New IU Scholarship Offered For LGBTQ Students
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA gift from an alumnus and his partner will lead to a new scholarship program for LGBTQ students at the Indiana Kelley School of Business. A $2.2 million gift from Doug Hamilton and his partner, Don Vossburg, of Noblesville, will establish the program.
The annual Out in INformation Technology Scholarship is designed to support a student involved with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. In-state students studying operations, decision technologies or business analytics will be given preference.
"This scholarship is significant on many different levels," said Idalene Kesner, dean of the Kelley School. "It supports our LGBTQ+ students, it further enhances scholarship opportunities for underrepresented students, and it helps create a more diverse and inclusive environment at Kelley and, down the road, in the corporate world."
The couple says they felt the need to establish the scholarship after an IU Alumni Magazine article they read that focused on a student who was cut-off financially by their family after coming out. Hamilton says the culture has changed at IU since he attended but LGBTQ students still need more help and resources.
"I graduated from Indiana University with a strong foundation based on my undergraduate degree and my MBA from the Kelley School of Business," Hamilton said. "My IU experience was a critical component to opening opportunities that helped me be successful professionally, which led to financial rewards. I wanted to have an ongoing impact so students can continue their education no matter who they really are."
Hamilton and Vossburg’s gift counts toward the $3 billion For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign, which is set to conclude in June 2020.