IGNITE offers scholarships to support 2SLGBTQ+ students

Five scholarships worth $1,000 each are made available annually

By Chris Clay on
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The Pride, Trans and Canadian flags fly in the wind. In the background, there’s a building with the Humber College logo on it.

Humber College’s student union currently offers five $1,000 scholarships to support students who are members of the College’s or the University of Guelph-Humber’s 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Applications for the IGNITE Pride Scholarship opened on June 1 and close on June 30. IGNITE recognizes the unique challenges 2SLGBTQ+ members face, including social stigma and higher levels of financial insecurity. With these scholarships, IGNITE hopes to offer better support and alleviate some of the financial hardships disproportionately affecting the community.

Jessica Carrera is a student advocate with IGNITE and noted that the organization offers scholarships for Black and Indigenous students as well.  

“The scholarships are a way to show that IGNITE is an ally of all students, no matter who you are or where you come from. We want to show that you are welcome in our space and that you can be yourself no matter who you are,” said Carrera. “These communities have been overlooked for a long time.”

Those eligible to apply must be full- or part-time students at Humber or the University of Guelph-Humber enrolled in the Summer 2023 and/or Fall 2023 semesters. Applicants must be in good academic standing in their program, identify as a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and have demonstrated leadership experience and/or community involvement.

Carrera said they often hear from students who have come out to their families, who don’t accept them and are forced to leave. That can be stressful enough and it’s exacerbated by the fact many of the students suddenly have bills to pay – such as rent or groceries – they might not have had when still living at home.  

The scholarship can help with that, said Carrera.

IGNITE will be present at several Pride Month events at Humber including the Pride and Trans Flag raising, the Drag Queen Story Hour and more. Carrera added that work to support Humber’s 2SLGBTQ+ community is a year-round commitment by IGNITE and not limited to just one month.

For more information on the scholarship or to apply, visit IGNITE’s website.