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University of Hawai'i |
(808) 956-8856 Telephone |
For Immediate Release: |
October 25, 1999 |
Contact: Ronna Bolante, University Relations, phone 956-3967; fax 956-3441; http://www.gmsp.org/index.html
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| Gates Foundation offers minority scholarships to 1,000 students each year |
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced the formation of the Gates Millennium Scholars program, which will provide financial assistance to minority students for attendance at the undergraduate or graduate institutions of their choice. Over the next 20 years the $1 billion program will fund the education of 20,000 minority students who would otherwise be excluded from obtaining higher education.
"This new scholarship will help not only in terms of giving financial assistance, but it also gives hope," says Amy Agbyani, director of the UH Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity program.
To be eligible for the program, minority college students must be U.S. citizens, have a minimum GPA of 3.3, be planning to continue undergraduate study or enroll in graduate school for the academic year 2000-2001, demonstrate significant financial need and exhibit leadership through community service.
Undergraduate scholarships are unrestricted in terms of area of study, but scholars must be enrolled in a full-time program. In order to renew the scholarships annually, scholars must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Graduate scholars must be enrolled in a full-time program of study in the fields of engineering, mathematics, science, education or library science.
Scholarships are administered by the United Negro College Fund with participation from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the American Indian Scholarship Fund. Applications will be made available on Nov. 2 at http://www.gmsp.org/index.html. The deadline for the Gates Millennium Scholars program is Feb. 1, 2000.
"Many of our Hawai'i residents are in these minority categories,
so Hawaii'i will benefit a great deal," Agbayani says. "Many students
at the University of Hawai'i could qualify, so this is a tremendous resource
for Hawai'i kids to go to college."
-UH-
