Pride St. Louis John Van Voris Scholarship Application

Pride St. Louis

John Van Voris Scholarship
Application
The John Van Voris Scholarship is awarded to a St. Louis regional LGBTQIA+ student(s), children of LGBTQIA+ parents, or student allies of the LGBTQIA+ community to provide financial assistance to attend post-secondary, graduate, masters, trade, technical, and vocational educational institutions. Also eligible are those who attend or plan to attend community, military, visual, or performing arts colleges or universities. Our goal is to support a student that supports the LGBTQIA+ community and to empower those who are focused on advancing their education

John Van Voris was a long-time member of Pride St. Louis, Inc. whose volunteerism and courage inspired all those who worked with him. He died unexpectedly after our 1997 festival. In memory of John - Pride St. Louis, Inc. created this scholarship to honor his dedication and memory.

Eligibility Criteria:
- GPA of 2.5 GPA or no fails on the pass/fail system
- Show financial hardship
- Live within a 50-mile radius of the Gateway Arch
- Copy of acceptance letter or current transcripts
- Volunteered or worked for an LGBTQIA+ organization, school, or business.
- Essay Submission
- Letters of recommendation illustrating commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Scholarship Awards:

$1,500 scholarships will be awarded in 4 categories:

Community Scholarship - Open to any student regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, or ethnicity who is enrolling in any type of college or university mentioned previously.

Transgender/Gender Diverse - Open to any person who identifies as Transgender or Gender Diverse who will be enrolling in any type of college or university mentioned previously. Gender Diverse refers to a person whose gender identity or gender expression does not conform to socially defined male or female gender norms.

BIPOC Scholarship - Open to any student who is Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) who will be enrolling in any type of college or university mentioned previously. The term "person of color" is primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white".

Visual or Performing Arts - Open to any student regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, or ethnicity who is enrolling in any type of visual or performing arts college or university that is mentioned previously.

These 4 scholarships can be awarded to one student or several students that qualify for that particular scholarship. Depends on the final applicants' scores. A student can apply for multiple scholarships but can only be awarded one.
Which scholarship(s) would you like to be considered for?*

Community ScholarshipTransgender/Gender DiverseBIPOC ScholarshipVisual or Performing Arts
Part I: Personal Information
First Name*
Last Name*
Preferred Pronouns*
Permanent Address*
City*
State*
Zip*
Phone Number*
Alternate Phone Number
Email Address*
example@example.com
Part II: Academic Information
High School Attending/Attended*
Year Graduating/Graduated*
Do you attend or plan to attend any of the following educational institutions?*

Post-Secondary/UndergraduateGraduate ProgramMasters ProgramTrade, Technical, or VocationalCommunity CollegeMilitaryVisual or Performing Arts College/University
Name of the Institution*
Field of Study or Degree*
Anticipated Graduation Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
Current/Most Recent GPA*
Part III. Additional Information:
1. Please list all the clubs, organizations and athletic teams you have been involved in and number of years participating. If you have held a position or earned awards, please list those as well.*
2. List community activities in which you have participated without pay. Do not abbreviate organization names. List dates of participation in mm/yy format. Be sure to include a contact name and phone*
3. Please briefly describe your personal involvement in the LGBTQIA+ community. *
Part IV. Essay Question:
Essay: Submit an essay of up to 500 words on the following topic: How do you engage with your LGBTQIA+ identity? Please provide specific examples.*
Part V. Letters of Recommendation
Submit two letters of recommendation from a teacher, school administrator, counselor, employer, or community leader highlighting your community activism, engagement, and leadership skills.*

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Applicants will be evaluated using an evaluation matrix. The applicant with the highest total score will be awarded the scholarship. In the event of ties, the scholarship award money can be divided accordingly.

COMPLETED APPLICATION AND ALL ATTACHMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED
Part VI. Signature/Certification

I certify that the information that I have presented in this application form, and any attachments, is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I agree to notify Pride St. Louis, Inc. immediately of any change in my academic status that makes any information presented in this application or attachments no longer

I understand that the recipients of the John Van Voris Scholarship are listed publications and press releases. I self-identify as either gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, or ally of the LGBTQIA community and have at least a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Name Printed*
Signature*

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Today's Date*

MonthDayYear
Date
COMPLETED APPLICATION AND ALL ATTACHMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 17, 2025
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Pride St. Louis

Application

COMPLETED APPLICATION AND ALL ATTACHMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 17, 2025