Azusa, Calif.— Azusa resident and Gladstone High School senior Marcela Aguilera is 1 of 1000 students across the nation named as a 2010 Gates Millennium Scholar. She is the third Azusa student to receive this honor.
The Gates Millennium Scholarship provides support by covering tuition and other college expenses from freshman year through graduation. It is the largest minority scholarship program in the U.S. that provides scholarships to help students pursue an undergraduate degree at their school of choice, while also providing academic support, mentoring, and leadership training.
Aguilera plans to attend APU in the fall in order to pursue nursing. She describes APU as her dream school.
"I love the fact that APU provides the opportunity to share my passion for God's love with others and spread His word to other individuals and reach lives for His kingdom," Aguilera wrote in an essay. "My inspiration is to grow in my career as a geriatric nurse and reach a bright future impacting others. APU is a place where my professors will take part in my life and walk me through the steps to graduate and pursue my chosen career."
During Aguilera's time at Gladstone, she excelled as a student. In addition, and she volunteered in a wide range of activities that earned her recognition from the school district as the Master of Ceremonies for the 2010 Hands Across Azusa, an annual celebration honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Aguilera's volunteer work included serving more than 550 hours at Foothill Nursing and Rehab Center as well as the Intergrading Rehabilitation Center, where she cared for the elders and patients, planned various activities, and did patient assessment. Additionally, she was also a part of the Kaiser Youth Program as a Kaiser Permanente Summer Youth Employee.
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS) was established in 1999, was initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The program promotes academic excellence and strives to reduce financial barriers and provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with high academic and leadership promise to reach their highest potential through higher education.
The scholarship also aims to increase the representation of these target groups in computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health, and the sciences; develop a diversified group of future leaders for America by facilitating successful completion of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees; and provides seamless support from undergraduate through doctoral programs, for students selected as Gates Millennium Scholars entering target disciplines.
