Ohio State endows scholarship fund for gay, lesbian students

COLUMBUS – After a year-long campaign, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Alumni Society at The Ohio State University has raised $25,000 for a scholarship endowment for gay and lesbian students.

The scholarship, which is the first of its kind at Ohio State, will be named the Eric Kohring – PFLAG Scholarship in honor of Kohring, who died in 1998 and left an internal grant that began the fundraising drive. It also was established in recognition of PFLAG, which means Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

Jack Miner, scholarship chair for the GLBT Alumni Society, says this scholarship is important for the gay and lesbian students at Ohio State.

“I think it will help individual students get a quality education without worrying how to pay for it,” Miner said. “This is the largest and first endowed scholarship for gay and lesbian students in Ohio.”

The income from the endowment will be used for the annual $1,200 scholarship for undergraduate gay and lesbian students. After applying, a student will be selected by a committee to receive the one-time scholarship, Miner said.

Tally Hart, director of Student Financial Aid, says the scholarship will give students a viable way to continue their college education.

“This scholarship can encourage students to come to Ohio State,” Hart said. “The scholarship is an ongoing sign that there are mechanisms at Ohio State to help them pursue their education. This scholarship will really make a difference in the lives of those students. On their behalf, I am extremely grateful to the people who contributed.”

Lynn Greer, co-chair of the Legacy Fund, which is an endowment dedicated to improving the quality of the GLBT community, said the organization donated $2,000 to the scholarship fund, which capped off the endowment. Greer said The Legacy Fund serves as an advisory committee to the Columbus Foundation.

“It only makes sense for The Legacy Fund to make this kind of commitment to the GLBT community,” Greer said. “It sends the right signal as to where we want to invest.”