Lansing Community College Offers First LGBT Scholarship

Lansing Community College announced that it will be the first known two-year institution to offer a scholarship to LGBT students, the Michigan Messenger reports.

The scholarship has been named for Betsy Lou Robson, and her family -- who set up the fund -- say that it should last for three or four years.

Local advocacy groups have lauded LCC for leading the way in LGBT outreach. Interim executive director of Equality Michigan Denise Brogan-Kator told the Messenger that she hoped LCC will set an example for other junior colleges:

It's a wonderful thing to see young, out, and proud members of the LGBT communities being recognized and helped in their educational goals. We are particularly pleased to see this start to happen on the community college level, where so many people turn for vocational education or for a more inexpensive way to begin their college careers.

A volunteer for the LCC Gay-Straight Alliance posted eligibility details on the Lansing State Journal's Facebook page. The Lansing Association for Human Rights promises a profile of Betsy Lou and her family in their February newsletter.

What do you think of this new scholarship? Share your opinion in the comments section.

Comments

[nongrata]

11:33 PM on 01/30/2011

OK this is too weird, now they give scholarships based on who you have sex with? Very strange

[Frank Vaca]

05:38 AM on 01/15/2011

In reaction to Lansing Community College LGBT scholarship. I was like wtf to people who comment on other newspapers about how you going to prove their LGBT? How can you prove someone is straight? By Honesty of the person and by comb filtering their applications. IF that does not work use Gaydar!!! Seriously though I wish Lansing Community College had sent out a notice to local High School GSA's, PFLAG's, and support groups. A friend of mine said well the wheels of progress spin slowly in Business. Well the advocate in me wants to shout to the world. You are not alone, It should be no LGBT child left behind, cause you deserve an education regardless of your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
So please consider to donate! Keep this scholarship going.

[constitutional 1]

01:49 PM on 01/13/2011

How are they going to verify that someone is LGBT? Sounds like a plot to a movie

[WhereSheStops]

10:37 PM on 01/12/2011

Hope this doesn't backfire.

[creationwaits]

10:11 PM on 01/12/2011

Somebody should set up a scholarship that only white males are eligible for. I say that not because it is something I actually desire, but rather because I think it is the only way to force people to realize just how wrong all these other race or, now, sexual orientation, limited scholarships are.

[JStading]

10:14 PM on 01/12/2011

Also because as it stands, no schools that I know of have scholarships targeted towards white males....

[WhereSheStops]

10:33 PM on 01/12/2011

Interesting.

[Robert Galyean]

06:03 PM on 01/12/2011

The scholarships are a great idea! Now if Michigan only allowed gay adoption. Oh well, guess we'll be seeing this issue brought up in court sometime. Shame that gays have to go to those lengths to have basic rights.

[Kevin Atlanta]

02:44 PM on 01/12/2011

It's about time the LGBTQ Community steps up and claims their own.  Good show all the way around.

[Jdaddy1951]

02:18 PM on 01/12/2011

I have a son, with a boyfriend of a year, who would both be interested in the scholarship.

[JStading]

12:59 PM on 01/12/2011

Yeaaahh! I love discriminatory scholarships.  Why can't we just have scholarships for people.

[Daws]

02:56 PM on 01/12/2011

Why can't you just go gay. Seriously, it's fun on this side =P

[JStading]

03:54 PM on 01/12/2011

No problem with gay people, big problem with programs that say "you can't participate unless you're like us."

[NathaninSeattle]

08:49 PM on 01/12/2011

Scholarships, by their nature, discriminate on some basis. Otherwise it would they would be a "first come, first serve," operation. Think before you post, that's all I am saying.

[JStading]

10:09 PM on 01/12/2011

You don't see the distinction between discriminating on the lines of immutable characteristics and "first come, first serve?"  According to your line of thought, a restaurant owner would be justifiable in refusing to serve all blacks/whites/whatever race on the grounds that other restaurants discriminate on the basis of economic status.

[Brookland Jones]

12:53 PM on 01/12/2011

This is great!