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The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh will host the 6th Annual Harvey Milk Commemorative Dinner at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 23 in the Reeve Memorial Union ballroom.

This fundraiser honors the courage and spirit of Harvey Milk, whose activism set an example of the crucial connection between education and social change. Proceeds from the fundraiser support an endowed scholarship fund specifically for LGBTQ+ students at UW Oshkosh and in the greater Fox Valley.

Tickets for the dinner are $25 per person. Tables of eight can be purchased for $200. The dinner will include a silent auction for the Harvey Milk Scholarship Fund. Tickets are available at University Books & More and the LGBTQ Resource Center, or contact Liz Cannon (cannon@uwosh.edu) or Thomas Wolf (wolft@uwosh.edu).

Sally Corbett ’15, of Rochester, Minn., is a past recipient of the Harvey Milk Scholarship. Corbett used the scholarship while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in recording technology.

“Receiving the Harvey Milk Scholarship made me feel that my involvement as a student activist and student organization member, my academic achievements, and my identity as a member of the LGBTQ community were all being recognized and affirmed as important parts of who I am, all at once,”Corbett said. “The visibility this kind of award grants to its recipients is empowering. I feel honored and extremely grateful to have been selected for it. It helped me to continue to succeed in my academic coursework and involvement in student organizations by alleviating some of the financial burden of being a college student, and also inspired and motivated me to continue to work hard for myself and for my community.”

Corbett said members of the LGBTQ community face unique struggles as college students, and the Harvey Milk Scholarship program plays a significant role in helping students face and conquer such obstacles.

“The financial aid these awards offer is certainly important, but the positive impact reaches far beyond that. To have one’s identity and role in a community validated by awards such as this makes queer college students feel that they are seen, heard, and valued for who they are,” Corbett said. “I believe this kind of affirmation was a key part of Harvey Milk’s vision and life’s work, and is critical in the fight for LGBTQ equality in the UWO community and beyond.”

“Every award given to these students furthers this cause, and can make a world of difference for an LGBTQ college student,” Corbett said. “For me, receiving the Harvey Milk Scholarship was truly inspiring, and motivated me to continue my involvement as a student activist and member of the LGBTQ student community at UWO. I want to see future students benefit from this experience as much as I did for a long time to come.”
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