This award is presented to a student of worthy character who demonstrates service to the student body of Drexel.
On December 3rd, 2020, I was honored to recieve the Alexander Van Rensselaer Service Award and accompanying scholarship for my service to the Drexel community. I've spent the past few weeks finishing up some end of term work, and trying to put together all my feelings into words.
I recieved this award based on the activism work that I do at Drexel. Since coming to Drexel as a freshman, I've faced discimination and transphobia at every single level. From students, student workers, adminstration, faculty, even the Dean of CCI. Since day 1, I've fought back, not just for my safety, but so other students wouldn't have to go through the same pain that I did.
I am truly grateful for this award. As a transgender man, I face a lot of transphobia on all fronts. One of the biggest sources of transphobia in my life is my "home" life. My biological parents are not supportive and recently, as I grow more successful at Drexel, my ability to stay in the closet dwindles, and I will have to financially support myself. This means that I've been fearing my ability to continue to attend Drexel. This scholarship has saved me in that regard. It has placed me in much more stable financial grounds to support myself now and after I graduate.
While I am thankful for this award for placing me in a financially stable place, it reminds me of the extra effort that marginalized groups need to put in to be able to be successful. I should not have to be an activist and win awards in order to be in the same stable place that some of my cis peers are in. Being trans is so much more than a gender identity. It impacts my life in so many complex ways and puts me at a natural disadvantage. While I believe I have done a good job of overcoming this disadvantage, and finding my own way without biological support, I worry for other trans people with talents that exceed mine that cannot succeed or overcome due to the struggles they face. Though, at the end of the day, it just reminds me of all the work we need to do, and all the people we have to support, and that even if this only helps one person, it's all worth it.
I thank Drexel for giving me a supportive environment that has been willing to listen and learn and make progress with me.