Financial Support
There are a number of financial aid options available to LGBTQ+ students. Some options for financial aid help can be found here and through the links below.
Three financial aid options are available through the LGBTQ+ Center: The LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund, The Harry E. Jackson LGBT Endowment Fund Scholarship, and the MJ Eckhouse Memorial Scholarship. Additional resource links are below as well. Please email the Center to request that other specific resources be considered to be adding to this financial support resource list.
The LGBTQ+ Emergency Fund is available for students in need of additional funding for books, academic supplies, household items, housing, or food. Contact the LGBTQ+ Center if interested in learning more.
The Harry E. Jackson LGBT Endowment Fund Scholarship is available through the generosity of Akron businessman Harry Jackson, who has established a fund to serve the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students on the Kent State University campus. Contact the LGBTQ+ Center if interested in learning more.
The MJ Eckhouse Memorial Scholarship is available in honor of MJ Eckhouse, a Kent State University alum, who was a tireless advocate for the trans community, the LGBTQ+ community, and social justice issues. MJ challenged the status quo, questioned current practices, and always advocated for improvements to creating a more inclusive world. When MJ was a student at KSU, he was active on campus and in off-campus advocacy efforts including those through Fusion magazine, as well as with Kent4Equality. MJ entered electoral politics as the manager of one of the first openly trans candidates to represent a major political party in Ohio. MJ did not just work with the university; he took his social justice work to the surrounding area and the state. MJ was vital in securing a non-discrimination ordinance and a ban on conversion therapy within the city of Kent. These actions will impact countless lives within the Kent and Portage County community. MJ was also a talented musician and a recovering addict. He saw music as a way to connect with others and saw a connection to others as the way to heal the hurt in others and the world. Throughout his recovery, MJ saved lives and changed lives for countless folks. His compassion and smile were as infectious as they were inspirational.
Scholarship recipients shall be selected on the basis of: Students who are members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community on campus, who advance the LGBTQ+ community through participation in student groups or other community activities. Preference for students who have been involved in social justice activism with a focus on transgender rights, and students who have served in editorial positions for the student media publications.
How to Apply to the Harry E. Jackson and MJ Eckhouse Scholarships:
Our two scholarships are now available through the Kent State scholarship portal, ScholarshipUniverse. To apply for these scholarship, first log in to ScholarshipUniverse using your Flashline login.
If you have never used ScholarshipUniverse before, the portal may prompt you to answer several questions to help the system match you with scholarships you may be eligible for. You should be able to skip those questions (with the ability to return to them later).
Once you are logged into ScholarshipUniverse, you can either go to the Search bar in the top right of the page and manually type in the name of either scholarship, or you can click the Search icon. Clicking the icon takes you to a new page that allows you to select certain filters to help you search for scholarships.
From the "Organization" dropdown menu, select "Division of Student Life." Then from the "Department" dropdown menu, select "LGBTQ+ Center."
Hit the dark blue "Search" button on the right, and both of our scholarships should appear for you to click on. Now you can apply to our scholarships through the ScholarshipUniverse portal.
The deadline to apply for the Harry E. Jackson and MJ Eckhouse scholarships for the 2025-2026 Academic Year is April 1, 2025.
Financial, Billing, and Enrollment Center
You can also visit the Kent State Scholarships and Financial Aid website (now part of the Financial, Billing And Enrollment Center, formerly One Stop) for additional scholarship and financial aid information and resources.
External Scholarship Resources
Point Foundation is the National LGBTQ Scholarship Fund.
The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students
The Human Rights Campaign coordinates an LGBT Student Scholarship Database
