Programs

Mentoring

Every year, Point Scholars are matched with leaders across the professions who are committed to the welfare of The Point Foundation and the greater LGBT community. These matches are intended to cultivate strong professional relationships between Scholars and professionals located within the Scholar’s academic fields of interest.

Community Service

Point is committed to nurturing and training the next generation of LGBT leaders. We recognize that effective leadership requires a commitment to community engagement. Point’s Community Service Project (CSP) is the practical manifestation of community-based, partnership-orientated, intergenerational mentoring, leadership development, and civic engagement which we believe is instrumental to scholar growth and development. Additionally, the CSP provides valuable learning experiences for our scholars that will enrich the LGBT community.

All Point Scholars are required to complete a CSP every year of their funding term that will positively impact the LGBT community. Among the most notable efforts: Point Scholar Corey Bohman helped to raise over $500,000 to keep the doors of Lyon-Martin Health Services , the only free-standing community clinic in California that serves women and transgender people regardless of their ability to pay; Point Scholar Lauren Beach worked with Bisexual Organizing Project to create the Bisexual Equality Index to assess the bisexual inclusiveness of LGBT nonprofits in Minnesota; Point Scholar Kyle Rapinan, a political science major at the University of Washington, raised over $120,000 toward the creation of the Queer Youth Space; a safe for queer space, run by queer youth, in Seattle. In his final year as a Point Scholar, Alex Morse reorganized and expanded the reach of the Holyoke GLBTQ Task Force. Shortly after graduating from Brown University, Alex campaigned for—and won— election as Mayor of his hometown of Holyoke, Massachusetts.

The Scholar & Alumni Leadership Conference is an annual event where the Point family of Scholars, Alumni, Regents, Trustees and Staff  gathers together.  Point Scholars receive intensive training in leadership development, and areas that range from fiscal responsibility and community service to career planning and community  advocacy.  Last year’s conference  sessions included: Point Scholar Leaders on HIV/AIDS, White House Community Leadership Briefing, Legislative Perspectives on the LGBTQ Agenda, An Insider View of the 2012 Election, and Building Your Personal Brand.

Sessions are facilitated by Point Regents, Trustees and Staff as a key component of Point’s intergenerational mentoring mission. Noted LGBT community members and straight allies are also invited to participate on panels or to deliver a keynote. Guest participants have included LGBT Activist David Mixner, NGLTF Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey, Senator Tammy Baldwin, Academy Award winning producer Bruce Cohen and many others. By way of the Scholar Subcommittee, Point scholars offer their input to program content each year.

The Alumni Conference runs in conjunction with the Leadership Conference, giving Point Alumni the opportunity to convene and focus on topics such as career development, family planning, finance and investment training.

In addition to the formally planned sessions, the Scholar & Alumni Leadership Conference involves many activities – both structured and unstructured – that allow all Point family members the opportunity to take advantage of our most valuable resource – one another. Activities have included a drum circle, an open mike night with singing and poetry, film screenings and a tour of the local LGBT center.

The Regional Leadership Forums (RLFs) are based on the model of the Scholar & Alumni Leadership Conference. In that vein, they provide an additional opportunity for gathering of the Point family to focus on leadership, mentoring and community building on a smaller scale. Varying in size from two locations to eight, the RLFs allow Point Scholars to join nearby Scholars, Alumni, Mentors, Regents, Trustees and staff for an afternoon or evening of community building.

Internships

Point Foundation’s Internship Program provides Point Scholars with full-time career-related work experience that connects their academic preparation to their career aspirations. The scope of the program includes organizations in a variety of industries and not-for-profit sectors that are willing to offer paid internships that consist of meaningful, professional work assignments. Internships are full-time, average ten weeks in duration and they provide Point Scholars a competitive wage based upon their level of experience and the requirements of the position.
For three years, Point has partnered with The Palette Fund to offer select Point Scholars the opportunity to work in paid internship positions at the nonprofit organization of the scholar’s choice. Each scholar received real work experience in the LGBT community and the not-for-profit organizations benefited by having a passionate and gifted student work for them during the summer without having to worry about using funds from their respective budget to cover the cost of the internship.