Press

ALBANY, NY – An Albany High School senior, and member of the New York State Museum’s after-school program, has received a prestigious 2009 Gates Millenium Scholarship (GMS) from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Ocasio A. Willson, 17, of Albany is one of 1,000 low-income minority students from around the country selected to receive the scholarship, which can be used at the college of his choice to cover tuition, room, board and other covered college expenses, from freshman year through graduation. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) administers the GMS program.

“UNCF is proud of Ocasio Willson for having earned one of the country’s most prestigious and selective scholarships,” said Larry Griffith, GMS vice president. “Getting a college degree will open up a whole array of opportunities that will last the rest of his life. He is setting an example for students in Albany and around the country.”

Established in 1999 through a $1 billion grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the GMS program provides tuition for low-income minority students who are highly motivated and seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees. The goal of GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for outstanding minority students with significant financial need to reach their highest potential.

"Ocasio is an example of personal excellence,” said New York State Education Commissioner Richard P. Mills. “He is a standard bearer for all of us. This is yet another example of the power of museums to educate and inspire."

Stephanie Miller, the director of the Museum’s after-school program, and Megan Bailey, the Museum’s assistant youth director, assisted Wilson with his application for the GMS scholarship. As a member of the Museum’s Discovery Squad after-school program for the past 3 ½ years, Willson has mentored younger students and facilitated several educational programs. In his resume he credits the after-school program with creating an “inventive and friendly environment in the museum that stimulates the children’s minds.”

The Museum’s award-winning after-school programs were established in 1987. The Museum Club (ages 8-13) and Discovery Squads (ages 14-18) provide tutoring and educational enrichment opportunities for youths from Albany’s underserved neighborhoods. Students receive homework help and reading support and participate in interactive projects involving Museum exhibitions. In the Discovery Squad teens receive essential job training, academic and personal support, explore higher education opportunities and serve the Museum in a variety of work-based capacities.

Although Willson has not yet decided which college he will attend he plans to study economics and political science and hopes someday to become a U.S. senator. During an interview with NPR’s Linda Wertheimer, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103257428&sc=emaf, which aired nationally on April 19, Wilson spoke about how he and his classmates are using President Barack Obama’s name as slang, not as a joke, but as a way to inspire fellow students.

Inspired by his love of politics, Obama’s candidacy, and his own desire to make a difference, Willson reached out to the community last year to raise $2500 so he could attend Harvard summer school in 2008. He studied the Harlem Renaissance, earned four college credits, an “A” and a glowing letter of recommendation from the professor who taught the course. He also learned valuable writing skills and the importance of time management.

In an essay Willson submitted as part of his college applications, he credits the Harvard experience with helping to transform him from someone who was “without a clear focus to a senior with visions of making a difference through politics.”

Determined to overcome the odds of growing up in a lower-income neighborhood, Willson enrolled in Albany High’s International Baccalaureate diploma program, has earned a 3.6 GPA and is involved in a variety of activities. Demonstrated leadership ability, through participation in community service or other activities, is among the criteria used in selecting the winners of the Gates scholarship. Wilson has received the YMCA’s Black and Latino Achievers Award, was president of the Key Club, and is a member of the Natural Helpers, NY Gear Up and the Counsel for Unity, among other organizations.

The State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.