New scholarship established for western Colorado LGBTQ+ students

Jeff Basinger, July 8, 1953 – May 6, 2018

Western Colorado’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender + (LGBTQ+) students have a new scholarship fund to boost their higher education aspirations, thanks to the thoughtful people who formed the Basinger Leadership Scholarship Committee. The Jeffrey Alan Basinger Leadership Scholarship was established to recognize beloved local resident Jeff Basinger, who died in May of 2018. Jeff was a strong advocate for western Colorado residents living with HIV/AIDS and members of the LGBTQ+ community through decades of working with various community organizations, and as a volunteer. Jeff worked on the “Vote No on Amendment 2” campaign in 1992 and was a founding member of the Common Decency Coalition, which later became Western Equality. He belonged to the Grand Junction Downtown Association and other community organizations, had a deep working historical knowledge of the Grand Junction area, and a long and successful career working with the Western Colorado AIDS Project (WestCAP).

The scholarship committee is working on building an endowment so the scholarship will live on in perpetuity. Translated, that means they’re currently fundraising. To donate to help build this groundbreaking scholarship, click here. (The latest word is the committee just passed the $15,000 mark.)

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must self-identify as LGBTQ+, be enrolled full time and maintaining a 2.5 GPA, be from one of the following western slope counties: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jackson, Lake, La Plata, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Pitkin, Routt, Rio Blanco, San Juan, San Miguel, or Summit; demonstrate financial need and be willing to write a short essay and meet with members of the Basinger Scholarship Committee if you are selected for an award.

To apply for a scholarship, click here.