Antoinette Ellis had trepidation about committing to any college until she could be sure she’d be able to go without accumulating debt.
Now, she won’t have to worry about that, as Ellis has been named a Gates Scholar, writes Chanel Hill for The Philadelphia Tribune.
“I no longer have that burden on my shoulder and I can now just focus on my education,” said Ellis.
As one of the most prestigious awards in the country, Antoinette Ellis will have her tuition, room and board, books, and other costs fully paid under the award.
More than 53,000 students apply, but only 1 percent will obtain the scholarship.
Ellis, a North Philadelphia native and Parkway Center City Middle College student, has applied to nearly 20 colleges and universities. She mostly applied to schools with a solid nursing program, which is what she plans to major in.
“The plan is to go to school for nursing for four years and then get some ground running on the floor as a RN,” Ellis said. “I eventually want to become a nurse practitioner so I’ll go back to school for that.”
Her long-term goal is to change health policies that impact people in lower socioeconomic status.
Read more about the newest Gates Scholar at The Philadelphia Tribune.
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