Gates Millennium Scholars Program

The scholarship was started in 1999 as a result of a $1 billion grant from Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The program is currently administered by the United Negro College Fund and partner organizations including the Hispanic Scholarship Fund,{{Cite web|url=http://www.hsf.net/|title=Welcome to Hispanic Scholarship Fund {{!}} HSF|website=www.hsf.net|access-date=2016-12-11}} APIA Scholars (formerly known as the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund),{{Cite web|url=http://www.apiascholars.org/|title=APIA Scholars|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}} and Native Forward (formerly known as the American Indian Graduate Center).{{Cite web|url=http://www.nativehforward.org|title=Native Forward|website=Native Forward|language=en-US|access-date=}} Since its inception, the scholarship has paid for more than 20,000 students to attend colleges and universities, and has awarded more than $614 million for education costs including tuition, fees, books and housing. There exist a total of 20,000 scholars as of the last cohort in the class of 2016. This was the original goal of the Foundation when starting this scholarship in 2000, ending in 2016.{{Cite news|url=http://www.gmsp.org/docs/press_releases/2016/Gates-Millennium-Scholars-Class-of-2016.pdf|title=UNCF Congratulates The Class of 2016 Gates Millennium Scholars|website=gmsp.org|access-date=2016-12-11}}

"It is critical to America's future that we draw from the full range of talent and ability to develop the next generation of leaders," said Gates, co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/|title=Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|website=Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|access-date=2016-12-11}} "The Millennium Scholars program is intended to ensure that we build a stronger America through improved educational opportunities."{{cite web|url=https://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases/1999/09/New-Millennium-Scholars-Program|title=Bill and Melinda Gates Announce New Millennium Scholars Program to Bridge the Gap in Access to Higher Education|website=Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation}}

In establishing the scholarship, Gates Millennium Scholars, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation hoped to create a network of future leaders from around the world who would bring new vision and commitment to improving the life circumstances of citizens in their respective countries.{{Cite news|url=http://www.gmsp.org/uncf/|title=UNCF|newspaper=GMS|access-date=2016-12-11|archive-date=2016-12-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221002012/http://www.gmsp.org/uncf/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases/2004/06/Gates-Millennium-Scholars-Program-Awards-New-Scholarships|title=Gates Millennium Scholars Program Awards New Scholarships to 1,000 Low-Income Minority Students|website=Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation|access-date=2016-12-11}} Over time, it is anticipated that Gates Scholars will become leaders in all their respective fields, and will help to address global problems related to health, equity, technology, and learning{{Cite news|url=http://www.gmsp.org/whats-new/|title=What's New|newspaper=GMS|access-date=2016-12-11|archive-date=2016-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208001951/http://www.gmsp.org/whats-new|url-status=dead}} - all areas in which the Foundation is deeply engaged.

To meet the minimum qualifications for the scholarship award, applicants must be high school seniors with at least a cumulative 3.3 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale, eligible for the Federal Pell Grant, and plan to enroll full-time at an accredited U.S. college or university.{{Cite news|url=http://www.gmsp.org/gates-millennium-scholars-program/|title=Gates Millennium Scholars Program|newspaper=GMS|access-date=2016-12-11|archive-date=2016-12-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221001649/http://www.gmsp.org/gates-millennium-scholars-program/|url-status=dead}} Additionally, applicants must be a citizen, national or legal permanent resident of the United States, and be of African American,{{Cite web|url=https://scholarships.uncf.org/Program/Details/2bfd8f53-40aa-4705-9f8b-d92d972e59df|title=Gates Millennium Scholars Program 2015|website=scholarships.uncf.org|access-date=2016-11-30|archive-date=2016-11-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118153729/https://scholarships.uncf.org/Program/Details/2bfd8f53-40aa-4705-9f8b-d92d972e59df|url-status=dead}} American Indian/Alaska Native,{{Cite web|url=http://collegefund.org/|title=American Indian College Fund {{!}} Native American Scholarships|website=American Indian College Fund {{!}} Native American Scholarships|language=en-US|access-date=2016-11-30}} Asian-Pacific Islander{{Cite web|url=http://www.apiasf.org/scholarship_gms.html|title=APIASF: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund. Today's Minds, Tomorrow's Future®|website=www.apiasf.org|access-date=2016-11-30|archive-date=2016-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212231411/http://apiasf.org/scholarship_gms.html|url-status=dead}} or Hispanic American heritage.{{Cite web|url=http://hsf.net/en/scholarships/programs/the-gates-millennium-scholarship|title=The Gates Millennium Scholarship {{!}} HSF|website=hsf.net|access-date=2016-11-30|archive-date=2016-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202205803/http://hsf.net/en/scholarships/programs/the-gates-millennium-scholarship/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gmsp.org/publicweb/aboutus.aspx |title=About Us |publisher=Gmsp.org |accessdate=6 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206005327/http://gmsp.org/publicweb/aboutus.aspx |archivedate=6 February 2015 }} Ideally, applicants should be able to provide strong examples of personal success and growth (emotional maturity, motivation, preservation, etc.) and demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship|title = Gates: Scholarship}}

The scholarship program is highly competitive with only 1,000 students selected out of over 50,000 applicants.{{Cite web|url=https://lompocrecord.com/news/local/education/two-lompoc-high-students-to-receive-gates-scholarships/article_ee03bfa4-07fa-5ef1-8c76-ce18de19394e.html|title=Two Lompoc High students to receive Gates scholarships}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bridgeportdiocese.org/fairfield-student-named-gates-millennium-scholar/|title = Fairfield Student Named Gates Millennium Scholar|date = 27 May 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://ocgnews.com/rcps-seniors-named-gates-millennium/|title = RCPS seniors named Gates Millennium|date = 24 May 2016}} GMS scholars who choose to pursue graduate studies in the areas of education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health and science are eligible to receive continued funding.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://gmsp.org/ Official website]

Category:Scholarships in the United States

Category:Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation