Endowed Scholarships target Ohio State’s GLBT students

The Ohio State University has added a second endowed scholarship created specifically for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) students.

Gifts totaling nearly $144,000 from the estate of the late Harold A. “Marc”McIntosh (bachelor’s degree, fine arts, 1966) have established The Harold A. “Marc”McIntosh Fund.The annual interest income from this endowment will provide an anticipated five $1,200 scholarships annually to GLBT students, in perpetuity. One of the five scholarships each year will be awarded to a person living with AIDS or HIV; another will be awarded to a person who has volunteered to work for AIDS-related causes.

“This scholarship provides an opportunity for Ohio State to further recognize—and contribute to—the diversity of our community, creating a welcoming environment in which every student can pursue her/his education,”said Bill Hall, Ohio State’s vice president for student affairs.

“This expansion of the scholarship fund will make a crucial difference for students as they strive to meet their educational goals,”added Tally Hart, Ohio State’s director of student financial aid. “But even more significant than the important financial support that scholarships provide is how they signal the connection between the student, the donor, and the university. This generous contribution will add that level of meaning for scholarship recipients, and for the greater community.”

The McIntosh Fund joins the Eric Kohring-PFLAG Scholarship, established in 2002 with gifts from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Alumni Society of The Ohio State University; the Columbus Chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); and the estate of Kohring, who died in 1998. The Kohring-PFLAG Scholarship— providing a $1,200 scholarship to an undergraduate gay or lesbian student each year—was the first of its kind at Ohio State.

“This is such a significant gift to the university and the community,”said Jack Miner, scholarship chair for the GLBT Alumni Society. “Not only does it launch Ohio State's GLBT scholarship program into the forefront of programs nationwide, but it also provides significant outreach to the HIV and AIDS community. The McIntosh estate will touch the lives of many students for years to come.”

The GLBT Alumni Society markets the availability of these scholarships through campus media, university offices, local and state GLBT media, and through visits to GLBT student organizations. The scholarship selection committee comprises GLBT Alumni Society Members, local community leaders, university faculty and staff members, and PFLAG representatives.

Five McIntosh Scholarships are available for Autumn Quarter 2003; the deadline for application is February 14, 2003.

Members of the general public who are interested in supporting the GLBT community at Ohio State have the opportunity to establish similar scholarships, or they can make contributions to augment the two existing GLBT scholarships. Ohio State faculty and staff members can make such gifts through the university’s Campus Campaign, a year-round fund-raising effort.

Students interested in applying for either scholarship—or anyone interested in making a gift to support them—should contact Jack Miner (see below).

Support for these and other scholarships is part of Ohio State’s ongoing fund-raising efforts in support of the Academic Plan. Visit
www.giveto.osu.edu for more fund-raising news.

Contact for more information:
Jack Miner, GLBT Alumni Society, (614) 292-5777 or miner.10@osu.edu