Scholarship Interview Day: Inspiring generosity, making dreams come true
on May 4th, 2011 at 10:47 pm
Every time I hand someone my business card, I am also handing them Pride Foundation’s mission, which is printed on the back: “Pride Foundation inspires a culture of generosity that strengthens Northwest organizations, leaders, and students who are creating LGBTQ equality.”
I admit that during these first three months in my role as Alaska’s Regional Development Organizer, I’ve been glossing over the part about inspiring “a culture of generosity” because it wasn’t clear to me what those words meant, exactly. LGBTQ equality was something I could understand. It was solid to me—if only a solid dream. I could envision it and speak about it with confidence and passion. But what did a “culture of generosity” look like?
Last weekend, while conducting volunteers and students through an afternoon of interviews, the answer came to me: it looks like Pride Foundation’s scholarship program. When we speak of “culture,” we refer to ideas, beliefs, and values that—according to the World English Dictionary—“constitute the shared bases of social action.” And on interview day, it was clear that generosity—of time, money, and heart—was the value that connected every participant and scholar.
Our first scholarship was made possible by a bequest from a single donor—Brian M. Day—back in 1993. The results were so inspiring that the next year Pride Foundation established its own scholarship fund. And today, Brian Day’s dream is shared by thousands of other donors, volunteers, and students brought together through Pride Foundation’s efforts to inspire this thing we call a culture of generosity.
The reason why Pride Foundation is able to award scholarships is due to the generosity of more than 4,000 donors. The reason why we are able to administer the selection process so seamlessly and effectively is due to the generosity of hundreds of volunteers who lend their time and energy to screening and reading applications, and interviewing candidates. Among the candidates themselves, the ones who shine the brightest are the ones who have a burning desire to make the world a better place through the pursuit of excellence in their chosen field of study.
On April 16, regional scholarship committees all over the Northwest gathered to interview finalists and select this year’s scholars in an amazing and very solid moment. All the ideas, donations, and energy of numerous volunteers culminated to help create new possibilities and realities for LGBTQ students and allies. It was magic!
And what is Pride Foundation’s role in all of this?
Our role is to make these magical moments happen. Pride Foundation is a facilitator of dreams: the dreams of donors, the dreams of scholars, and the dreams of organizations and individuals working to make LGBTQ equality a reality. Join us in dreaming big and investing in our young people by making a gift today.
