Pike High School graduate Sayo Akinyosoye doesn't need to worry about paying for school.
Ever.
She recently won a Gates Millennium scholarship, which will pay for her undergraduate education plus graduate and post-graduate work.
Akinyosoye was one of 1,000 students nationally chosen to receive the scholarship, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help academically accomplished minority students with a commitment to leadership. More than 11,000 applied.
The estimated value of the scholarship is more than $130,000.
Akinyosoye, who earned a 4.112 grade point average at Pike, will attend Cincinnati's Xavier University in the fall to study biology. She plans to become an ophthalmologist.
"My grandmother had cataracts and went blind," she said. "I want to help prevent that from happening to others."
Akinyosoye's family hails from Nigeria, and she hopes to travel there periodically after she receives her medical training to help those in need.
Akinyosoye credits her family with helping her with her academic achievements and encouraging her to excel.
"If I got less than a B, I knew I'd be in a lot of trouble."
In addition to a grueling academic schedule, Akinyosoye participated in several extracurricular activities, including Spell Bowl, History Club and the Sierra Club. She also won a gold medal as a member of the school's academic decathlon team, sang in her school and church choirs, and writes poetry.
"On a good school day, I wouldn't go to bed until 1 a.m."
Because her family moved to Avon last year, Akinyosoye has been driving 40 minutes each school day so she could graduate from Pike with her friends.
Assistant Principal Evelyn Gearries described her as quiet and unassuming, but Akinyosoye said she was just focused in school. Outside of school, she said she's actually very fun and outgoing.
After a busy high school career, she looks forward to relaxing a bit during the summer by reading, catching a few movies and playing ultimate Frisbee with friends.
Although she won't start classes at Xavier until later this year, Akinyosoye's already in contact with the Gates Scholarship winners at the school and making new friends.Labels: financial aid, free college, free education, high school, scholarship, student loans, study abroad |
