Paris Junior College’s TRIO Upward Bound program is celebrating a tremendous milestone: student Ethan Dao has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Gates Scholarship. This elite, full-ride scholarship is awarded to just 300 exceptional high school seniors nationwide each year, out of thousands of applicants.
Dao’s selection is a testament not only to his academic excellence, drive, and resilience, but also to the critical role of the Upward Bound program at PJC, which has supported him throughout high school.
“Ethan has been a part of PJC Upward Bound since his freshman year of high school,” said Christi Barham, Director of Upward Bound at Paris Junior College. “I highly encouraged him to apply for the Gates Scholarship last summer during our summer program, based on his academic achievements. We walked with him through every step of the multi-phase application process—from the initial application to the final interview.
Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Scholarship (originally the Gates Millennium Scholars Program) was rebranded in 2017 and continues to provide a full scholarship covering tuition, fees, room and board, books, and additional expenses—eliminating financial barriers to higher education for high-achieving, low-income, minority students.
“Gates is one of the most competitive scholarships in the country,” said Barham. “It begins the summer before senior year, with multiple application phases and a final interview round. Ethan’s success in this rigorous process is extraordinary.”
Dao credits Upward Bound with preparing and supporting him throughout the journey.
In addition to the Gates Scholarship application, Barham and the Upward Bound team helped Dao complete the FAFSA, College Board CSS Profile, and college applications in early fall. The team continues to support him through his housing application, orientation registration, and every step toward a successful college transition.
Dao will attend the University of Texas at Austin this fall and plans to pursue medical school afterward, with the goal of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon.
“Ethan and I really bonded over that goal since I’ve had personal experience with it from a parent perspective involving open heart surgery,” said Barham. “We are so proud of all his accomplishments and cannot wait to see what the future holds for him.”
Ethan is the fourth Gates Scholar to come from the PJC Upward Bound program during Barham’s time at the college.
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