2008 POINT SCHOLARS

Kevin Ferenchak

Loyola University Chicago

Biology, Bioethics, and Anthropology

Growing up across the country, from New England to Southern California, Kevin was born into a devoutly religious family who saw homosexuality as an intrinsic evil, an unforgivable sin. Raised in a repressive environment, he was the victim of a brutal homophobic attack when he was 12. After acknowledging and embracing his gay identity, he left home at 17.

His academic merit earned him a Presidential Scholarship at Loyola University Chicago. Recognizing that the campus is undergoing major growth, Kevin dedicates part of his time to ensuring that GLBT equality and concerns are part of the emerging culture of the Catholic university. He has served on the planning committees for Loyola's GLBT Week, Hate Crime Awareness Month, and the university's Day of Silence.

Off-campus, Kevin has been trained as an HIV/STD test counselor at the Howard Brown Broadway Youth Center. He also co-founded a free ACT prep course, taught by fellow Loyola students, for an inner city high school in Chicago. Most recently, he received a genetics and virology research internship at The Salk Institute in La Jolla, California.

Kevin is currently an undergraduate majoring in Biology with minors in Bioethics and Anthropology at Loyola University Chicago. After graduation, he looks forward to attending medical school and one day becoming a father.