This fund was created to provide stipends to students pursuing unpaid or聽below-market-pay internships with organizations that support the LGBTQ community. Starting in the Fall 2023 semester, students will be able to apply to聽receive the award for聽the Spring 2024 semester.
The annual award is named after聽the late Thomas聽R.聽Stephens, the attorney, author, artist, and gay聽rights philanthropist to such organizations as Freedom to Marry, Human聽Rights Campaign, and Lamdba Legal Defense Fund.
Tom聽graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado in 1974, and went on to achieve a Master鈥檚 Degree from Princeton, and Law Degree from Harvard.聽 After聽Princeton,聽Tom聽served as the Executive Director聽of the New Jersey State Parole Board where he was instrumental in聽rewriting New Jersey鈥檚 parole statute. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Civil聽Rights Civil Liberties Law聽Review.聽Tom聽was a partner聽at Kirkland and Ellis before he helped start the law firm Bartlit Beck.聽 He advised and counseled clients on corporate and securities law for聽more than 35 years.
Tom聽was a very humble person, but he was successful in every way imaginable. He was successful professionally, artistically, and in his聽relationship with his husband, Todd Enders. They biked on 6 continents, were patrons of the Denver聽Center聽for聽the Performing Arts and Colorado Symphony, and loyal C.U. football fans.聽Tom聽and Todd were together聽for聽36 magical years.
Thomas聽R.聽Stephens聽lived by the famous quote from Gandolf in Lord of the聽Rings, 鈥淎ll we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.鈥�
This award is made possible by聽Tom鈥檚 husband and soulmate, Todd Enders.