When analyzing education, Dr. Luis Urrieta, Jr, Professor of Cultural Studies in Education at UT Austin and Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient, is a professor not afraid to bring the truth. Through his curriculum, his students identify how inequality creates barriers to minorities’ education. Professor Urrieta’s course discovers the power structures that were placed in the education system and its critical history.

This could be a touchy topic for some when thinking about the past and present challenges of minorities in American education, but looking into this perpetual issue is essential. Professor Urrieta’s students are able to analyze and reflect on the interactions of minority communities and how they were affected.

Urrieta not only pushes his students to be future educators but also inspires future generations to become advocates. By giving his students a first hand experience, they are able to witness how their community could be both an asset and a barrier.

According to Medium, Urrieta started this course thirteen years ago. The framework involves taking his students to different communities and schools. For instance, one of their visits was Austin’s Zavala Elementary, which was originally built for students as a segregated school for Mexican-American students. Additionally, their trip to George Sanchez’ civil rights activism for Latinx communities was another great example of how minorities were affected by the education system.

The class studied the archives of Sanchez’s work at the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection where they critically analyzed reports and photos on Texas’ segregated education system. This gave them a better understanding of how minority communities were affected and how those interactions shaped education in America today.

At the end of the semester, in a field report, the students critically analyze, reflect, and describe their findings of how race is connected to education. By visiting and volunteering at schools, they are able to gain a deeper perception of the current education system.

According to Medium, Urrieta’s goal is to make sure his students become advocates for minority students through their own curriculum as professors.

For more information on Professor Urrieta‘s curriculum on Medium, click here.

Photo credit: Medium

 

It was in college where Anita Kiteau-Tuiaki, Tongan EdD student identified her passion for making a difference in people’s lives. During her undergraduate years at the University of Utah, through student affairs, student government, and student housing, Kiteau-Tuiaki knew she wanted to leave an impact on students and guide them into elevated leadership and higher education.

“Success is not about your net worth, but the meaningful relationships you develop and the difference you make in peoples’ lives,” Kiteau-Tuiaki affirms.

With the support of her grandparents and her mom as motivation, Kiteau-Tuiaki was also granted the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship to fund both her undergraduate and graduate degrees.

In a South Pacific Islander article, Kiteau-Tuiaki explains how she was able to receive over $37,000 in scholarships:

“I was blessed to have a cousin who worked in higher education and encouraged me to look into scholarships. Thanks to him and some of my high school counselors and teachers, I decided to apply to every scholarship under the sun at East High School. I applied to all sorts of scholarships and was grateful to land many of them. I received a full-ride scholarship to the University of Utah in addition to becoming a Gates Millennium Scholar and a Ronald McDonald scholar.”

After her Business degree, she then pursued a Master’s of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Utah in 2012.  After receiving more funding from the Gates Millennium Scholarship in 2014, she started her EdD at Northcentral University with a focus on Leadership in Higher Education. Currently, she is in her last year of the program where she applies theories to the field work in order to make real change happen for the misrepresented.

Today, Kiteau-Tuiaki focuses on how to increase Pacific Islanders’ college graduation rates. Due to inaccurate data, diversity challenges, and other reasons, their college graduation rates are lower than the national average. Kiteau-Tuiaki aims to share her research on the first-year college experience of Pacific Islanders in order to resolve this issue and let their stories be told.

“We bring with us a wealth of cultural assets to thrive in academia while combating systemic oppression and navigating oceans of opportunity. We have a rich history and our stories need to be told by us. Hence, I’m specifically conducting my research on the first-year college experience of Pacific Islander students and how those experiences contribute to their college success. I’m giving them an opportunity to tell their own stories.”

Written by Mashari Grissom

For more information on Anita sharing her experience on transitioning to the U.S and pursuing higher education, click here for the full South Pacific Islander interview.

Featured Image: via South Pacific Islander

 

Through hard work and dedication, Sikander “Sonny” Khan knew he wanted to delve into medicine or business  in order to help people in need.

“I really wanted to find an opportunity where I could help people, because I saw what business could do from the visions that I had for it and my father had for it, and I saw what medicine could do in the sense that it was helping people like my dad … I realized the impact I could have, and decided I wanted to do that through business or medicine. I ultimately decided on business, because I felt like you could do more with it, and it was more suited for my skill set.”

Khan and his colleagues created the Paani organization in order to alleviate the water crisis in Pakistan. As a Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient and Business major at University of Michigan, he launched this organization as a student.

During a Michigan Daily interview, Khan elaborated on his views.

“Considering the amount of resources and volunteers and knowledge the University has, we decided we wanted to do something to help Pakistan.”

Paani is a non-profit organization that seeks to assist the people of Pakistan with the water crisis by raising money for wells and spreading awareness about this critical issue.  As co-founder, Khan strives to improve the sanitation issues in Pakistan by providing a space for solutions while educating local and international communities. With the number of other problems the country faces like electricity and lack of education, surprisingly, the water crisis hasn’t been effectively addressed. According to the article, many Pakistanis weren’t aware of the severity of the crisis until Khan’s organization, Paani was founded. Fortunately, the Prime Minister brought it to the public’s attention according to Michigan Daily.

Besides Paani, Khan started two other non-profit organizations: IceVax and Project United. In order to increase immunization rates, IceVax was launched to provide a box that will keep vaccines cool when being transported in Pakistan, Yemen, and Uganda. After seeing Khan’s efforts, the Barger Leadership Institute awarded his project $10,000.

But it doesn’t stop there, Khan’s other organization, Project United was created to make sure money didn’t interfere with high school students’ academic success like the college application process.

“It really makes you aware…that knowledge, mentorship and finance is a big advantage. Growing up, I didn’t really think it was a big deal until I got to the application process and I realized how a lot of people knew what they were doing. There’s all these different microluxuries that serve as barriers that you might not be aware of.”

While, Project United assists high school students with resources they need in order to succeed, Khan continues pursue his degree in Business Administration with minor in Public Health and Islamic Studies. Through diligence and consistency, Khan aims to help people of all ages through medicine, educational resources, and awareness.

For more information on the Paani Project or Michigan Daily’s full article, click here.

Written by Mashari Grissom

featured image credits: Annie Klus/Daily

 

 

A true leader looks out for those in need, and Robert did just that. New York University’s Stern School of Business Graduate and Gates Millennium Scholar, Robert Lee is the co-founder and CEO of Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, (R.L.C.)

Shortly after graduating college, Robert landed a job at JP Morgan, while launching Rescuing Leftover Cuisine part-time. Taking what he learned from his former employer, he left J.P. Morgan in 2014 to run RLC full-time. According to its website, Robert and co-founder, Louisa Chen used the funds they won at a venture competition during their last year at NYU.

Did you know, that in the United States, 90 billion pounds of food is wasted every year?

True in it’s name, the Rescuing Leftover Cuisine is a food rescue non-profit that picks up leftover cuisine and brings it directly to homeless shelters and soup kitchens.

Unlike other charity organizations, Robert and his team focuses on both the homelessness and the environmental impact of food waste. In such little time, RLC has grown from a team of one to eight, together they transport the food directly to homeless shelters and soup kitchens either by bike, foot, carts, and sometimes with their bare hands.

On May 21 2019, Lee was granted the opportunity to be featured on the Rachel Ray show.

In efforts to feed the homeless Robert and his team uses direct food rescue methods by transporting leftover cuisine in the most environmentally and cost-friendly ways possible. Robert spoke more about the company’s mission:

RLC is a non-profit organization that brings excess food from restaurants, catering companies and other food establishment to people who need it at homeless shelters and food pantries.

On the show’s highlighted article, Rachel Ray announced that Wholesome Cereals and Snacks’ Believe In Better campaign donated $5,000 to Robert’s RLC company.

The Executive Program Director of the Church of the Village also shared some words on RLC:

“[RLC] brings feeds about 500 people, but it also gives them a sense of normalcy.  How amazing is that? Because we were so inspired by Robert’s dedication, we had to help reward him somehow,” stated Teresa Conceptión.

It takes pure leadership and a heart of gold to quit your day job and dedicate your time and money to public service instead. Robert Lee’s #RescuingLeftoverCuisine is dedicated to make any office food-waste-free by donating your leftovers to feed the hungry of your community! Find out how you could help here.

For more information on this Rachel Ray Show episode, click here.

Written by Mashari Grissom

photo credits: Rachel Ray show/featured image from RLC website

 

Born and raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, Kiana Davis won the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship (GMS)  and graduated from Barnard College in New York City with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Committed to discover ways to successfully help others overcome childhood adversity, she’s currently obtaining a masters in public health at Emory University.

Today, Davis serves as a guest speaker at receptions, conferences, luncheons and at public schools to inform the youth on overcoming childhood trauma, resilience, and the importance of guidance counselors. According to Daily Journal, Davis has taught high school students on goal-setting, healthy relationships, career readiness and life skills.

Despite the unfortunate experiences of witnessing domestic violence in her home, being homeless, and seeing her mother struggle with mental health, Davis still pushed through the adversity! In addition, her godmother provided a safe haven where she could ride her bike, make chalk drawings and dig in the garden as a child.

“During my junior year of high school- a particularly rough point in my life- I was recruited by the LEDA Scholars program. That summer, I attended LEDA’s seven week leadership intensive at Princeton University and returned home to Mississippi for my senior year of high school.”

 

Davis was able to identify and bond with the other students in the program because they shared similar life experiences while understanding her background in ways her classmates couldn’t. School also became her safe zone through times of trouble, thanks to her teachers who supported her with love.

After college, she worked at nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C., and Tupelo. She was able to land her first job at Libra Group where she worked as a Project Manager and then as a Communications Executive.  Her recent work as a Field Educator for Families First for Mississippi in Tupelo expanded her passion in positive youth development programs.

“This job was on the ground level. It gave me a lot of respect for social workers and field educators. You don’t work in this profession unless you have a big heart.”

For more information on Kiana Davis visit her website or view the full article on Daily Journal. Davis created her website to empower, inform and motivate others on things she has learned during her rocky journey.

Written by Mashari Grissom

 

How We Got Here

In 1999, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation established the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program a $1.6 billion grant to promote academic excellence and provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need. In one decade, thousands of GMS recipients completed undergraduate and graduate education, and there emerged a desire to connect this body. Thus, with support from the Gates Millennium Scholars Program Staff, The GMS Alumni Association (GMSAA) was established in 2009.

In 2016, GMS selected it’s final cohort of scholarship recipient, with an estimate of sun-setting the program after these scholars completed their programs (2028-2029). This led to conversations on the future of GMSAA. In effort to gather alumni input for the future of the alumni association, as well as community priorities, GMSAA conducted a nationwide survey in early 2017. Out of the 500 alumni, they responded that they would like an organization that provides professional development, incorporates civic engagement and advocacy, and promotes economic empowerment. This survey also demonstrated a strong interest from GMS Alumni to continue to build and connect our community.

GMSAA was designed to make certain that alumni across the country are connected through activities led by selected alumni leaders. Through an array of engagement activity, including regional alumni gatherings, social media interactions, and webinars with content important to our community, the association seeks to ensure that the GMS Alumni community remains strong, connected, and supportive of fostering leaders in action across the nation. The GMS Alumni Advisory Council is represented nation-wide by an Executive Committee and subcommittees on alumni engagement, fundraising, and new org development. The Gates Millennium Scholars Alumni Advisory Council is comprised of alumni from every major geographical location across the United States.

With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and GMS Program Staff, GMSAA embarked on creating this future that our alumni envisioned. GMSAA established a Steering Committee and will work hand-hand to establish the foundations to make the new organization successful. The GMS program will sunset in 2029 with the completion of funding of the final cohort (2016). What does this mean for Gates Millennium Scholars Alumni and the legacy of the program?

Where Are We Now:

In March 2019, Gates Millennium Scholars Alumni Advisory Council, Steering Committee, and GMS Program Staff convened in Washington, D.C., to discuss the framework for the future organization. The Steering Committee shared a two-year roadmap on how we’ll establish a nonprofit (501c3) organization. Together, we aligned on a Mission, Vision, and Purpose for the new organization, as well as three guiding pillars:

    • Professional and Personal Development
    • Civic Engagement and Advocacy
    • Economic Empowerment

 

 

NEXT STEPS

The Steering Committee is currently working to establish an independent organization with 501c3 status and will continue to partner with GMSAA/GMS Program Staff on the transition. In late 2020 to early 2021, GMSAA and the Steering Committee will merge into one, and the new organization will standing.

FAQs

Who’s involved and why?

The GMSAA Advisory Council and Steering Committee are involved in establishing the new entity and communicating updates with both GMSAA and GMS program staff. Members of the GMSAA Advisory Council were elected by the outgoing council, and members of the steering committee were appointed by outgoing GMSAA Advisory Council and UNCF.

How can I participate?

At this time we are identifying and welcoming GMS Alumni to participate in one of three GMSAA sub-committees: (i) Fundraising, (ii) Alumni Engagement, including Social & Service and Professional Development, and (iii) New Org. Development. More information on roles and responsibilities will be shared on social media and alumni communication.

Where can I access more information?

Please contact the GMSAA Advisory Council at gmsaa.exec@gmail.com for more information. To reach the GMS Program Staff, please contact alumni@gmsp.org

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the new organization development and sustainability by clicking here!

 

Written by Mashari Grissom

Web Experience Designer, Storyteller, and Photographer, Quinnton Harris is one of a kind. Though he graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his passion later directed him towards brand marketing. He became the first Creative Director at Blavity, a tech company focused on creating content for African American millennials. Additionally, he was able to explore his talents in companies like Bevel and Form Beauty.

Just right after graduating MIT, things started booming for Harris. Before being promoted as a Junior Art Director at Digitas, (a global marketing and tech agency,)  he began as an intern.

His participation in creating a Taco Bell mobile app became worthwhile. It was the first time customers at a major fast food chain could order their food before entering the store.

In November 2018,  entrepreneurs met at San Francisco to attend AfroTech’s Conference, where Quinnton presented his story and perspective.

Afrotech Conference via Quinton H. Instagram

His eye for storytelling through photography also makes him unique. Through this, he created a photojournalism platform for his artwork called “The Griot Project” on Instagram.

 

Photography By Quinton Harris

 

Quinnton discovered his interest for math and science in elementary school. According to the The Village Free Press, his teachers at Proviso East High School was full aware of his intellectual proclivity as a honor student which led him into entering MIT’s Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science summer program.

 

Photography By Quinton Harris

 

The program was used as a way to expose high-achieving minority talent to the multi-faceted platforms of engineering. After dealing with personal battles like the passing of his grandmother and struggles of his experience living in Maywood Chicago, Harris still pushed through. He applied to 20 universities despite the fear of not being able to afford the tuition. He later got accepted to MIT with a full ride thanks to the Gates Millennium Scholarship and 80% of the attendance costs from the university.

“That was a game changer. I remember putting my mind to it, like I’m going to do this and it happened. I couldn’t even believe that it happened!”

 

An eye for connecting people and their emotions with products, Quinnton continues to use his talents at companies who aim to promote the faces of Black leadership in corporate America. He is the prime example of creating lanes for yourself regardless of your past or limitations that face you.

He currently resides in the San Francisco, Bay Area where he continues to follow his passion in designing brands and creative direction.

You can find more of Quinnton’s photography on griotproject via Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Mashari Grissom

sources used: village free press, Featured Image photography by Tamara Rose, OME, and VSCO

 

 

 

Written by Mashari Grissom

“Mass Communications in itself is one of the most competitive fields to land a job or opportunity in,” stated by many scholars and graduates throughout the world who delve into media careers. But with fear, comes faith, take Thomas Manglona II, for example. For the first time since 2013, a UC Berkeley student has won the exclusive Truman Scholarship, a grant intended for public service leaders. Thomas is a Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient and media studies student of University of California, Berkeley who’s already ahead of the game!

Thomas was awarded Truman Scholarship along with 61 students from 346 colleges. The applicants were from a pool of 840 students; while the scholarship provides financial support, it also offers priority admission at some of the elite graduate programs.

“This scholarship not only means that graduate school is more of a possibility, but also that I am able to learn and gain skills to be a better journalist for our communities,” stated Thomas.

According to the Truman Foundation’s website, “They were chosen by sixteen independent selection panels based on the finalists’ academic success and leadership accomplishments, as well as their likelihood of becoming public service leaders.”

Born and raised from the island of Rota of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. Territory in the Western Pacific, Thomas started reporting at an early age. Like most people, while enrolling in college, the decision of choosing your major is always a tough one. On the contrary, Thomas was already aware of his passion in media since elementary school!  In middle school, he began writing on his personal blog and composing stories on various topics. Inspired by investigative reporting on television, he aimed to be beat the odds.

No reporter resides and no newspaper is printed in my hometown.

Through high school, he started reporting for the Marianas Variety and Saipan Tribune. After landing an entry-level position a Pacific News Center he eventually became an on-air correspondent for their ABC7 and FOX6 platforms.  There is no easy way to gain access to media careers, entertainment gigs, and opportunities in production. But most mass media scholars and recent graduates are preparing for their dream roles with their own resources such as blogs, social media, and networking. So with preparation comes diligence, and Thomas did just that.

Today, Thomas is the Executive Director of CalTV where he manages 100 students on campus to produce content in news, sports, and entertainment.

His expertise of article writing is human interest stories, the environment, government, and other local news.

“I recently co-founded Oceania Connects in an effort to reclaim and rewrite Pacific Islander narratives,” stated Thomas on his official media website. In efforts to raise awareness of community issues of the island,  he creates solutions for higher education and opportunity.

Besides media, he is also minoring in Comparative Ethnic Studies at UC Berkley. Thomas serves as an organizer for the Asian-Pacific American Student Development office. One of the components in his vision involves working to improve Islander representation on a national level as he continues to produce, shoot, and edit his stories as a multi-media journalist. For more information on Manglona’s journey of multi-media, past, and present projects visit his website here.

Written by Mashari Grissom

sources: Marianas Variety and Thomas Manglona website

While many students shy away from hard work during their spring vacation, a growing number of young adults use their spring academic recess to embrace community goals aimed to serve a greater good. Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) are known to be selected based on the strength of their academic achievement and demonstrated leadership skills, yet acceptance of the Gates scholarship award also demands a commitment to service.

This year’s Alternative Spring Break (ASB) was held in the Nation’s capital of Washington, DC during the week of March 17-23rd. With over a week-long of workshops, panel discussions, and engaging activities, about 65 scholars traveled from different parts of United States to meet at Washington D.C.

 

Scholars were divided into 4 teams: blue, green, yellow, and red. As the four teams got their hands dirty throughout the day, their collective mission was to  serve the community at local sites including Capital Area Food Bank, Boys and Girls Club, DC Scholars, Salvation Army, Brookland Middle School, Cardozo Education Campus and a visit to The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

 

The GMS Alternative Spring Break (ASB) Program is a service-learning program that provides Gates Scholars with an opportunity to explore social issues through meaningful service, education and community empowerment. Friendships were made and the smiles were created as scholars even spoke to the students from schools about college readiness and leadership. As they painted recreation rooms, designed bulletin-themed boards and even built arcade systems for afterschool programs, the last ASB program was one to remember!

 

 

Take a look back on previous Alternative Spring Break Service Trips:

 

ASB 2017

ASB 2016

 

ASB 2013

ASB 2011

Photos used: Art Trends Photography

 

 

Cinthia Manuel, Director of Emerging Leaders for Portland Leadership Foundation is a founding member of the Gates Millennium Scholarship Alumni Association (GMS). In 2015, she acted as the Vice President of the Alumni Association until 2017. Before she became a GMS Scholar in 2001, at the age of thirteen she moved to the United States from Mexico with her parents and sister. As the first-generation college student, she earned her undergraduate degree from Linfield College and pursued her Master’s in Business Administration from George Fox University. Specializing in strategic planning, marketing, communications, account management, her passion is shown through diversity initiatives and mentoring.

Today, she is the Director of Internships for the Emerging Leadership Internship Program, an initiative of the Portland Leadership Foundation. Manuel provides pathways to leadership opportunities for aspiring professionals by speaking at local high schools. Through her initiatives, she promotes the awareness of post-secondary education, scholarship, and college readiness to parents and high school students.

According to Medium, after her success in Fortune 500 companies such as Xerox and Hewlett-Packard, Regence BlueCross BlueShield, and Oregon’s Health CO-OP, she then explored the nonprofit life.

 

“I believe in the work of Portland Leadership Foundation because we strengthen communities by shaping and arming diverse leaders with tools to break invisible barriers with knowledge, passion, humility, and servant leadership.”

Due to her strong passion in higher education, she has been featured in the Jopwell online community and other scholarship blogs. She has also served on the Board of Directors for INROADS Oregon, Portland ALPFA, and George Fox University Advisory Board.

Cinthia’s strong work ethic and selfless ability allows her to provide for the city of Portland while opening doors and creating opportunity for traditional and non-traditional college students. When she isn’t working Cinthia is an outdoor enthusiast who  enjoys running half-marathons on her free time and kickboxing.

Check out the full interview between Cinthia and Ryan Buchanan to get more information, as well as their conversation on the Faces of Marketing podcast via Soundcloud.