Press Release

Contact:
Barbara Laskin
651-696-6203

Point Foundation Announces 2008 Scholar Class; National Organization Awards Substantial Educational Scholarships to 27 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students

LOS ANGELES, June 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Point Foundation (Point), the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit, today announced its 2008 Scholar Class. Like last year's class, this year's diverse group of 27 undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate recipients includes some 'firsts' for the organization.

"I am consistently impressed with the high caliber and diversity of candidates who apply for a Point Scholarship," said Founder & Board Chairman Bruce Lindstrom. "Like last year, this class represents some 'firsts' for Point Foundation: our first scholar attending a historically black college and our first U.S. military veteran. This class expands on the current diversity among our scholars and we are excited to extend to them some much needed support," remarked Lindstrom.

"I have been a part of the scholar selection process for the last two years, and am struck by the profound impact that even getting to the final interview process has had on our candidates," commented Executive Director & CEO Jorge Valencia. "For example, at this year's Finalist Dinner one of the candidates shared how important it was for him to become a Point Finalist. The young man said, 'When I told my college professor that I had been named a Point Finalist, she said that she was very proud of me. That was the first time in five years that an adult had told me they were proud of me - I forgot how good it felt!' Valencia concluded, "We are inspired by and proud of all our scholars, and aim to give them the support and encouragement to excel both academically and personally."

Point Foundation provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression. In June 2008, a total of 91 Point Scholars will be enrolled in their respective college or university and 43 Point Alumni will have continued on to pursue their life goals.

In addition to an average direct scholarship award of $13,200, Point also provides leadership training and mentoring to its scholars. Through Point's Mentoring Program, all scholars are matched with mentors who are successful professionals in each scholar's respective field of study. Point also conducts an annual Leadership Conference where scholars receive training in areas of leadership development, accountability, community service, advocacy and philanthropy. Including monies spent on mentoring, leadership training and scholarships, the average amount of yearly support devoted to each scholar is greater than $30,000.

Since its inception in 2001, Point Foundation has expanded into an organization with a staff of 16 full time and part time employees and an annual budget of $3.5 million.

The 2008 Point Scholars are listed below.

James Alexander, from Houston, TX, is majoring in Romance Languages and Literatures with a track in Hispanic Literature and a minor in Sociology at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.

Diego Arango, from Weston, FL, is an undergraduate at Columbia University in New York, NY.

Stephen Benjamin, from Mendon, MA, is majoring in Political Science at Emory University or another university in Atlanta, GA.

Corey Bohman, from Arlington, VA, is in the Master's Entry Program in Nursing at University of California, San Francisco in San Francisco, CA.

Caroline Cox-Orrell, from Newton, MA, is an undergraduate at University of Chicago in Chicago, IL.

Shawnna Demmons, from Los Angeles, CA, is pursuing a Master of Public Health at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, CA.

Jonathan Doucette, from Northborough, MA, is studying English at Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH.

Kevin Ferenchak, from Lincolnshire, IL, is majoring in Biology with a minor in both Bioethics and Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, IL.

Katie Fife, from Dallas, TX, is an undergraduate at University of Texas at Austin in Austin, TX.

Hillary Gleason, from Winchendon, MA, is majoring in both Women's Studies and Psychology at Clark University in Worcester, MA.

Ryan Heman, from Cheshire, CT, is majoring in Political Science at Tufts University in Boston, MA.

Emily Juneau, from Reno, NV, is majoring in Political Science at Smith College in Northampton, MA.

Jonathan Metrick, from Toronto, Canada, is pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Harvard Business School in Cambridge, MA.

Mikael Miller, from Palmdale, CA, is majoring in Linguistics with a minor in Theatre at University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA.

Ryan Miller, from Austin, TX, is pursuing a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration at Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, MA.

Geoff Mino, from Newtown, PA, is an undergraduate at Brown University in Providence, RI.

Alex Morse, from Holyoke, MA, is majoring in both Urban Studies and Africana Studies at Brown University in Providence, RI.

Kelsey Phipps, from Mill Creek, WA, is pursuing a Juris Doctor (JD) as a Public Interest Law Scholar at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.

Melissa Robinson, from Rockford, MI, is majoring in English at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, MI.

Angel Rodriguez, from San Francisco, CA and originally from Hidalgo, Mexico, is pursuing a Juris Doctor (JD) at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, CA and a Ph.D. in Psychology at Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in San Francisco, CA.

Brooke Sebold, from Tucson, AZ, is pursuing a Master of Arts in Film at Columbia University in New York, NY.

David Seitz, from Milwaukee, WI, is majoring in Political Science with a minor in both Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and French and Francophone Studies at Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN.

Djamika Smith, from Ashland, OR and originally from Bali, Indonesia, is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD.

Rachel Timoner, from Miami, FL, has recently received a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters and is now pursuing ordination at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion/Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA.

Lena Thompson, from Ann Arbor, MI, is majoring in Performing Arts Technology at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, MI.

Keara Watkins, from Richmond, VA, is majoring in both Spanish and Comparative Women's Studies at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.

Lee Adam Wheeler, from Vancouver, Canada, is pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (MD) at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA as well as a Ph.D. in Immunology with a focus on the prevention and treatment of HIV at Harvard Graduate School of Arts & Sciences in Cambridge, MA.

For additional information on Point Foundation, please visit: www.pointfoundation.org/.

Note to editors: to schedule an interview with Executive Director & CEO Jorge Valencia or a Point Scholar in your area, please contact Communications & Marketing Manager Jennifer Kolmel at jennifer@pointfoundation.org. Hi-res photos are also available upon request.

About Point Foundation

Point Foundation (Point) is the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students of merit. Point provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Point provides its scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation's foremost higher educational institutions, its mentors with the singular opportunity to become role models to exceptional students, and its donors with the rare satisfaction of directly investing their resources in future generations of leaders.

For more information about Point Foundation, please visit www.pointfoundation.org/.