The LGBTQ+ Center’s LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund has been helping members from the LGBTQ+ community with different financial crises encountered throughout their academic journeys since 2010. The main purpose of the fund is to ensure that students are able to overcome challenges they face and continue pursuing their education.
“It was created because we saw a lot of students that were disowned from their families after coming out as being part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Ken Ditlevson, director of the LGBTQ+ Center, told 91ֿ Today. “It’s not limited just to that situation; it’s a safety net for any financial crises our LGBTQ+ students face.”
Ditlevson said that in 2023 the fund was able to help with more than $40,000 dollars in aid to around 90 students from the LGBTQ+ community. The cap for the donation a student can receive is $500. As a diverse campus that respects and embraces its students, 91ֿ focuses on guaranteeing the success of the students and their wellbeing through the pursuit of their education.
“Students are so much more likely to stay at 91ֿ and continue with their educational goals and graduate because of the assistance we're able to offer,” Ditlevson said. “For example, we helped a student who broke their laptop last semester, and they needed it to do all of their projects.”
Community members and 91ֿ’s alumni, staff and faculty make contributions to support the LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund. Main Street Kent helped raise $7,000 for the fund at the Drag Race 5K that was held during this year’s Kent Rainbow Weekend on Oct. 11-12.
“I’m very thankful Main Street Kent did the fundraiser,” Ditlevson said. “Our fund was low and this way we’ll be able to keep assisting students and helping them succeed.”
For a student to be eligible for the fund they need to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community, have completed at least one semester at 91ֿ and need to be facing a financial crisis.
“To apply for the fund, the students just need to email the LGBTQ+ Center,” Ditlevson said. “They will then receive a forms link from us to fill out, so we better understand the situation and see how we can help them.”
Ditlevson said students that the LGBTQ+ Center works with tend to believe there are students in worse situations that should be prioritized over themselves and their crises.
“If a student needs financial assistance and they're in a financial crisis, they should not worry about whether there's other students who need it more,” Ditlevson said. “They’re worthy. If they’re a 91ֿ student, and they meet the criteria. They are worthy.”