Bobcat Pride Scholarship Fund

This private fund was founded in 2010 by Texas State alumni and friends as they recognized the progress Texas State had made towards the inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community yet the lack of resources to support LGBTQIA+ Bobcats.  This inspired the group to establish a scholarship fund with two goals: 1) to offer an academic achievement scholarship and 2) to offer a leadership development scholarship to LGBTQIA+ Texas State students.  Bobcat Pride Scholarship Fund® was the first ever, private scholarship dedicated exclusively to supporting LGBTQIA+ Bobcats. 

The Emergency Stabilization Fund (ESF) was established in 2013 to support LGBTQIA+ Bobcats facing an unexpected financial crisis that could have disrupted their ability to continue in school.  Our dear friend Jeremy O. Torres, a faculty member in the Department of Theatre, was part of the fabric of BPSF.  When he passed in 2016 the leadership felt strongly that the ESF embodied the love and support Jeremy always offered others and in communication with his mother, Shirley Abernethy, it was agreed we would rename the fund in his honor.  Read more about the Legacy of Jeremy.

In September 2018, BPSF's leadership donated all funds to ALLIANCE at Texas State for the first Texas State University scholarship for LGBTQIA+ Texas State Students.  The decision to collaborate enabled the LGBTQIA+ Endowed Scholarship to reach the endowment level, guaranteeing scholarship opportunities for Bobcat students indefinitely!

In August of 2019, BPSF was transferred to new leadership in order to revitalize the Jeremy O. Torres Emergency Stabilization Fund.  This Board of Directors expanded the mission to provide monetary support to emerging adults (between the ages of 18 to 25), who have minority sexual and gender identities (LGBTQIA+), residing in the greater San Marcos area.  This allows the fund to support these individuals in a time of unforeseen crisis with one-time, limited financial support to secure their well-being and/or ability to stay enrolled in school.

Previous Scholarship Opportunities:

• The academic achievement scholarship was a way to celebrate the accomplishment of a LGBTQIA+ Bobcat, recognizing the hard work it takes to maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA.  One to two scholarship were granted each semester with the final amount being a $3,000 award.  
• The leadership development scholarship was a way to promote social justice learning to develop strong student leaders at Texas State.  This scholarship covered the costs of one recipient per summer attending the LGBTQIA+ focused conference, Campus Pride Summer Leadership Camp. 
• The Rattler Pride/Bobcat Pride Scholarship provided a yearly $500 scholarship to one San Marcos High School senior who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and who was accepted to Texas State University.

Achievements Since Our Inception:

• Earned 501(c)(3) status as a federal non-profit organization in 2011
• Provided over $70K in student support
• Funded 55 scholarship and internship opportunities; comprised of over 25 Academic Achievement Scholarships, 8 Leadership Development Scholarships, and 30 emergency stabilization recipients
• Created hallmark annual fundraising events such as the donor Soireé and Drag Out Funny
• Developed relationships with donors leading to significant contributions and the creation of the Legacy Circle, inducting members at the Humanitarian and Benefactor level