Scholarships

As you embark on your academic journey at USC, we invite you to embrace your identity and empower your future by applying for the prestigious USC Lambda LGBTQ+ Scholarships. USC Lambda has been a beacon of support and advocacy for LGBTQ+ Trojans, fostering a vibrant community that celebrates diversity and promotes inclusivity.

Since 1994, USC Lambda has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to more than 150 students who, regardless of their gender or sexual identity, demonstrated academic achievement and a strong commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. These scholars have gone on to executive roles in Fortune 500 companies and LGBTQ+ nonprofits. They have spearheaded research in technology and sociology, produced award-winning films, and argued cases before the United States Supreme Court. They are doctors, educators, artists and activists who inspire our LGBTQ+ student body to see their sexual and gender identities as strengths, not obstacles.

Application Timeline

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year are now CLOSED. Please check back in Fall of 2024 for the 2025-2026 Application Updates.

December 1: applications available

February 4: application deadline

February-March: applications reviewed by committee

April: final applicant interviews, all applicants notified

To help fund a scholarship, or if you have any questions about USC Lambda, email us.

Current USC Lambda Scholars

USC Lambda proudly recognizes our 2023-2024 scholarship recipients:

Albert Brecht Scholarship in Leadership:

Jackson Schiefelbein
USC Marshall School of Business

USC Lambda Scholars for Outstanding Achievement:

Elizabeth Calderon

Betty (Elizabeth) Calderon

USC School of Dramatic Arts

Jason Chwa

Jason Chwa

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Carla Ibarra

Carla Ibarra

MPH, Keck School of Medicine of USC

Jaspreet Kaur

Jaspreet Kaur

USC School of Cinematic Arts

Dylan Phung

Dylan Phung

USC Marshall School of Business & USC School of Cinematic Arts

Sawyer Rabin

Sawyer Rabin

USC Thornton School of Music

Hale Schaffer

Halle Schaffer

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Anthony Slade

Anthony Slade

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Scott Swan

Scott Swan

USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Al Weyant-Forbes

Al Weyant-Forbes

USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Past Scholars

Alec Allee-Munoz
Emily Allen
Michael Angelo
Michael Annetta
Brandon Barretto
Kathleen Beasley
David Bishop
Ximena Bobadilla
Eric Bogin
Lorelei Bonet
Cissie Bonini
David Booher
Jonah Brown
Yvana Bustamante
Kara Cagulada
Hector Ceballos
Karli Cerankowski
Caroline Cha
Sung-Chang Chiang
Michael Chifalo
Richard Chu
Michael Clarkson
Sharon Claros
Christine Coffman
Taynara Costa Moura
Daniela Covel
Kindra Covert
Mark DeAngelis
Harout Dimijian
J. Dallas Dishman
Leo Driessen
Vanessa Eisemann
Marrissa Emond
Chris Esguerra
Amber Espinosa-Jones
Daniel Faltz
Manuel Fernandez
Conor Fetting-Smith
Katheryn Frankl
David Freedman
Ramon Garcia
Graham Gee
Boaz Gerstl
Jay Gladstein
Marc Goodman
Andrew Goodrich
Michael Gorse
Joanna Griebel
Frances Grimstad
Rebecca Grumet
Benjamin Gutierrez
Ivy Hammond
Lindsay Harrison
Nausheen Hassan
Margaret Hawkins
Savannah Hemmig
Joey Hernandez

John Vincent Hernandez
Noah Hernandez
William Hines
Emily Hobson
Daniel Hochberg
Adam Hochschuler
Jo Hoenninger
Alexander Honey
William Hoover
Jarad Hrusovsky
Brian Hurley
Shelby Inouye
Bonnie Johnson
Chloe Kallenberg
Antonia Kao
Molly Karna
Justin Kawaguchi
Erica Kirk
Steven Kung
Matthew Lancellotti
Jean Leasiolagi
John Lee
Mark Lemke
Andrew Leung
Erin Lim
Geraldine Lin
Anthony Lopez
Rebecca Louisell
Daniel Lyman
Shauna Madrigal
Brett Malec
Matthew Mallon
Kirk Marcolina
Alain Martinossi
Javier Meier
Kellie Miyashima
Lauren Mok
Michael Moody
Nicholas Mortaloni
Christophe Nassif
David Nguyen
David O Brien
Kristen Ochoa
Robin Ocubillo
Patrick Padgen
Cristian Pagan
Crystal Page
John Palmer
Rachel Pearson
John Pham
Carol Powell
Hayden Price
Karin Quimby
Arun Ramakrishnan
Natalia Ramos
Joanne Rapadas
Christopher Records

Jessica Lynn Regner
Eric Renna
Stephen Rice
Chasey Ridgley
Victoria Rodriguez
Michael Roma
Tara Rose
Victoria Rose
Michelle Rouse
Lynn Sacco
Sandra Safford
Alexia Sambrano
Raffi Sarkissian
Kyle Scott
Urban Seiberg
Kevin Shapiro
Elizabeth Shi
Jeffrey Simon
Alexandra Smale
Paisley Smith
Eric Solis
Jeffrey Solomon
Richard Solomon
Monely Soltani
Mark Spratt
Deborah Stevens
John Sudsina
Shelby Surfas
Ryan Swinney
Steven Tang
Emily Taymor
Atharva Tewari
Tania Trepanier
Alexander Tron
Kevin Tsukii
Gail Tubs
Julian Turner
Dana Udall-Weiner
Eme Unanaowo
Michael Vacha
Victor Valadez
Paul Valentine
Matthew Vang
Steven Vargas
Harvey Villarica
Trac Vu
Rachel Walker
Lucille Warren
Christopher White
Brian Wilson
Melanie Winfrey
Kimberlee Woods
Joseph Wright
David Wu
Trinity Yang
Ryan Ziltzer
Emily Zolfaghari

Scholarships Offered

USC Lambda Scholarship

Available to an undergraduate or graduate student in any academic program of study whose creative work, scholarship and/or community engagement has earned outstanding achievement and recognition within the LGBTQ+ community.

Albert Brecht Scholarship in Leadership

Available to an undergraduate or graduate student in any academic program of study whose creative work, scholarship and/or community engagement demonstrates leadership within the LGBTQ+ community.

Donald L. Gabard Scholarship for Advancing the Understanding of the LGBTQ+ Community

The Donald L. Gabard Scholarship for Advancing the Understanding of the LGBTQ+ Community is an annual scholarship of support for the research efforts of doctoral and master’s-level students at the University of Southern California who are interested in advancing the understanding of the LGBTQ+ community.