6/20/2010

We might wonder how the United States got a technical advantage on the rest of the world. President Thomas Jefferson realized the significance in educating the masses in its ability to make America’s power triple what one might expect. Philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates understood Jefferson’s vision. Their foundation put up 1.6 billion dollars to the United Negro College Fund to reincarnate President Jefferson’s dream.

"The object [of my education bill was] to bring into action that mass of talents which lies buried in poverty in every country for want of the means of development, and thus give activity to a mass of mind which in proportion to our population shall be the double or treble of what it is in most countries." --Thomas Jefferson to M. Correa de Serra, 1817. 

The Gates’ effort led to, “FAIRFAX, VA (April 22, 2010) - UNCF—the United Negro College Fund—today announced that the nation’s largest minority scholarship program, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program(GMS), has awarded good-through-graduation college scholarships to this year’s cohort of 1,000 students. The Class of 2010 Gates Millennium Scholars represents 45 states, the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories: American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The scholarships can be used to pursue degrees in any undergraduate major at the college or university of the recipients’ choice.

“Established in 1999 with the goal of developing the next generation of America’s leaders, UNCF’s Gates Millennium Scholars Program is funded by a $1.6 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To date, over 13,000 students have received GMS scholarships, attending more than 1,500 schools, including Ivy League colleges, flagship state universities and UNCF member historically black colleges (HBCUs).

 “In addition to financial assistance, Gates Millennium Scholars receive academic support, mentoring and leadership training. As a result, recipients have an average five-year graduation rate of almost 80 percent, 45 percent higher than the six-year rate for all college students. . . .

“UNCF’s management of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program is a partnership with the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars (AIGCS), the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) and the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) to serve Gates Millennium Scholars in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 “Of all the ways to increase opportunities for lower-income youth, education is the most important,” said Margaret Daniels Tyler, Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation. “By supporting a diverse cadre of students to earn their degrees, we can help develop the next generation of leaders in communities across the country. That is what the Gates Millennium Scholars Program is all about.”

 I chat with Ed Mayfield who is the principal of Glasgow High School on his feelings about the direction of his school. I do not recall his ever boasting about their going after some athletic state championship.  He is always arguing the case of his efforts to improve the educational level at his school.  

Finally, I saw Mayfield radiate when he shared that Fidelia Bernice had become Delaware’s sole Gates Millennium Scholar. “Glasgow High School is proud to have a student receive this national award as well as being named a Gates School for 2010. Fidelia Bernice also was the valedictorian of the class, one of two of our students who received the Secretary of Education Scholars honor, and featured on [ABC Philadelphia] channel 6 Best of the class.”

The most significant leadership role that Fidelia Bernice is already playing today as a Gates Millennium Scholar is as an intellectual neighborhood symbol that shows being academically smart has its reward in socioeconomic stature that goes beyond family and friends cheering for you at your high school graduation.  Hopefully, one day we will be able to say Dr. Fidelia Bernice or Fidelia Bernice, Attorney at Law or Governor or President of the United States of America.