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Thursday, Nov 20, 2008
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Greater Seattle Business Association awards $113,000 to 27 exceptional students who overcame tremendous obstacles to attend college |
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| Greater Seattle Business Association awards $113,000 to 27 exceptional students who overcame tremendous obstacles to attend college | |
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The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) announced the awarding of college scholarship to 27 outstanding students totaling $113,000. GSBA honored these students at its 17th Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner on Friday, May 18 at the Westin Hotel in Seattle. The GSBA honors recipients who have not only proven high academic excellence but also those that have overcome remarkable obstacles and hardships in their lives. The students have excelled not only in school but have also made a difference in their communities. "The GSBA Scholarship Program enriches our city through its cultivation of future leaders who reflect our diverse community as well as possess a strong commitment to social justice and equality," said Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who attended the dinner. GSBA scholarship recipients are involved with a variety of educational pursuits in fields ranging from the arts to business, filmmaking to law school, medical science to psychology. "The recipients of the scholarship awards have compelling stories to tell and without the scholarship money, some wouldn't even be able to attend college," GSBA Executive Director Louise Chernin said. "We have recipients who went through the foster care system; some had to raise siblings on their own, and others who made it through life-threatening illnesses while at the same time excelling academically at school." The program is not exclusive to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) students. Any student with strong academic achievement, leadership skills and a demonstrated commitment to equality is eligible for the program. To the scholarship recipients, their award means much more than just money for school. "Receiving a scholarship means for me that I have a family who feels strongly that the path I'm on is going to make a difference in the world," said former scholarship recipient Ta Neil Adams. The business chamber that governs the scholarship program acknowledges the bigger picture achieved by supporting students with their higher education pursuits. "Our members appreciate the vision our founders had regarding the importance of supporting a legacy of future leaders," GSBA Executive Director Louise Chernin said. "If the world is going to change for the better, we need to have leaders who reflect the breadth of diversity of the people who live in it." GSBA SCHOLARS Tyler Smith: Tyler is a 17 year Asian-American Gay male who will be receiving his high school diploma from Foss High School and his AA degree from Tacoma Community College this June. He is planning on attending the UW in the fall to pursue a Bachelor's in Social Work and a graduate degree in either Social Work or Psychology. As a Gay male Tyler knows firsthand how difficult it is being Gay within the foster care system. At the age of 11 Tyler's mother delivered him to the Department of Social and Human Services. It was the most excruciatingly painful experience of his life. Yet, Tyler also states that he is very grateful for this experience, as he had the good fortune of eventually ending up in the home of an amazing woman named Berdie Williams. Berdie is an elderly African- American who knew a great deal about discrimination from being raised in the South. She not only gave Tyler unconditional love, nurturance, and support; she also taught him to love himself just the way he was. In her words, "Don't you ever wish to be something you aren't. You are an amazing person and not one part of you changes who you are. Love every aspect of you. It's who you are and you cannot change that." Lisa Wardle: Lisa is a 17 year old with a mission - to pursue a career in journalism so that she can spread the truth and make events known as they should be. She wants to report the news without bias and provide opportunities for all stories to be known. Since coming out, Lisa has sworn to support other Queer people and help the community grow stronger. Lisa has overcome some difficult issues in her life, which she feels has only made her stronger. She has been hospitalized for anorexia, but through sheer determination on her part, she fought the disease and was released from medical care a month earlier than expected. She feels incredibly lucky and proud to have been able to overcome such a horrible illness. Efron Chacon: Efren is a 27 year old Gay Latino whose family migrated from Mexico when he was just four. His family was extremely poor and came to the U.S. for a better life. Efren is a four-time GSBA Scholarship recipient and wants to earn his B.A. in Social Work at the University of Washington to make his parents proud and help them realize the choice they made years ago to come here was the right one. PROGRAM BACKGROUND In 2005 GSBA and The Pride Foundation, in joint partnership, exceeded the $1 million mark in scholarship grants awarded to LGBT and allied students. These awards recognize leadership and academic merit, along with the ability to overcome the additional obstacles many LGBT students face in their educational pursuits. Together the two organizations have bolstered support from the local community to build and sustain the nation's longest-running LGBT scholarship program. More than 600 students have received scholarships from the two organizations since the program began. GSBA founded its scholarship program in 1990, and the Pride Foundation joined in partnership shortly thereafter. GSBA is the largest LGBT and allied business chamber in the country and the second largest business chamber in Washington State. The Pride Foundation is one of the nation's largest LGBT community foundations. For more information, visit www.thegsba.org or www.pridefoundation.org. A GSBA press release |
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| Film Festival Pictures | |
| Halloween on Capitol Hill
Slide Show photos by Joey - SGN photographer |
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