Southern High School senior Autumn Jackson has been named a winner of a prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship that will pay the bulk of her expenses for undergraduate, graduate school, and post-graduate education, as well as related costs.
Autumn is the eighth county student in the last five years to claim one of the 1,000 scholarships awarded to seniors across the nation annually by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Twenty-five Maryland students received Gates Millennium Scholarships this year – up from 15 last year – but Autumn is the only winner in Anne Arundel County.
Autumn was nominated for the scholarship by school counselor Susannah Lane-Sullivan, who wrote in her recommendation letter: “Although Autumn sees that the world is not always kind, she does not let that stand in the way of her accomplishing her academic dreams. She is a leader in every sense of the word, not only because of her outstanding academic accomplishments, but also because of her character.”
Southern High School Principal Kevin Hamlin echoed that sentiment.
“Autumn represents the best of what we expect from our students,” he said. “This scholarship allows her to pursue her dreams and to focus on her education. I expect great things from her.”
Gates Millennium Scholarships can be used to pursue degrees in any undergraduate major at any accredited college or university. Continuing Gates Scholars can also request funding for a graduate degree program in certain areas of study. The total value of the scholarship can be as much as $1 million.
The Class of 2016, which was selected from a pool of 53,000 applicants, will be the final cohort of Gates Millennium Scholars, as the program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has met its goal of honoring 20,000 students. The goal of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with financial need to reach their highest potential by:
- Increasing the representation of these target groups of students in the disciplines of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health, and the sciences; and
- Providing seamless support from undergraduate through doctoral programs.
For more information on the Gates Millennium Scholars, visit www.gmsp.org.