June 05, 2013

Lewis & Clark welcomes Gates Millennium scholars

This fall, exceptional students from across the country will make Lewis & Clark their home for the next four years. Among them will be Manuel Mattz and Adrian Velazquez, recipients of the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarships.

This fall, exceptional students from across the country will make Lewis & Clark their home for the next four years. Among them will be Manuel Mattz and Adrian Velazquez, recipients of the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarships.

Manuel Mattz

In high school, Manuel Mattz maintained a 3.8 GPA and was involved in activities ranging from radio and physics clubs to the yearbook. He spent three years as a member of his high school football team and plans to continue playing with the Pioneers.

“Manuel Mattz is the best student I’ve ever had,” said Gabe Dougherty, Mattz’s high school math teacher, in this article. “What makes him the best is his work ethic; he does what it takes to get a good grade.”

Mattz plans to major in biochemistry and hopes to attend medical school after graduation.

Photo by Scholarship News Photo by Scholarship News

Adrian Velazquez

As part of his Gates application process, Velazquez had to write an essay about an event that changed his life. At age 11, Velazquez walked down the street and said hello to a passing stranger. The man angrily hurled a racial slur.

“It was the first time I’d ever had racist comments come my way,” Velazquez said in this article. “Since then I’ve tried to keep racism out of my life. From then, I’ve tried to be a happy person.”

Velazquez plans to study international affairs and music, and he will participate in the Lewis & Clark orchestra next year.

About the Gates Millennium Scholars Program

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program selects 1,000 students each year to receive scholarships that are good through graduation to use at the colleges or universities of their choice. The goal is to provide opportunities for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential.

Mattz and Velazquez join four additional Gates Millennium scholars at Lewis & Clark—Mako Gedi ’16, Jose Huape ’16, Thao Nguyen ’14, and Chelsea Williams ’14.

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