Dalton High senior Uriel Paniagua is the twelfth Catamount in nine years to be named a Gates Millennium Scholar. This prestigous scholarship is awarded to only 1,000 students per year nationwide. Paniagua will attend the University of Georgia in the fall.
For the twelfth time in nine years, a Gates Millennium Scholar has come from Dalton High School. Senior Uriel Paniagua, 18, is the most recent Catamount to receive this prestigious scholarship.
The Gates Millennium Scholars program was founded in 1999 and is funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To qualify, a student must be of a minority race and show outstanding academic achievement, community service and leadership skills.
Paniagua heard of the scholarship back in October when his counselor mentioned it to him. “I was called in about something else, but then she told me to apply for Gates. I didn’t understand how much you would get,” he said. “Everyone who has gotten it seemed happy, so I thought I might as well apply.”
The scholarship is very competitive and only given to 1000 students nationally every year. The Gates Millennium Scholarship covers any expenses related to college—it overs tuition costs for as long as the student wishes to further their education, books, equipment, as well as everything down to supplies and living expenses.
The average amount each recipient receives is $12,785 (the amount given depends on the financial need of the student).
The application process can be rigorous for some students. Paniagua had to fill out an application, have both a Nominator form and a Recommender form, and write eight essays.
The essays had a 1,000 word maximum and ranged from strengths and weaknesses to describing community service projects.
“For my strengths I wrote about math and science, and my weaknesses are history and English,” said Paniagua. For his community service essay, Paniagua wrote about how he lends his time to the Save Program at Dalton State—that program goes to local agencies such as the Boys & Girls Club.
All of the materials for Paniagua’s submission had to be submitted by Jan. 15. By mid-April, Paniagua received good news through the mail—he had been awarded the scholarship.
“I was surprised,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting it. I spent a couple hours of my time writing essays, and I got free money.”
With the big determining factors being academic achievement, community service and leadership skills, Paniagua said the academic and community service aspects were what made him stand out.
Besides his community involvement, Paniagua stands out at Dalton High with his strong academics—he is ranked first in the senior class, he’s in the National Honor Society, Beta Club, and the French Club where he is on the advisory council, he is an Advanced Placement Scholar, was named Star Student, was a Governor’s Honors finalist in science, and he is a National Merit Commended Student.
Paniagua also takes part in dual enrollment. During his senior year, he spends half his day at DHS and the other half taking college courses at Dalton State. Paniagua has taken 17 college credit hours per semester, and those long hours make for tiring days.
“Sometimes I get out at 2:00 p.m.,” Paniagua said of college classes, “but other days I’m there until 7:25 pm.”
Paniagua has been accepted to the University of Georgia, and will be going to Athens in the fall. He is undecided on a major (maybe something with math, science, or economics), and has yet to decide what he wants to pursue as a career. He hopes once he dabbles around in college classes that he will find something he loves.
Paniagua said he has mixed emotions about his upcoming graduation. “I’m excited to be done, but I’m nervous, because you have to think about what you want to do for the rest of your life.”
But for as long as he wants to continue his education, Paniagua will have the Gates Millennium Scholarship there to make sure he doesn’t worry about college finances.
Paniagua said he’d like to say thank you to those who thought he was worthy of this honor. “It’s nice having everything paid for,” he said. “I’m pretty grateful.”