The Albuquerque Human Rights Office will be accepting scholarship applications in the fall for the 2009 Neil Isbin Scholarship, a $1,000 award that will be made to a senior high school student from an Albuquerque public, private, charter, or alternative high school who has been active in the area of human rights and human dignity.

Scholarship applicants must be enrolled or be enrolling in an accredited university or college and must be able to demonstrate achievements or ongoing volunteer work in the area of human rights and human dignity in Albuquerque.

Herb and Kathie Isbin established the scholarship trust fund named in memory of their son Neil Isbin who died in 1996 of AIDS at the age of 46. Neil Isbin was a long time human rights activist who worked tirelessly for equality and justice for gay and lesbian rights, affordable health care for all New Mexicans, tax fairness for working families, and public employee collective bargaining.

If you have any questions about the Neil Isbin Scholarship, please email Amanda Searcy (asearcy@cabq.gov) or call the Human Rights Office at 924-3380.  

Note: This scholarship is open to all eligible high school seniors. There are NO restrictions on eligibility based on race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability status.