identities, so we can help them pursue their educational goals,” said Mark Stuart, the foundation’s president and CEO. “We see this as an opportunity to provide a boost up for those who have dreams of going to college but just don’t have the capacity to be able to pay for it.”
The program isn’t entirely new. Last year, they gave $100,000 under the Rainbow College Scholarship banner and had many “incredible students” — some out to their families and friends, some not — apply for it. And Stuart said they gave out $40,000 in scholarships to LGBTQ+ students “without much fanfare” two years ago.
But now the foundation is broadening it statewide, with $500,000 available in total.
Stuart said the scholarship aims to be sensitive to the needs of the many LGBTQ+ young people who are not out to families and friends.
“There’s just so many issues that can come forward for LGBTQ youth who decide to come out, and a significant number — I was one of them — decided I wouldn’t come out to family until I could financially sustain myself,” he said.
The application includes a media release form to let the fund release a student’s name and photo — but Stuart said students who don’t give permission will not have their application penalized. That’s the only part of the application that requires a parent or guardian signature if an applicant is under 18.
Students under 18 must inform their parents that they are applying for a scholarship, but they don’t need to specify which one.
The scholarship application website also has a quick-exit button, and the foundation uses an alternative method to communicate award details to students who prefer confidentiality. Their institution will then get a check that does not name the scholarship.
“Privacy is really core to everything that we’re doing,” Stuart said.
The application asks students about their extracurricular activities but also gives a chance to explain any limited opportunities to explore them.
“Some students may be coming right home, going to work, caring for a family member,” Stuart explained. “We don’t want to penalize someone who may be exceeding in school but just doesn’t have the opportunity to do extracurricular activities due to their family experience.”
Applicants must have lived in California for a year and be either high school seniors, incoming or current college students or adult re-entry students 25 or older.
They must also show financial need using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the California DREAM Act Application or the Federal Student Aid Estimator Tool.
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