In an effort to provide students who are raising awareness of alternative lifestyles with equality in various degree programs, including religious studies, national organizations are launching scholarship programs that can help them further their education.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has announced the recipients of the first annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Dissertation Scholarship program, which benefitted 14 doctoral students who are integrating LGBT issues into their academic work. Each winner received a total of $15,000 in financial assistance to help them further their education, according to SDGLN.com.
In addition to providing scholarships, HRC launched this opportunity in order to offer these students a chance to work with scholars of religion, including public theologians and media experts. Information that will be covered during the program will include equality for LGBT students in religion, schools, seminaries, congregations and in society, the news source reports.
Harry Knox, director of the campaign's religion and faith program, stated that "by providing these extraordinarily talented students a chance to network with each other and to envision their scholarship as serving the widest possible marketplace, we cultivate a new understanding of sexual orientation, gender identity and religion and effectively counter the repressive environment in which so many students are currently trained."
The average American family covers approximately 15 percent of college expenses using grants and scholarships, according to Sallie Mae, a college savings company.
