Rep. Zweiner recognizes BPSF for a decade of service to the community

The recently-formed San Marcos Queer Council met on June 29 at Roughhouse Brewing where Texas State Representative Erin Zwiener and her Chief of Staff presented a resolution to the Bobcat Pride Scholarship Fund for a decade of service to the Greater San Marcos emergent adult LGBTQ community.

In addition to presenting the resolution, Zwiener updated the members about the Representative’s efforts to fight back against anti-LGBT legislation introduced in the 88th session of the Texas Legislation.

“I was also able to recognize Bobcat Pride Scholarship Fund for their tremendous contributions to our Texas State and greater San Marcos community,” Zweiner said.

“It was such an honor to have Erin Zwiener, Texas State Representative and her Chief of Staff, Miguel Arredondo present this resolution to BPSF for our decade of service to the Greater San Marcos LGBTQIA emerging adult community,” said Heather Aidala, Executive Board Director of BPSF. “It speaks volumes of her true inclusion of all San Marcos residents and advocacy for those who are marginalized by much of our current Texas political climate.”

The Bobcat Pride Scholarship Fund is a 501-3(c) nonprofit organized exclusively for charitable purposes, more specifically the BPSF Jeremy O. Torres Emergency Stabilization Fund provides monetary support to emerging adults (ages 18 to 25), who have minority sexual and gender identities (LGBTQIA+), residing in the Greater San Marcos area.

Originally founded in 201 by Texas State alumni and friends, BPSF made progress toward the inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community at the university. The group established a scholarship to provide resources to support LGBTQIA+ Bobcats, becoming the first ever private scholarship dedicated exclusively to that community.

The Emergency Stabilization Fund (ESF) was established in 2013 to support LGBTQIA+ Bobcats facing an unexpected financial crisis that could have disrupted their ability to continue in school. Jeremy O. Torres, a faculty member in the Department of Theater at Texas State, was an integral member of BPSF. When he passed away, in 2016, the ESF was renamed in his honor.

In 2018, BPSF's leadership donated all funds to ALLIANCE at Texas State for the first Texas State University scholarship for LGBTQIA+ Texas State Students. This decision enabled the LGBTQIA+ Endowed Scholarship to reach the endowment level, guaranteeing scholarship opportunities for Bobcat students indefinitely.

In August of 2019, BPSF was transferred to new leadership in order to revitalize the Jeremy O. Torres Emergency Stabilization Fund. The Board of Directors expanded the mission to provide monetary support to emerging adults (between the ages of 18 to 25), who have minority sexual and gender identities (LGBTQIA+), residing in the greater San Marcos area. This allows the fund to support these individuals in a time of unforeseen crisis with one-time, limited financial support to secure their well-being and/or ability to stay enrolled in school.

Anyone interested in SMQC can email sanmarcosqueercouncil@gmail.com

Celeste Cook is a board member of the Bobcat Pride Scholarship Fund.