Interesting News Around The World...

From gmsp.org:

Due to high volume, the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) scholarship online Nomination process has been extended to Monday January 14, 2008 at 11:59 EST.

The Gates Millennium Scholars

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS), funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding, low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Natives*, Asian Pacific Islander American**, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose. Continuing Gates Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence by providing thousands of outstanding students, who have significant financial need, the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The Gates Millenium Scholars scholarship was funded by a historic grant of more than 1 billion dollars to the United Negro College Fund, still the largest single gift to any scholarship organization. One of the most unique aspects of the GMS program is the partnership and collective efforts of the four partner organizations providing services to the Gates Scholars. GMS program staff members at the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars, the Asian Pacific Islander Scholarship Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, and the United Negro College Fund served students from all fifty states, the District of Columbia American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It has truly been a national effort.

Why GMS?

The increasing diversity of our society reminds us that all of America’s citizens must have access to higher education if our nation is to sustain and advance itself as a global, competitive democracy in the new millennium. The future of our economy and quality of life depend upon the preparation of a diverse cadre of leaders who can help build a stronger society. These potential leaders, especially those drawn from groups that have traditionally and historically been denied access to higher education, require the necessary support and opportunities to earn and complete a college education.

Who’s Eligible?

Nominees who meet all of the eligibility requirements and who are selected as GMS candidates must include a federal Pell Grant as part of their financial aid package for the 2008-2009 academic year. To determine their Pell Grant eligibility, Nominees must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid Programs. Nominees are urged to file a 2008-2009 FAFSA at the earliest opportunity and no later than February 1, 2008. Federal Pell Grants typically are awarded to families that demonstrate significant financial need. Eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant is a function of many factors, including dependency status, family income, family size, and the number of students in the family. To determine your eligibility, you and/or your parent(s)/guardian(s) should meet with your high school counselor or the financial aid officer at the college or university you plan to attend. For more information visit www.fafsa.ed.gov

Note: Please do not submit your FAFSA with your GMS application. If you are selected as a finalist, GMS will request your FAFSA information at that time.

The application process for GMS awards is highly competitive, and we urge students to submit their nomination packets as early as possible.

Eligibility Criteria

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, national or legal permanent resident of the United States
* Have attained a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted) or have earned a GED
* Will be enrolling for the first time at a U.S. accredited***college or university as a full-time, degree-seeking, first-year student in fall 2008
* Have demonstrated leadership abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities
* Meet the federal Pell Grant eligibility criteria
* Have completed and submitted all three required forms (Nominee Personal Information Form, Nominator Form, and Recommender Form) by the deadline

* American Indian/Alaska Native Requirements: American Indian/Alaska Natives will be asked to provide proof of tribal enrollment or certificate of descent from a state or federally recognized tribe if selected as a GMS Candidate.

** Asian and Pacific Islander Americans include persons having origins from Asia and/or the Pacific Islands. Asian includes persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian subcontinent. Pacific Islander includes persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawai’i, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific Islands. Citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau are also eligible to be nominated.

***To be eligible for the GMS scholarship, the student must matriculate at a college or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary on Education. The following are accreditation resources: Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education Programs Candidates; American Council of Education published in consultation with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation; Higher Education Directory published by Higher Education Publications, Inc.

The Deadline for Submission of Nomination Materials is as follows:

All paper applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2007.
All online applications must be submitted by January 11, 2008 11:59 p.m. EST.

Forms To Submit

The nomination process consists of three interdependent components:

1. Nominee Personal Information Form (to be submitted by the student)(click Nominee Tab)
2. Nominator Form (click Nominator Tab)
3. Recommender Form (Click Recommender Tab)

In addition to the three forms, American Indian/Alaska Native Nominees will be asked to submit proof of tribal enrollment or a certificate of descent if selected as finalists. Omission of any of the required documents will render the nomination incomplete and ineligible for consideration.

Selection Process & Award Notification

Eligible individuals who have submitted complete nomination packages (Nominee Personal Information, Nominator, and Recommender forms) by the deadline will be considered for scholarships. All paper applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2007. All online applications must be submitted by January 11, 2008 11:59 p.m. EST. Because competition for these awards is substantial, Nominees, Nominators, and Recommenders should make every effort to provide a complete picture of each Nominee’s qualifications.

Nominees are evaluated by independent readers according to three primary criteria: academic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. Nominees who emerge from the selection process as candidates for the GMS award will be asked to submit their official transcripts, college/university admission letter, student aid report, financial aid award details, and other information that may be requested at the discretion of the GMS program. Finalists who are selected as Gates Scholars will be notified of the amount of their awards. Gates Millennium Scholars Awards Individuals selected as Gates Scholars will receive funds in an amount to be determined by GMS based on financial need. The award will be based on the cost of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses for the 2008-2009 academic year, as well as the availability of grants and other scholarships reported on the submitted financial aid award letter. The scholarship, for the undergraduate award, may be renewed annually based on satisfactory academic progress, full-time, and the timely submission of required documents. Support for graduate degrees may be pursued for the following fields: education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health, science.

The Deadline for Submission of Nomination Materials is as follows:

All paper applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2007.
All online applications must be submitted by January 11, 2008 11:59 p.m. EST.

Get full details here: https://www.gmsp.org/GMSP_App/