Meet the 2012 Point Scholars

Max Staebler

Darden Restaurants Point Scholar
Duke University
Biomedical Engineering

When Max Staebler came out to friends and family, he was embraced and encouraged by everyone — except his father, who is no longer part of his life. So Staebler decided to help others by getting involved in The Trevor Project and starting the first gay-straight alliance in his hometown of Bradenton, Florida. The GSA he started is a focal point of his high school's LGBT community. Staebler wrote and presented workshops focused on bullying and LGBT suicide. Max’s work with the Trevor Project's Youth Advisory Council has made it possible for him to become involved in advocacy through workshops, community events and a leadership position in the LGBTQ community of Bradenton, and elsewhere. Max will attend Duke University in the fall, pursuing a double major in Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry. He hopes to work on HIV/AIDS research.