Manson School District - Manson Secondary School senior Jonathan Paniagua is the recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship awarded April 21. The Gates Millennium Scholars Program attracted more than 20,500 applicants this year; out of those applicants, only 1,000 were selected for the scholarship worldwide.
The grant is based on strong leadership, community service and academic achievement. As a Gates Millennium Scholar, Jonathan will receive funding for full-time enrollment at any U.S. accredited college or university for his undergraduate, masters and doctoral program. Jonathan is the fourth Gates Millennium Scholar from the Manson School District, following Zoila Sedano, Toni Paniagua and Nuria Sanchez.
Jonathan plans on attending the University of Washington and double-majoring in political science and international studies. “I will definitely go on to get my master’s, but am still contemplating what to pursue for my doctoral degree,” he said. “I plan to pursue a government-related career in international intelligence with the CIA.”
Jonathan says the Gates Scholarship will take all financial burdens off his mother, who has “worked so hard her whole life and is a single parent who has never received, not even a cent, of child support for me or my sister.” Jonathan said he is proud to have the opportunity to carry on a family legacy with this grant. His sister, Manson graduate Toni Paniagua, was a Gates Millennium Scholar in 2002. Jonathan says his sister was the main influence in his decision to apply for the grant. “With my mother’s sacrifice for us, I just felt I had to pay her back for all she’s done for us,” he said.
Jonathan also received the Costco Diversity Scholarship through the University of Washington worth $40,000. “I have applied for the Ronald McDonald House Charity Scholarship, the Local Apple Education Scholarships, Kiwanis, Manson Growers, and many more. I think I’ve applied for about 25 scholarships.”
Jonathan says there were many Manson teachers who specifically helped him be successful in school. “Mr. Soliday makes the classroom environment enjoyable because he is passionate about what he teaches, and the things he teaches will relate to my major in college,” he said. “Mrs. Koth and Mrs. Neff taught me how to improve my writing skills. Mrs. Stracener and Mr. Vanderholm nominated and recommended me for the Gates Scholarship and were extremely helpful in the application process for this grant. Mrs. Stracener went out of her way to help me find things to write about for my essays and proofread them when needed.”
Jonathan advises underclassmen beginning the scholarship process to apply for the big scholarships as well as the little ones because they add up fast. “I think it is all hard work, not just luck, because the scholarship committees thoroughly critique the applications,” he said. “I put a great deal of time into writing for scholarships and trying my best academically. If I had never worked hard throughout high school, I would never have had the chance to earn these scholarships.”
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