O
ut of 1,000 scholarships awarded, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program chose seniors José Beleche and Janella Bermudez to receive full-ride scholarships. This program, created by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, provides 1,000 scholarships every year based on academic achievement, community service and leadership potential.
“I was excited, and the first thing I thought of was how I don’t have to worry about paying for anything anymore,” Bermudez said.
They will receive a good-through-graduation (or as some might say,
full-ride) scholarship to any college or university of their choosing. To qualify for the scholarship, they filled out an application with many essay questions.
“[The application process] was one of the longest applications I have done. They were very thorough,” Beleche said.
After graduation, Beleche will attend Whitman College and Bermudez will attend Gonzaga University.
