Charlotte Pride Announces Return of Scholarship & Internship Program

March 11, 2024
Deeandra Michel, CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charlotte Pride is thrilled to announce the return of its scholarship program and introduce an all-new summer internship this year, all made possible with support from Principal® Foundation. The Charlotte Pride Scholarship & Internship Program, Generously Supported by Principal® Foundation, aims to improve economic mobility for LGBTQ and ally college students from the Charlotte metro area attending accredited two or four-year college by funding college scholarships and a summer internship opportunity. Recipients will be eligible for up to $10,000 for the 2024-2025 school year.

Support from Principal® Foundation

“We are honored to be able to continue the work of the Charlotte Pride Scholarship and Internship Program, generously supported by Principal Foundation® for a second year,” said Meredith Thompson, Managing Director of Charlotte Pride. “It’s been wonderful to see how this program has already had a positive impact on the lives of 12 ambitious future leaders. We’re grateful for the opportunity to recognize and support passionate scholars and creatives who are part of the LGBTQ+ and ally communities. Along with our annual Charlotte Pride Job Fair, this program helps us foster economic growth and upward mobility – one of our key areas of programmatic focus.”

Eligibility Criteria

Ideal applicants are high school seniors or college students from the Charlotte metro area (including Mecklenburg, York, Union, Gaston, Cabarrus, Iredell, Rowan, Cleveland, Lancaster, Lincoln, Stanly, Chester, Catawba, Chesterfield, Alexander, or Anson Counties) with a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale. Applicants must be LGBTQ or ally students who have demonstrated service to the LGBTQ community or strong desire to serve the LGBTQ community.

Scholarship Options

The Charlotte Pride Scholarship Program, Generously Supported by Principal® Foundation, has 11 scholarships available: one (1) Champion of Pride Scholarship ($10,000 award), one (1) Legacy Scholarship ($5,000 award), two (2) Empowerment Scholarships ($2,500 award), two (2) Leadership Scholarships ($1,250 award), and five (5) Visionary Scholarships ($1,000 award).

Summer Internship Opportunity

The program also provides a summer internship experience along with a $5,000 summer stipend and a $2,500 scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year to the internship recipient. The summer intern will spend eight weeks working alongside Charlotte Pride staff.

For more information and to apply, visit the official Charlotte Pride website.