Ten years ago, Bruce Lindstrom and Carl Strickland began the Point Foundation using a budget of less than $250,000 and only eight scholars. Since then, Point has awarded more than $12 million to dozens of scholars. According to its mission statement, Point "provides financial support, mentoring, leadership training and hope to meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression."
Lindstrom grew up in a very conservative household in Orange County, Calif. Upon coming out, his family threw him out of the home. Lindstrom then worked hard to put himself through school. Shortly after completing his college degree, Lindstrom befriended Sol Price and his family. Price became not only a very dear friend but also a mentor. Later, Price and Lindstrom would found Price Club, which is better known today as Costco. It was Lindstrom's life experience and his relationship with Price that became the framework for Point's unique scholarship program. That program includes a service project as well as a mentor program that has been emulated by other organizations.
Jorge Valencia—Point's executive director, and CEO and originally the executive director of The Trevor Project—said that Point is "different from other funds. Some have called it the 'gay Rhodes Scholarship.'" Valencia noted that in addition to being highly competitive, Point also offers scholars awards on a siding scale amount every year they are in school. This makes the fund more adaptable to the needs of the individual student. "Point is there to support the scholar through the duration of their degree," said Valencia.
In order to be eligible for a Point Scholarship, individuals must have at least a 3.3 grade point average, "demonstrate academic excellence, show leadership and commitment to the LGBT community and show some degree of marginalization," said Valencia. More than 4,600 students apply for a Point Scholarship each year; this year, only 34 were selected.
However, it is not the prestige of the award or even the money that attracts the majority of point scholars. "Ninety-five percent of scholars said the aspect that interested them most was the mentorship program that we offer," added Valencia. The mentorship program, like the scholarship itself, is highly selective. Each potential mentor must fill out an application and be subjected to numerous interviews and screenings before a final selection will even be determined.
"The mentors are paired based on their geographic proximity to the scholar as well as with the scholar's proposed field of study," said Valencia. "The mentor is also there to help the scholar through their own community service project. Each mentee is allowed the opportunity to find out what they perceive from the mentorship, whether that be career advice, networking or guidance in general," added Valencia. Alan Cumming is one noted mentor, among others, in the field of the performing arts. "The mentors, despite their own wisdom and successes oftentimes learn a lot from their mentees," said Valencia.
This year, four of the 32 scholars have Chicagoland connections. Emily McWilliams, from Prairie du Chien, Wis., and Chris Hanson, from Longwood, Fla., are both pursuing degrees at Northwestern University Law School. Abbey Muzatko, from Green Bay, Wis., pursuing a B.A. in fine arts, attends the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Lastly, Carl Streed, Jr., who hails from Zion, Ill., is pursuing an M.D. at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
McWilliams said that she hoped "that the Point Foundation will help me to become a successful, out professional who can provide mentorship and hope to LGBT youth who, like me, are on the cusp of blazing their own trail in academia and the workforce." Hanson added that he hoped "to run for political office back in [ his ] birth state of Wisconsin." He aimed "demonstrate that LGBT individuals can bring about positive bipartisan change in this time period of political party feuding."
Muztako pointed out that having a mentor "makes me more confident in the possibilities for my future as well; having a successful queer adult aid me in my activism and artistic work is incredibly exciting." Streed said that, " [ w ] ith the Point Foundation, I want to create a network of students in the health professions that can mobilize quickly to address policy issues ( local and national ) while remaining uniquely autonomous to serve local communities effectively."
Chicago is to play host to two of Point's largest events this year. On July 22 at the Chicago Field Museum, Point is hosting the Chicago Summer Gala. Valencia said that "this will be the first ever Point Foundation fundraising event at which all of our current Point Scholars and many of our Point alumni will be in the same place at the same time."
Immediately following the dinner is Point's "Scholar and Alumni Leadership Conference" beginning July 22 at the Oak Brook Hyatt, where Point scholars and alumni from across the nation will gather to participate in educational seminars moderated by influential leaders within the LGBT community. The conference brings together not only this year's scholars and mentors but also brings back the numerous alumni of the award. This year's speakers include Academy Award Winner Bruce Cohen and another who is not yet named publicly, but Valencia added that the individual "is a well-known actor."
Valencia said he "saw a lot of room for growth, especially for organizations associated with education. We hope to offer resume building seminars, professional behavior classes and internships in the future." He added, that "this is our ten year anniversary and we could not do it without the support of people and corporations who have helped raise so much money. We would be dumb to think we did this on our own."
The Point Foundation is hosting its summer gala Friday, July 22, at the Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore, at 6 p.m. To find out more about The Point Foundation or the gala, or to make a donation, visit www.pointfoundation.org .
