GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) – Two Grand Rapids Public Schools seniors have been awarded The Gates Scholarship, a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship that covers the full cost of college.
Nkechinyere Okwuwasi, a senior at City High Middle School, and Jose Garcia-Vicente, a senior at Union High School, were selected for the prestigious honor. They are among just 1% of more than 61,000 applicants nationwide chosen for the scholarship.
“I was super excited,” Okwuwasi said about finding out she was a recipient. “I was in disbelief because I didn't even think I would get this far. I immediately told my mom and my god mom and we were all screaming about it and just really excited because it is a full-ride scholarship.”
Garcia-Vicente said he had a hunch during his finalist interview that he might be selected.
“It felt unreal, but the thing is I had a feeling. I was sort of confident that I would win because my conversation with the person that was interviewing me felt very smooth,” he said.
Garcia-Vicente will attend Michigan State University to study engineering, while Okwuwasi will attend Barnard College of Columbia University to study neuroscience.
“It takes away the financial burden that comes with going to college,” Okwuwasi said. “I was always kind of scared that finances would be something that would be a really big barrier. Having this scholarship makes me feel like anything is possible.”
“It’s a huge relief. It takes the burden off not just me, but also my mom,” Garcia-Vicente added.
Okwuwasi would like to become a neurosurgeon. Garcia-Vicente is interested in becoming an electrical engineer.
Each year, The Gates Scholarship is awarded to exceptional student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential. Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance that is not already covered by other financial aid and the Student Aid Index, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by a Scholar’s college or university.