Recognition for LeTourneau Student

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University online education student Jasmine Cierra Starling of Waco has named a Gates Millennium Scholar. Starling has completed all of her coursework toward her teaching certification to teach Early Childhood through sixth grade and is in her final semester of a one-year internship. The award is renewable for up to five years in any undergraduate discipline and throughout graduate school to a doctoral degree in the disciplines of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics public health or science.

Funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program began in 1999 to provide outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline area of interest. The program has awarded more than $630 million and produced more than 14,000 scholars who have attended more than 1,500 institutions of higher education. The program also provides leadership development services, which has helped to achieve a six-year 90% graduation rate over the past decade, which is double the national average of students from similar backgrounds.