Scholarship honors a friend's commitment to promoting diversity

Sue Young, administrative assistant for the Faculty Senate, gave her friend and fellow employee, Mary Finley, assistant director of the University Union, a one-of-a-kind gift this year — a scholarship in Finley's name to honor her years of commitment to diversity in the university community.

"It is important to me to provide the opportunity for education to everyone, and especially to those who may face discrimination and harassment," Young says.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Scholarship in Honor of Mary Finley, which is open to all qualified students regardless of sexual orientation, recognizes Finley's efforts in establishing the Ally Program, which helps create a supportive environment for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally community on campus.

The program is intended to create a welcoming place for people to go for assistance and promotes inclusiveness and diversity. Currently, more than 430 allies and more than 140 honorary allies participate in the program.

The scholarship will be awarded each year to a new, transfer or current undergraduate student. Andrew Jones, an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in anthropology, is the first scholarship recipient.

Finley, a UNT staff member for 20 years, originally voiced a need for and organized the Ally Program at UNT. Through her efforts and those of a group of UNT faculty and staff members, the program was established in 1999.

"Co-founding the Ally Program is my greatest accomplishment," Finley says.

In addition to her other responsibilities, Finley is a trainer for the National Coalition Building Institute, has served as GLBT coordinator for the Association of College Unions International and was the association's first ally to serve as chair for the former GLBT Concerns committee. She is a past vice president of the board of directors for AIDS Services of North Texas and past recipient of that organization's Outstanding Community Support Award.

She received the university's Staff Contribution Award in 2003. Young was a founding member of UNT's Ally Program.

Tax-deductible donations to the scholarship can be made to the UNT Foundation by referencing the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally Scholarship in Honor of Mary Finley. For more information about the scholarship or about making donations, contact Dan Emenheiser, director of diversity education, at emenheiser@unt.edu or (940) 565-2456 or visit www.unt.edu/development.

BY RUFUS COLEMAN rcoleman@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• UNT to receive about $4 million in general revenue funds from the state of Texas
• Parking permits for 2005-06 now for sale
• Committee continues to examine Responsibility Center Management
• Work dress codes relax as summer temperatures go up
• Gift to help promote Czech music, culture
• Denton County Transportation Authority approves rail line favored by UNT
• Mean Green 2005 season ticket packages for sale
• Faculty Senate elects officers for 2005-06

homepage