Inglewood High School student selected as Gates Millennium Scholar with the help of his volunteer Writing Coach.

Last summer Inglewood High School  student Victor Diaz and Deloitte employee Mark Nehoray met at a College Summit workshop. As a volunteer Writing Coach Mark was focused on helping Victor, along with the rest of his team of students, write compelling personal statements over the course of the four day workshop. Personal statements that would tell the students’ unique stories and set their application apart from thousands of others during the admissions process. However, little did Mark and Victor know that this very personal statement would be the one that helped Victor land the title of Gates Millennium Scholar almost a year later.

After the summer workshop, Victor and Mark remained in close contact during the school year as Mark continued to mentor Victor in the college application and admissions processes. Through a series of emails, Mark instructed Victor on how to discover his career goals, financial aid options, and the right college fit. “I got accepted into UCLA and am a Gates Millennium Scholar! I was so happy to get the scholarship. I owe a great deal to College Summit and [Deloitte] because they helped me with the personal statements which got me the scholarship,” Victor shared with Mark. In true fashion to the benevolent spirit of College Summit volunteers, Mark replied, “Don’t forget to ‘pass it on’ when it is your turn.”

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program is funded by a Grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is aimed at promoting “academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential”.

Victor is the second Southern California College Summit student to be a Gates Millennium Scholar. Timmetrius Henry, also from Inglewood High School, was a recipient in 2008 and is now attending UCLA.