Today, 1.6% of U.S. adults and 5% of U.S. youth identify as transgender, non-binary, or within the gender-expansive continuum. The gender-expansive & transgender (GXT) population, while part of the greater LGBTQIA+ community, faces additional barriers to education and employment than their LGB peers. According to The Trevor Project, fewer than 1 in 3 transgender and nonbinary youth found their home to be gender-affirming. There are currently over 150 anti-Trans bills being debated in the U.S., which will block access to age-appropriate medical care, needed mental health services, access to youth sports, and bathroom restrictions.
With 80% of trans adults reporting workplace harassment, including denied employment, denied promotions, terminations, and mistreatment as microaggressions, studies have shown that providing programs that remove barriers and promote inclusion improves the experience and mental health of the GXT community.
Scholarship Information
The GXT Scholarship Program (formerly GOAL+ Scholarship) provides monetary awards, resume and interview skills, mentorship opportunities, and support with job placement upon graduation. Students who identify as gender-expansive or transgender, are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program and have a 3.0 GPA or higher are eligible to apply.
In addition to submitting their application on Bold.org, students are required to submit a 400 to 600-word essay covering the following:
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Tell us about your experience as a gender-expansive & transgender individual and what barriers to educational support you’ve encountered.
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What is your major and your educational goals?
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What are your career goals?
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How will you make an impact on the LGBTQ+ community post-undergraduate?
What does it mean to be Gender Expansive & Transgender?
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Transgender, or trans, is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.
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Non-binary is an identity embraced by some people who do not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories.
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Intersex people are born with differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy. According to experts, the upper estimates are that nearly 2% of the general population is born with intersex traits.
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While many may identify as transgender or non-binary, not all gender-expansive people do. Gender-expansive can also be an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer, or gender fluid.
Students can apply for the Gender Expansive & Transgender (GXT) Scholarship Jun - Sep 2023 (application link TBD)
Supporting the Scholarship
In 2022 we received support from 3 staffing organizations and raised $12,000 for this program. We received over 830 applicants across the United States and awarded four scholarships of $3,000 each to students in the tech and non-tech fields.
We utilize Bold.org to facilitate this scholarship program. Bold.org provides the platform for applicant entry, verifies enrollment and GPA, validates that entry meets the scholarship requirements, and shortlists applicants to us for final selection.
The GXT Scholarship application timeline runs from June through August, and the winners will be selected and announced by October. Bold.org releases Funds to the scholarship winners by Bold.org, with 100% of the tax-deductible funds going directly to the recipients.
There is still time to join us in this critical program and increase the number of scholarships awarded by donating to this scholarship fund. We accept additional donors through the student application period (Jun – Aug 2023). Contributing to the GXT Scholarship will provide the following:
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Option 1: Any amount <1,000 will include you or your organization’s name to be listed among the contributors to the scholarship program.
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Option 2: $1,000 donation will include your or your organization's name in our press release when winners are announced.
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Option 3: $2,000 donation will include your organization’s logo and name in our press release when winners are announced.
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Option 4: $3,000+ donation will include a seat on the selection committee, organization branding for one of the scholarship awards, and items in the above options.
Companies that have committed to supporting the Gender Expansive & Transgender (GXT) Scholarship in 2023 are:
For more information on how to donate, please contact Omni Inclusive at info@omniinclusive.com.
“As a member of the GXT community, I aim to leave this world better than I found it and pave the way for our youth to thrive beyond the stigma generations have experienced. Transgender & gender-expansive youth are often faced with financial challenges due to a lack of family support and face employment discrimination. Higher education and employment with belonging should not be a barrier because you’re living life as your authentic self.”
– Wen Stenger (they/them)
CEO, Omni Inclusive
About Omni Inclusive
Omni Inclusive, LLC is a national provider of workforce management solutions. Prioritizing inclusion and sustainability, we offer contingent staffing, payroll services, and direct source recruitment. We provide business consulting for diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI), and supplier sustainability strategies. We are a certified LGBTBE, SDVBE, DOBE, Carbon Neutral, and ISO company.
Omni Inclusive, in partnership with staffing industry organizations, has launched a college scholarship fund to support students pursuing career opportunities in tech and non-tech roles titled:
Gender Expansive & Transgender Scholarship
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