Welcome to LGBTQ Alumni Association!
The purpose of our group is to help encourage connections among our alumni and to offer opportunities and support to current LGBTQ students. To learn more about how to get involved with this alumni association, please join our mailing list by CLICKING HERE
I would like to make a donation to the LGBTQ Alumni Association – CLICK HERE
Get social: 
BOARD MEMBERS
President: Glynda McGinnis (’89, MA ’91)
Vice President: Shawn Kuehn (’10, MBA ’16)
Treasurer: Margarita Perez Frinsco (MBA ’21)
Secretary: P. Tim Martindell (MED ’04, EDD ’12)
Director of Social Media: Kevin Nguyen ()
Director, Scholarship & Emergency Crisis Aid: P. Tim Martindell (MED ’04, EDD ’12)
Past President: Jenna Pel (’13)
2021-2022 Board of Directors
Glynda McGinnis (’89, MA ’91) (she/her), President, is a Business Liaison Consultant in the Financial Services industry working on Root Cause Analysis of customer complaints working to identify systemic problems involving People, Processes or Technology. She has been serving as an Ally to the LGBTQ community for four decades. She is passionate about helping people bring their entire selves to school, work and their community. As an ally she supports my adopted community as well as work to bring awareness, openness and acceptance to those who have not yet experienced the love and open arms she has received from the LGBTQ community for the last 42 years.
Shawn Kuehn (’10, MBA ’16) (he/his), Vice President, has served on the UH LGBTQ Alumni Association Board of Directors in a variety of roles since 2014. He also served as Co-Chair of Red Dinner II and Red Dinner III. Shawn is President of the Lone Star Volleyball Association.
Margarita Perez Frinsco (MBA ’21) (she/hers)Treasurer, Margarita currently serves as the Director of Advancement for the University of Houston College of Technology and Graduate College of Social Work. She has nearly 15 years of experience within philanthropy serving across organizations ranging from corporate, nonprofit and most recently higher education. Margarita works to build institutional resources to help advance the philanthropic goals of alumni, industry partners and other community organizations. Most recently, she led the philanthropic efforts of the College of Technology during the immensely successful UH-System $1 billion “Here We Go” campaign.
Margarita is a relationship-centered leader with a passion for transformational philanthropy. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of St. Thomas and is expected to complete her Master of Business Administration at the C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston in May 2021.
She is a proud Houstonian and resides in the Near Northside community with her wife, Jessica, gray tabby cat, Jules, and German Shepherd dog, Maxine. During her free time, she mentors first-generation STEM Latinex college students and serves as the Vice-Chair of The Hollyfield Foundation.
Kevin Nguyen () (he/him), Director of Social Media, I am a Vietnamese-American raised by two immigrant parents. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Baylor University, a Health, B.S. and Psychology B.S. with the University of Houston, and a Master’s Degree in College Counseling and Student Development from Azusa Pacific University. I also have worked for the University of Houston for 11 years in academic affairs. I have lived in Texas, New Jersey, California, and a brief stint in Bangkok, Thailand as an English teacher. I value the idea of self-discovery and improvement through education and experience and consider myself an advocate for social justice and equity for those in the LGBTQ+ community.”
P. Tim Martindell (MED ’04, EDD ’12) (he/him), Secretary & Director, Scholarship & Emergency Crisis Aid, Dr. P. Tim Martindell is a middle school English teacher and debate coach at The Village School, as well as being an adjunct instructor in literacy development at the University of Houston Downtown. In 2015 Tim Martindell received the College of Education Star Award for outstanding alumni who make significant contributions to the field of education.
In addition to his twenty-five year teaching career, Tim served as the Houston A+ Challenge program coordinator for literacy and critical friendship, and the past president of both the Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts and the West Houston Council of Teachers of English. Tim is a diamond level writing project trainer with the Abydos writing project and a national level facilitator of critical friendship practices with the School Reform Initiative. He holds an Ed.D. and M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Houston and a B.S. Ed.. in communications education from Miami University.
Jenna Pel (’13) (she/hers), Past President, is a Middle School Humanities teacher. She has served as President of the UH LGBTQ Alumni Association since 2018. A forever Coog, she is driven to give back to LGBTQIA+ University of Houston students and alumni.
Events and Programs
The UH LGBTQ Emergency Crisis Aid is operated by the UH LGBTQ Alumni Association and is available to UH Main Campus LGBTQIA+ students who have encountered a situation involving unusual financial hardship caused by emergency or circumstances beyond the students’ control including housing or food insecurity, or other resource-based needs that threaten a student’s ability to remain enrolled and to successfully complete their degree.
This aid is for current UH Main Campus students who are having short-term financial difficulty related to their sexual orientation or gender identity. The aid is intended to assist the student in maintaining or improving their academic standing. No applicant will be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
If you believe you have a circumstance and would like to have your situation evaluated for funds, please complete this application. Provide as much detail as possible so that your needs are fully understood. Once the application is received, representatives from the LGBTQ Alumni Association will review your application and will contact you for a follow-up conversation or in-person meeting. Submission of this application does not guarantee the applicant will be awarded.
Eligibility Requirements
- Currently enrolled in and attending at least 6 financial aid eligible credits during fall or spring or summer classes to be considered for the grant.
- Must be a degree-seeking student in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or show evidence of recent satisfactory progress.
- A letter stating, that coming out as an LGBTQ student while attending the University of Houston, the student has encountered a financial hardship that threatens the student’s ability to be academically successful.
- The student is to provide a confirmation of the situation by a reference that verifies these circumstances.
Application Process
- The student submits an application online.
- The student will be contacted by the LGBTQ Alumni Association director of scholarships to discuss the student’s needs.
- A plan of action will be created.
- The director of scholarships will discuss the student’s action plan with the UH LGBTQ Alumni Association Board for the recommendation of award.
- Executive Officers will make the final decisions on the amount and allocation of funds.
- Emergency aid will be awarded to a company or a business providing the services to the student. No funding will be made directly to the student.
This emergency aid may affect a student’s financial aid. It is recommended that the student check with the Financial Aid Department before accepting this aid.
Fund Stipulations
- Grant may be awarded ONCE a semester
- Grants do not have to be repaid
APPLY HERE:
University of Houston LGBTQ Alumni Association Emergency Crisis Application
Red Dinner is the UH LGBTQ Alumni Association’s annual fundraising gala. In its previous 4 editions, the event has raised over $100,000 for LGBTQ+ students. Stay tuned for exciting details about our 5th Red Dinner. DATE AND LOCATION TBA.
This scholarship aims to encourage LGBTQ students to pursue studies at the University through this Scholarship Program. Each scholarship is a one-time award paid each semester or one award paid in the Fall semester (if the student is graduating in the fall semester).
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS WILL BE OPEN FROM JANUARY 29 – MARCH 26TH. CLICK HERE to apply today!
We have always celebrated Cougar Pride!
In 1976, the University of Houston’s Gay Activist Alliance organized a Pride event to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion in New York City. Although it is sometimes dismissed as “just a march”, fliers and other promotional pieces clearly identified it as a parade. There were no marching bands, floats or banners, and most of the participants had been recruited during the previous year by pioneering Houston activist Ray Hill whom attended the University of Houston.
Since then, Houston’s Pride Parade has grown to become the fourth-largest in the country (and the 15th largest in the world) with an estimated attendance of 700,000 in 2017.
The UH LGBTQ Alumni Association is thankful for their partnership, and support from, Bunnies on the Bayou. We volunteer every year to help the event run smoothly and welcome others to join us in this volunteer opportunity. Please look for more information about volunteer shifts for the upcoming 2022 Bunnies on the Bayou event here on our page.
We are excited to announce our organization has been selected as a Bunnies on the Bayou (BOTB) 43 Beneficiary.
Volunteering for this amazing event will ensure UH LGBTQ Alumni Association will continue to have funds to provide Scholarships and Emergency Crisis Aid to UH LGBTQ students.
To fulfill our commitment as a beneficiary we need volunteers for the event to be held Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022 from 1-6 PM. at SESQUICENTENNIAL PARK, 357 Smith St in downtown Houston.
All volunteers must be 21 years old on 4/17/22.
We need volunteers for Tear Down from 5:45 PM – 9 PM and 2nd shift Bartenders from 3:30 PM – 6 PM at one of the many bars at the event.
SPECIAL NOTE: ALL volunteer bartenders MUST be certified by TABC. Certification courses are online for $10.99 (Certifications are valid for two years) at http://learn2serve.com/lp-ppc/tabc-certification/
The general entrance will be on the corner of Preston St. and Smith St. and Uber/Lyft drop-offs should be in that area as well.
Parking is at Lyric Garage Parking or Alley Theatre Garage for a small fee.
***Volunteers should be prepared to stand for their entire shifts. There won’t be any chairs but you won’t miss any of the fun.
Please arrive 30 minutes in advance for your shift for sign in process and to receive your BOTB T-shirt.
Volunteer link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0845ADA822ABFA7-botb7
***** PLEASE indicate the organization for which you will be volunteering is UHLGBTQ AA. Please reach out to Sarah Thompson, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunter@bunniesonthebayou.com with any volunteer questions.
WHEN
Feb 12, 2022
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
WHERE
Papi’s
570 Waugh Dr
Houston, TX 77019
ABOUT THE EVENT
It’s that time again! Join us for fun, games and Cougar Spirit at the 5th Annual UH LGBTQ Alumni Association Bingo Fundraiser. Winners will take their pick at one of our fabulous prizes. A portion of the proceeds will directly benefit UH LGBTQ+ students with academic scholarships and emergency crisis aid.
Last year’s event was standing room only, so we encourage guests to buy in advance. Tickets will go on sale soon, so mark your calendars!
FOR EVENT DETAILS AND TO PURCHASE TICKETS CLICK HERE
EVENT CONTACT INFORMATION
PRIMARY CONTACT
Glynda McGinnis
glyndamcginnis@sbcglobal.net
SECONDARY CONTACT
Beth Kungel Borck
bkborck@uh.edu