Douglas County High School senior Thomas Cervantes has been named a Gates Millennium Scholar — one of the most competitive scholarship programs in the country — and will attend Brown University in the fall.
The scholarship was established by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and covers tuition, room, board, travel and personal expenses. Cervantes is one of only 750 students selected to receive the scholarship out of over 61,000 applications nationwide.
When asked what it felt like to become a Gates Scholar, Cervantes shared: “I almost can't believe it. It's one of those things so out-there that you try to not attach yourself to it. So to see the ‘Congratulations’ in my inbox was such an amazing surprise — only second to the one on Ivy Day.”
On choosing Brown, Cervantes reflected, “I've always believed in not letting where I come from determine where I can go. So getting into Brown isn't just a personal achievement, but the culmination of two generations of familial diligence.”
“DCHS is incredibly proud of you and excited to see all you accomplish next,” Principal Kenja Parks said in congratulating Cervantes.