Scholarships for 'Out' Students Honor Those Lost at Pulse

To honor those lost in the Pulse tragedy, a new college scholarship fund was set up specifically for 'out' students.

Left to Right – Collin Reilly (The 49 Fund scholarship recipient from last year), Francis Jarusiewicz, City of Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan, Johnathan (Jon) Covert, Barry Miller, Neil Rios, Courtney Ring, William (Billy) Budd, Mark Brewer, Congressman Darren Soto.

Eight local 'out' students were awarded college scholarships created specifically for 'out' students in the amount of $4,900 each. The scholarships came from The 49 Fund at Central Florida Foundation. The foundation's goal is to honor those lost in the Pulse tragedy through the awarding of college scholarships. 2018 is the fund's first year of operation.

To qualify for these scholarships, students must be self-identified as ‘out,’ a member of the LGBT community, attend an accredited two- or four-year institution of higher learning on a full-time basis, earn a 3.0 GPA or higher and demonstrate a commitment to improving the Central Florida community.

The fund worked closely with local LGBT organizations to identify potential applicants at local high schools and universities.