2008 POINT SCHOLARS

Hillary Gleason

Clark University

Hillary was born and raised in the small town of Winchendon, Massachusetts in a close-knit Catholic community. Despite a very loving family, Hillary had a great deal of adversity to face when she came out to her community at the age of 15. Her honesty was met in part with ignorance and intolerance, but it did not deter her from taking leadership positions at her high school and continuing to excel academically. Hillary was president of her high school's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), treasurer of her school's debate team, member of the National Honors Society and graduated in top of her class at Gardner High School.

Currently, Hillary is an undergraduate at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts studying psychology and women’s studies. She is secretary of her university's LGBTQA organization, volunteers her time at the local animal shelter and works two jobs to attend school. An avid writer, Hillary aspires to use her experience and education to add to the existing queer theory literary base and hopes to some day help families struggling with LGBTQ issues, particularly in relation to religious opposition.