This years Gates Millennium Scholarship recipients received recognition from CPS CEO Arne Duncan and Mary Williams a Gates representative for their achievements at a breakfast held at the Marriot Chicago on Tuesday, June 3, 2008.

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS), established in 1999, was initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The goal of GMS 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 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;and
• Providing seamless support from undergraduate through doctoral programs, for students selected as Gates Scholars entering target disciplines.

The GMS Scholarship Award Provides:

• Support for the cost of education by covering unmet need and self-help;
• Renewable awards for Gates Scholars maintaining satisfactory academic progress;
• Graduate school funding for continuing Gates 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.

Congratulations to all those awarded.

	Courtnie Akande of Morgan Park attending Univ. of IL at Urbana Champaign
	Martin Behena of Juarez attending Depaul Univ.
	Nancy Barajas of Juarez attending Depaul Univ.
	Carlos Barcenas of Juarez attending Univ. of IL at Urbana Champaign
	Lucero Castillo of Taft attending Northern IL Univ.
	Ashley Clark of School of Leadership attending Olivet Nazarene Univ.
	Gregory Copley of Manley attending Perdue Univ. / Calumet
	Kayla Davidson of North Lawndale attending Dartmouth College

	Baaba Grant of Bogan attending Howard Univ.
	Jenelle Greene of Simeon attending Dartmouth College
	Chauncey Harrison of Hope attending Univ. of Chicago
	Isabel Juarez of Schurz attending American Univ.
	Sakima Kazmi of Sullivan attending Univ. of Chicago
	Jasmine Lane of New Millenium attending Michigan State Univ.
	Danielle Lavigne of King attending Oral Roberts Univ.
	Erick Montenegro of Hubbard attending Univ. of IL at Urbana Champaign
	Cynthia Montoya of Noble Street attending DePauw Univ.
	Chinonyelum Nwosu of Morgan Park attending Univ. of IL at Urbana Champaign
	Latreal Peterson of Hope attending Univ. of WI at Madison
	Laruen Roman of Roosevelt attending Univ. of IL at Urbana Champaign
	Sable Sanders of Hope attending Bradley Univ.
	Hana Zegeye of Walter Payton attending Yale Univ.

Not Pictured:
Kascha Fuller of Michele Clark attending Howard Univ.
Denise Holman of Prosser attending Howard Univ.
Jennifer Lampton of Curie attending Univ. of San Francisco
Berthine Njiemoun of Gwendolyn Brooks attending Univ. of Chicago