Melissa is a graduate of Coon Rapids High School in Coon Rapids, MN. She will use the award to complete her studies at the University of Minnesota as a Kinesiology major. When she completes her degree, she plans to become an educator and coach in the field of athletics.
Kathryn went to school at Wayzata High School, in Wayzata, MN, graduating in 1998. She's planning to apply to Minneapolis Community and Technical College, majoring in Human Services. She currently works as a Community Organizer with District 202, organizing youth activities such as volunteer opportunities, social gatherings, concerts and plays. She co-founded, facilitated and participated in the Youth of Color group and the Youth Improvement Committee. She also is a Youth Worker with Safe House in St. Paul, a place for homeless youth.
Jason is a graduate of Two Harbors High School in Two Harbors, MN; and is currently attending the University of Minnesota. Next year, he plans to attend the Institute for the International Education of Students in London, a year abroad program. He is studying English, Creative Writing, and Cultural Studies. Jason currently works as an arts and entertainment writer with the University of Minnesota's newspaper, the Minnesota Daily, where he is committed to increasing coverage of GLBT arts and literature. He and also freelances for PUSH, a local arts and entertainment magazine. In addition, Jason has worked as a volunteer for SHADE, the Sexual Health Awareness and Disease Education, a campus group.
Mev attended Seton High School, Baltimore, MD, and graduated from there in 1973. She received a BA degree in English/Music History in 1977 from the College of Notre Dame, Terre Haute, IN, and received an MA degree in Religious Studies from the University of Detroit, Detroit, MI in 1978. In 1983, she received an M. Divinity degree from the Yale Divinity School. She is currently attending the doctoral program at the University of St. Thomas' School of Education, Dept. of Curriculum Instruction, working toward an Ed.D. in Critical Pedagogy.
She plans to continue and expand her work with community literacy programs, particularly focusing on women who are marginalized by racism, economic status, disability, or sexual orientation.
Mev has consistently been involved in community and campus gay and lesbian organizations. Recently, she was instrumental in the creation and expansion of Women Leading Through Reading (WLTR), a program focused on women and literacy that has trained 50 volunteers and sponsored more than 10 discussion groups in the Twin Cities. We are pleased to be able to recognize Mev's profound commitment to expanding literacy among lesbian women and her leadership in taking action that literally changes the course of women's lives.
Robert is a graduate of Humboldt High School in St. Paul. He has a a B.A. in French and History from the University of Minnesota. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Uof M working on his dissertation in "Modern U.S. History".
Robert has been actively involved in a number of GLBT community activities, including the phone counseling program with the Minnesota AIDS project, Quatrefoil Library, GLBT political campaigns, and GLBT conferences.
Emma is a graduate of Tigard High School in Tigard, Oregon. She has attended De Pauw University School of Music in Greencastle, Indiana pursuing a piano performance degree. She also attended the Austro-American Institute in Vienna, Austria. She will be pursuing an undergratuate Music Therapy degree at the University of Minnesota.
Michael is currently attending the University of Minnesota's MFA Program in Creative Writing. He is a graduate of Marquette University with a BA in German and English. He has held numerous teaching positions in the U.S. and Germany, having taught English and German at the high school and adult level. Next year he will be heading to India for a writing project that will explore the topic of GLBT issues and nonviolence and prejudice in India.
Phil graduated from Churchill High School in Livonia, MI, and an honors graduate with a BA in History from MIchigan State University. He is currently attending the University of Minnesota Law School.
Phil has devoted his talents and energy to numerous GLBT organizations. While at Michigan State University, he was Director and spokesperson for the MSU Lesbian-Gay Council, speaking out on issues such as the presence of the ROTC program on campus, the diversification of the Academic Council, and the establishment of an administration position dedicated to the needs of MSU's GLBT population. He went on to become a Board member of both the Lansing Association for Human Rights and the Michigan Organization for Human Rights. He was instrumental in the formation of the Lesbian and Gay Political Action Network, Michigan's only openly-identified GLBT "PAC", publishing voter guides for every election in the Grand Rapids area and ultimately succeeding in getting a pro-GLBT candidate elected to the City Commission.
Since being in Minnesota, he has volunteered for Out Front (then the Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council), the Lambda Law Students Association, and the Minnesota AIDS Project. Needless to say, he is committed to using his law degree toward GLBT civil rights advocacy.