BATON ROUGE — A Scotlandville Magnet High School senior is heading to college with one of the most prestigious scholarships in the country. Daviyah Anthony has been named a 2025 Gates Scholar, an honor awarded to just 750 students nationwide out of more than 48,000 applicants.
The Gates Scholarship, launched in 2017 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is a highly selective last-dollar scholarship designed to remove financial barriers for exceptional minority students from low-income households. In addition to covering the full cost of attendance not already paid for by other financial aid, the program also provides support services to help scholars succeed throughout college and into their careers.
“Winning the Gates Scholarship means everything to me,” said Daviyah. “It represents all the hard work, long nights, and sacrifices that led up to this moment. Applying for this scholarship was one of the most challenging things I’ve done, especially because I was dealing with the loss of my grandmother during the process. She was one of my biggest supporters, and not having her here to celebrate with me is hard. I know she would be proud. This award isn’t just a financial blessing, it is a symbol of resilience, purpose, and the power of pushing through pain to achieve something greater.”
Daviyah plans to attend Xavier University in New Orleans this fall.
Her accomplishment marks the second year in a row—and the sixth time overall—that a Fellow from the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition has been awarded the prestigious Gates Scholarship. BRYC’s Chief of Programs, Allie Diefendorf, says Daviyah’s selection is a testament to her talent and tenacity.
“We are immensely proud of Daviyah’s accomplishment,” Diefendorf said. “Her selection as a Gates Scholar reflects not only her exceptional academic abilities but also her remarkable determination, leadership potential, and unwavering commitment to excellence.”
Two additional BRYC Fellows, Jarrius Collins and Yasmin Legier, were named Gates Finalists this year.
Daviyah is part of BRYC’s In-School Fellowship program, which launched this year across five East Baton Rouge Parish high schools: Liberty Magnet, McKinley Senior, Northeast, Tara, and Scotlandville Magnet. The initiative brings BRYC’s college access and ACT prep programming directly into the school day, increasing access and support for students during a pivotal time in their education.
“By embedding our world-class curriculum directly in schools, we can support more Fellows at a critical point in their educational journey,” Diefendorf said. “We remain thankful to EBR Schools for their collaboration in creating pathways of opportunity for young people.”
The Gates Scholarship not only removes the financial burden of college for students like Daviyah but also invests in their long-term success by nurturing future leaders from historically underrepresented communities.
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