Vidal Morales-Santos is the third Elon Academy participant in the past four years to receive an award that covers his full college expenses.
Vidal Morales-Santos, a member of the program’s Delta Class from Graham High School in Alamance County, is the third Elon Academy scholar to receive the award.
According to its website, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program selects 1,000 students each year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. Scholars receive personal and professional development through leadership programs along with academic support throughout their college career.
Established in 1999, the program was initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The average award was $12,227 between the 2001-2012 academic years.
Since 2007, the Elon Academy each year has welcomed select high school students in Alamance County who are academically promising with a financial need and/or no family history of college. It includes three consecutive summer residential experiences prior to the sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as year-round Saturday programs for students and families.