Gates Millennium Scholars Program The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program, established in 1999, is a 1.6 billion dollar initiative funded by grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.The Goal: The goal of the GMS program is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential by:Reducing financial barriers for African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American and Hispanic American students with high academic and leadership promise who have significant financial need.Increasing the representation of these target groups in the disciplines of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health and the sciences, where these groups are severely underrepresented.Developing a diversified cadre of future leaders for America by facilitating successful completion of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.Providing seamless support from undergraduate through doctoral programs for students selected as Gates Millennium Scholars entering target disciplines. The GMS Scholarship Benefits: Support for the cost of education by covering unmet need and self-help aid.Renewable awards for Gates Millennium Scholars maintaining satisfactory academic progress.Graduate school funding for continuing Gates Millennium Scholars in the areas of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.Leadership development programs with distinctive personal, academic and professional growth opportunities. GMS Program Accomplishments: GMS selected 1,000 new Scholars each year and we are now funding over 20,000 Gates Scholars since 2000.Approximately 54% of scholars are first-generation students – the first ones in their families to go to college.The average undergraduate GPA is just over 3.0.The average first-year undergraduate student retention rate is 96.2% (Active or deferment) among Gates Scholars; the average second-year rate is 93.2% (Active/Deferment).The six-year graduation rate is nearly 90%, compared to the 58% of all college students in America (for low-income students specifically, the number is around 41%).Nearly 37.5% percent of Gates Millennium Scholars transition into graduate school after earning a Bachelor’s degrees.Gates Millennium Scholars have enrolled in 1,742 different colleges and universities.14,677 Gates Millennium Scholars have completed a degree since the Program’s inception.Of the active entering Freshmen in the 2015 cohort, 40.9% (n=399) are attending highly selective colleges which admit one-third or fewer of their applicants. 51.1% (n=499) are attending colleges which admit 40% or fewer of their applicants. 58.7% (n=574) are attending colleges which admit less than half of their applicants.Gates Scholars have come from all 50 states and all American territories and commonwealths. GMS APIASF Staff Members Noël Harmon President & Executive DirectorElena Anderson Chief Operating OfficerKalindi Doshi Campus Engagement ManagerMelissa May Program DirectorArianne Martin Program ManagerLeangelo Acuna Program Assistant GMS AIGCS Staff Members Angelique Albert Executive DirectorVacant Chief Operating OfficerChrista Moya Director of Financial Aid & Student ServicesJinky Tenorio ControllerGabriel Bell Campus Engagement ManagerMichael Bates Academic AdvisorNancy Moreno Accounting AssistantAdele Begay IT AssistantErin Griego Executive AssistantVina Chavez Receptionist GMS HSF Staff Members Fidel Vargas CEOVictoria Hardy Senior Vice President, Finance & AccountingMaria Iraheta Manager, FinanceDaniel Edeza Senior Vice President, Scholarship ProgramsDaniel Garcia Vice President, Scholarship Administration and ProcessingNicole Alonzo Senior Manager, Scholarship Administration and ProcessingMireya Saldana Campus Engagement ManagerTania Ramirez Analyst, Scholarship Administration and ProcessingCristina Magana Assistant, Scholarship Administration and ProcessingJanelyn Amaya Assistant, Scholarship Administration and Processing GMS Staff Members GMSLarry Griffith Senior Vice PresidentMeredith Tatum Senior Admin AssistantBarry Nagle Senior Research Associate Outreach and RecruitmentMary Williams DirectorTanika Mangum Relationship Manager Operations DepartmentJulie Kim Executive DirectorJay Kohn Senior Relationship ManagerDamien Nugent Director, Financial AidDonna Pascua Senior Relationship ManagerJohn Llewellyn Senior Business AnalystMartha Bryant Program Assistant Leadership Development StaffKelvin Harris DirectorJustin Bailey Relationship ManagerAaron Stallworth Senior Relationship Manager for Alumni RelationsStar Mayo Program Assistant Advisory Council Youlonda Copeland-Morgan Vice Provosts for Enrollment UCLA Curtiss Takada Rooks Associate Dean Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts Loyola Marymount University Sara Barnett Director, Center for Tribal Studies Northeastern State University Yolanda Zepeda Assistant Provost Ohio State University Alvin Warren Program Officer for New Mexico Program W.K. Kellogg Frank Sanchez President Rhode Island College