New Scholarships Expand Access to Higher Education for 1,000 Low-Income Minority Students

FAIRFAX, Va. - The fifth class of Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) was announced today. With these scholarships, 1,000 highly motivated low-income minority students from 46 states and the District of Columbia will be able to attend college without the burden of tuition—a barrier that often prevents qualified youth from earning their degree.

GMS scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students of color across the country who demonstrate academic excellence and strong leadership skills. Scholarships assist students in meeting the cost of attendance at the school of their choice. 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. The program also provides leadership development opportunities, to insure that scholars graduate prepared to become strong leaders in their professions and in their communities. 

“The GMS program is a critical step toward bringing true equity to the American educational system. As we continue the hard work of creating high quality high schools from which all students graduate ready for college and work, we must also aim to remove the financial barriers that prevent so many low income students from pursuing higher education,” said Jim Shelton, program director for education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which established the GMS program in 1999. “The Gates Millennium Scholars program reduces those financial barriers and allows high-achieving, low-income students to attend the college or university of their choice.”

The federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance reports that 4.4 million Americans will be unable to attend four-year colleges in this decade because of financial constraints. This is particularly disturbing at a time when jobs requiring a college degree are the fastest growing sector of the U.S. economy. Providing opportunities to young people is critical to the economic and civic health of the United States. According to recent research, by 2020, the nation may face a shortage of 14 million workers with college-level skills.

“The Gates Millennium Scholars program provides thousands of promising students of color with the opportunity to attend college and realize their tremendous potential,” said Dr. Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), which administers the GMS program in partnership with the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and the Organization of Chinese Americans.

To date, 9,050 African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American and Hispanic American students have received the Gates Millennium Scholarship and 2,741 scholars have graduated from their school of choice. By 2019, the scheduled end of the program, the $1 billion initiative will have helped more than 20,000 talented low-income students of color attend college, pursue their academic dreams, and embark upon their careers.

Candidates for the GMS award must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. Students must also meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria, have at least a 3.3 GPA (on a 4.0 scale), and have demonstrated leadership through community service or other extracurricular activities.

This year’s group of scholars was chosen from 46 states and Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Nomination materials for the 2006-2007 academic year will be available in the fall at www.gmsp.org.

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The United Negro College Fund (www.uncf.org), which was founded in 1944, is the nation’s oldest and most successful minority higher education assistance organization. UNCF raises funds to support its 39 member institutions and has helped more than 300,000 students earn undergraduate and graduate degrees. UNCF currently supports more than 65,000 students at over 950 colleges and universities nationwide and administers more than 450 programs, including scholarship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs.