COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

PRINS. MEMO NO. 43

October 19, 2004

ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE/SECONDARY

TO:	Principals
FROM:	Linda M. Wallinger Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
SUBJECT:	2005-2006 Gates Millennium Scholars Program

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program, funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding low-income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline area of interest. The award is also renewable for graduate study for those continuing scholars who choose one of the five graduate majors as their concentration: mathematics, science, engineering, education, or library science.

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) Program will select one thousand students per year as Gates Millennium Scholars. The scholarship supports the costs of college attendance and can be renewed each year during the scholars undergraduate program. GMS also provides leadership training through participation in a comprehensive leadership development program. Students are eligible to be considered for a GMS scholarship if they:

are African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American or Hispanic American;

are a citizen/legal permanent resident or national of the United States;

have attained a cumulative GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted) at the time of nomination;

will be entering a United States accredited college or university as full-time, degree seeking freshmen in the Fall of 2005;

have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular or other activities; and

meet the Federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria.

Awards will be based on the cost of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses for the 2005 academic year, as well as the availability of grants and other scholarships available to the scholars. Nomination forms are available at www.gmsp.org. The deadline for submission of nomination materials is January 14, 2005, 12:00 midnight (EST). If you have any questions about the program, please contact the Gates Millennium Scholars Program Office at (877) 960-4677 or by e-mail at info@gmsp.org.

For further information, please contact Dr. Shannon Bramblett (sbramble@mail.vak12ed.edu), migrant education specialist, office of program administration and accountability, at (804) 371-7579.

LMW/RLS/srb