Maricopa Community College Foundation creates scholarship fund for disenfranchised gay youth
Ahwatukee Foothills News
July 18, 2011
A new scholarship fund for disenfranchised gay youth has been created under the Maricopa Community College Foundation.
The scholarship is open to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer/questioning) teens who need extra help pursuing secondary education because they were kicked out of their homes by their parents at a young age.
They recently awarded the first scholarship to 20-year-old Phoenix resident T.J. Wright.
Wright was among 17 applicants for the scholarship, called the Out and Up Endowed Scholarship Fund, which consists of tuition, books and fees up to 60 credit hours and $5,000.
"Two years ago there was attention brought to a whole group of adults that came out to families early in life and were thrown out," said Rachel Rabinovich, senior development officer for MCCF. "They are living a typical life and trying to make ends meet and a lot of times education isn't even considered because they don't have the funding or the time."
