Brooklyn Student Awarded Gates Millenium Scholarship

October 15, 2012

BROOKLYN, NY October 16, 2012 - St. Josephs College student Jannutal Rahman was recently awarded a Gates Millennium Scholarship by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This prestigious award, given annually to only 1,000 students nationwide, will fully fund Ms. Rahmans educational expenses throughout graduate school.

A native of Bangladesh, Ms. Rahman came to the United States with her family in 2006. As she grew older, she knew that paying for college was going to be a challenge. "I saw how hard my father had to work to put food in our mouths, and I knew I couldnt ask my parents to pay for my education, said Ms. Rahman. "I found out about the Gates Millenium Scholarship, and I spent many sleepless nights working on those essays and telling my story. When I received the acceptance letter, it was the happiest moment of my life.

A member of this years freshman class, Ms. Rahman chose to enroll at St. Josephs based on a number of factors. "I chose St. Josephs because it was close to home, the student body is diverse, and I liked the small class sizes. Another important thing was that they had the ACES Program, which provides specialized support for students like me for whom English is not their primary language. Currently a biology major, Ms. Rahman plans on pursuing a career in medicine and working toward her dream of helping those less fortunate than her after graduation.

Gates Millennium Scholarships are awarded through the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, which is funded by the Gates Foundation and administered by the United Negro College Fund.  The Gates Millennium Scholars Program selects 1,000 talented students each year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. Throughout their educational careers, the Foundation provides Gates Millennium Scholars with academic support as well as personal and professional development through their leadership programs.

For any questions, please contact Director of Public Affairs Michael Banach at 718.940.5584.