West Hartford Resident Earns Major Scholarship

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A West Hartford resident has received a $10,000 scholarship from a Stamford-based health advocacy nonprofit for the LFBTQ+ community.

Health Care Advocates International, through The Dr. Gary Blick Scholarship, has awarded $50,000 to five local students in Connecticut.

Among them was West Hartford resident Styx Hatch, a graduate of Hall High School in West Hartford and a current student at Emerson College in Boston majoring in stage and production management.

While HCAI has informally given more than $2 million since 2017, The Dr. Gary Blick Scholarship was launched earlier this year to provide access to postsecondary education to members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community.

“As the founder of HCAI, I have been committed to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community for over 35 years,” said Blick, founder and chief medical officer of HCAI, in a statement. “Through this scholarship, we hope to continue the hard work of fighting for a world free from stigma, discrimination, and HIV/AIDS and I believe that with this inaugural group of young people, the future looks bright.”

The Dr. Gary Blick Scholarship is awarded annually to up to five Connecticut students who demonstrate advocacy and/or allyship for the LGBTQ+ community.

To be considered for funding, students must be Connecticut residents, plan to attend an accredited four-year college or university, demonstrate financial need via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and have a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Health Care Advocates International is a nonprofit health & advocacy organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community through prevention, programs, education, advocacy & treatment.

To learn more about eligibility and to apply for the Dr. Gary Blick Scholarship, visit this link.