PFLAG Awards 2014 Scholarships!

On Tuesday, June 10 at the PFLAG monthly meeting, two deserving students received $2,000 scholarships for their college education. This is the twenty-second year that PFLAG has awarded scholarships. This year’s recipients were Jason Hettesheimer and Molly Little.

The 2014 Scholarship Committee, chaired by Dan Ley, selected the winning students. The Committee based its selections on the applicants’ academic record, activities, future plans, and references. Special emphasis was placed on students who help to fulfill the PFLAG missions of providing support, education, and advocacy in the community. Committee members highlighted the accomplishments of the recipients; the committee included Margaret Adriatico, Jaime McCauley, and Brent Rose.

The scholarship winners demonstrated a wide range of accomplishments in support of the LGBT community, such as founding and leading organizations in their school and community and conducting and sharing research about LGBT people and their lives. The accomplishments of these students impressed everyone in attendance and elicited enthusiastic praise. The continued work by students such as these will certainly make the world a better place.

Funds for the PFLAG scholarships came from the Imperial Sovereign Queen City Court of the Buckeye Empire (ISQCCBE), Paul Delph Scholarship Fund, and the generosity of many other donors and members. PFLAG thanks these organizations and individuals for their contributions and looks forward to continuing success in supporting deserving students.

Here is a brief introduction to the recipients:

Jason Hettesheimer graduated from Walnut Hills High School and plans to attend the University of Cincinnati. He plans to major in International Affairs and Economics to prepare for a career building safer communities for women and LGBT people in developing countries. Jason is involved in a variety of school activities, such as Model United Nations and writing for the school newspaper and literary magazine. He re-founded the school’s Gay Straight Trans* Alliance (GST*A) and founded the Cincinnati Trans* and Queer TeenSpace. Jason’s dedication to serve his community and provide the resources it needs has truly made a positive impact on those around him.

Molly Little is a Sociology major with a focus in gender studies at Miami University. She plans to pursue graduate studies and a career in higher education where she can help educate people about the challenges and triumphs of the LGBT community while promoting civility and equality on campus. Molly serves as Co-President of Miami Colors, the Gay Straight Alliance on the Miami Middletown campus. She also served as President of the Student Government and was a member of the University Senate. She has also completed research about the LGBT community. Molly’s hard work, perseverance, and motivation make her an outstanding leader in the LGBT community.