The Equality Winston-Salem Scholarship was established in 2013 to provide scholarships for students who have shown leadership and vision in a Gay/Straight Alliance at their school or in the general LGBTQ community if no such alliance yet exists within their school. This year North Star LGBTQ Community Center will award up to $3,000 to deserving applicants. Scholarship monies will be applied to the cost of undergraduate tuition, fees, room and board, and/or other college expenses. In any given year, if there are no qualified student/s identified by the scholarship deadline, funds may be carried over and awarded the following year. Since 2013, The Equality Winston-Salem Scholarship has awarded a total of $14,500 to local high school seniors. In 2015, the scholarship was renamed the Kevin Jennings Equality Winston-Salem Scholarship to honor the generosity of Mr. Jennings and acknowledge the struggles he overcame as a gay teenager in the 1970s in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

• Be a resident of Forsyth County, North Carolina, or be actively involved with the North Star Youth Leadership Council.
• Have a current minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of a 2.0
• Be graduating in Spring 2020 from a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County high school or receiving an equivalent GED and attending a college, university or technical college in Fall 2020.
• Demonstrate active involvement/leadership in a Gay/Straight Alliance, Equality Club or in the general Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) community.

• freshman

• US Citizen
• Permanent Resident
• International or Other Visa Status
• Undocumented

Complete the scholarship application online. The application form can be downloaded from the North Star LGBTQ Community Center website at northstarlgbtcc.com

This scholarship is not based on financial need; however, financial need can be mentioned in your applicant letter.

Consider attending a scholarship briefing at North Star LGBTQ Community Center (930 Burke Street in downtown Winston-Salem). This meeting is not required, but is encouraged. During this meeting, we will review the scholarship application and answer any questions you might have about the application process. We will also provide a brief history of the scholarship, including information on Kevin Jennings, and allow you to share your experience as an LGBTQ student at your school. Please contact us if you would like to attend the scholarship briefing and require transportation to and from North Star.