Scholarship endowed for LGBT advocates
Emily Tarr
Voice Staff
Through donations made in the past two weeks, the endowment threshold has been reached for a new scholarship to be awarded in the 2008-2009 school year.
The John Plummer Memorial Scholarship for Promoting a Welcoming Campus for LGBT people has been established in memory of John Plummer, a longtime comptroller in the Wooster Business Office and mentor to the Wooster lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) student community.
Plummer, one of the few openly gay persons on campus, served as a lifeline to many in Wooster’s gay student community and was an ardent advocate for a more inclusive and respectful Wooster campus.
After Plummer’s death this past summer, Hans Johnson, a 1992 graduate and friend of Plummer, decided it was the right moment to make Plummer’s dream a reality.
In Oct. 2006, Johnson approached the College with the idea for a scholarship in Plummer’s name. It was not a hard case to make, since Plummer was such a known and respected figure at the College for a number of years.
After approximately seven months of collecting funds and the donations from over one hundred alumni, staff, faculty and friends of the College, the $30,000 threshold needed to endow the scholarship has finally been reached.
“I am so proud that so many recognized the need and the opportunity to make a memorial and incentive for efforts to forge a more inclusive campus community,” said Johnson. “LGBT people, including John Plummer, have been crucial in the life of the College for many decades. This scholarship is overdue and still very limited recognition of those many contributions.”
Pending official endowment, the $1500 scholarship will be awarded yearly on or near Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, to one sophomore, junior or senior student who promotes a more open and respectful campus environment. The scholarship is open to all students, regardless of sexual orientation.
In fact, Johnson stresses that non-gay allies play a critical role in confronting bigotry and promoting respect on campus. The scholarship makes Wooster progressive in its field, as Ohio Wesleyan is the only other college in Wooster’s conference, the Great Lakes College Association, to award this type of honor.
A small advisory committee composed of representatives from the student body, alumni, faculty, administration and the business office will recommend students for the scholarship, although specific procedures have yet to be established. However, Johnson encourages current students to begin looking around campus for people who have demonstrated respect for the LGBT community, as recommendations will be extremely helpful to those making the scholarship decision.
While the scholarship is both a memorial to Plummer and a recognition of student achievement, it also serves another purpose. Financial dependency plays a particular role in the coming out process for LGBT students. The fear of losing financial support from parents or guardians inhibits the coming out process for many students, causing them to hide their true identity in order to obtain the college education they desire.
“It’s a very real fear for students today,” said Johnson. “If we are producing one increment, for one student who lives beneath that stigma or fear, then this scholarship, in its infancy, will be accomplishing its mission.”
Liz Miller ’07 said, “The scholarship is a recognition of the time and energy people dedicate to making Wooster a more welcoming campus. A little bit would have helped me out a lot. I know it can help people in the future.”
Although there were many generous donors, there are a few who deserve special gratitude. First, the donation from Henry Copeland, a former President of the College, helped kick-start the fundraising last summer. It was a signal of both the regard that College leadership had for John Plummer and a demonstration to others in the campus community of the importance of donating to the scholarship.
Joan Blanchard, a member of the Board of Trustees, offered a donation of her own grant for the scholarship. Thanks also goes to Nancy Grace, Professor of English, who issued a challenge grant to colleagues in order to help maximize donations among the faculty.
Rebecca Schmidt, staff member of the development office, was also a key player in efforts for the scholarship. Finally, the most generous donors were alums Jeffrey Rizor in Arizona and Robin Rose and her partner Shirley Wright in Massachusetts, both of which gave dual gifts, in order to make sure the endowment threshold was met.
Even though the Plummer scholarship is a step forward in Wooster’s continuing commitment to diversity, Johnson believes there is more that can still be done.
“Wooster as a college and as a community continues to struggle with its recognition and receptivity to the contributions of openly LGBT people … The campus has an obligation to speak out against bigotry in Wooster, Wayne County and Ohio. The opportunity and the necessity still exists,” said Johnson.
Miller agrees. She hopes that one day Wooster will have more inclusive nondiscrimination policies, including recognition and advocacy around transgender issues. She also hopes for the development of a permanent safe space for the LGBT community and campus-wide recognition of LGBT voices, including in academic settings.
While the initial threshold for the scholarship has been reached, donations are still needed and accepted in order to ensure the life of the scholarship. Contributions can still be made to the John Plummer Memorial Scholarship by writing a check payable to “The College of Wooster” with “Plummer Scholarship” written in the memo section. They can be given directly to Rebecca Schmidt in the development office or to mailed Hans Johnson at:
Progressive Victory
1875 Connecticut Ave., NW,
Suite 650
Washington, DC 20009.
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