Charlotte Pride is bringing back the annual scholarship and summer internship program, which was made possible with support from the Principal® Foundation. The program, “aims to improve economic mobility for LGBTQ and ally college students from the Charlotte metro area by funding college scholarships and a summer internship opportunity,” according to a statement from the organization.
Those selected by the organization to receive scholarships will be eligible for up to $10,000 for the 2024-2025 school year at an accredited two or four-year college. In order to qualify, applicants must:
- Be from the Charlotte metro area (see county list below and map at right for reference) with a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
- Be an LGBTQ+ or ally student who has demonstrated service to the LGBTQ+ community or strong desire to serve the LGBTQ+ community.
- Have a demonstrated, significant unmet financial need
- Be enrolled or intend to enroll at an accredited two or four-year college for the Fall term of the 2024-2025 academic year
- Be from one of the following counties: Mecklenburg, York, Union, Gaston, Cabarrus, Iredell, Rowan, Cleveland, Lancaster, Lincoln, Stanly, Chester, Catawba, Chesterfield, Alexander or Anson
“While we consider your GPA and test scores, we place greater emphasis on your passion for education and demonstrated service to the LGBTQ community or a desire to serve the LGBTQ community,” a spokesperson for Charlotte Pride said.
The scholarship levels are as follows:
- One (1) Champion of Pride Scholarship ($10,000 award)
- One (1) Legacy Scholarship ($5,000 award)
- Two (2) Empowerment Scholarships ($2,500 award)
- Two (2) Leadership Scholarships ($1,250 award)
- Five (5) Visionary Scholarships ($1,000 award)
Applicants may apply for an internship or scholarship, but not both. We suggest that you compile all the information you will need to complete the application, including basic demographic data (name, address, age, etc.), high school/college GPA and transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable), work history, community involvements, and extracurricular activities (you may submit a resume), and one personal statement of 500-800 words.
The deadline to submit an application is May 5 by 11:59 p.m.