At a time when college is becoming increasingly unaffordable in the United States, the need for the now 15-year work of the Point Foundation ( Point ) providing national scholarships to LGBTQ students in order for them "to achieve their full academic and leadership potential, despite the obstacles often put before them, to make a significant impact on society" has never been greater.
It was a need Point not only illustrated at The Chicago Cornerstone Society Fundraiser held at the magnificent Venue SIX10 in downtown Chicago Oct. 27, but also the indelible impact on the lives of the students Point awards after a rigorous vetting process.
The ripples of that impact could eventually go on to change society or the worlds of science, politics, the arts, advocacy and activism.
Marcus Lee, a 2014 and 2015 Point Scholar, is studying political science at the University of Chicago. He said that Point provided him with both affirmation and opportunity.
"In April 2014, I was selected as a Point finalist," Lee recalled. "I was shaking trying to figure out whether the other scholars, the interviewers would like me, if I would say the right thing. The time comes for my interview, I walk into the room and the first thing I see is the interviewers smiling. The experience made an impression on me. It feels reassuring to know that somebody is rooting for you in moments that the weight of graduate school feels to heavy. It feels empowering to have people in your corner who wish great things for your future."
Second-time Point Scholar Bridgette Davis, a first-year doctoral student at the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration, agreed on first impressions but also recalled thoughts of her father during her vetting process in Los Angeles over the summer.
"I encountered the Janitor's strike," she said. "[My father's] decision to take a job as a janitor after working 31 years in a meat packing plant is the reason I can afford to go to college. My father and the strength of his character inspires me. He has always demonstrated that character, leadership, sacrifice and commitment matter. He and I both know that I would not be here without Point.
For more information about Point and Point Scholars, visit: www.pointfoundation.org .