Pathways student earns large scholarship

Pathways Middle College student Brianna Dick has been awarded the Gates Millenium Scholarship that could be valued at up to $250,000.

BY MATT PATTERSON
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Published: May 31, 2012

Oklahoman

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TUTTLE — Brianna Dick received a nice graduation gift that will likely pay off for years to come, but it was one she earned.

Dick, 17, a senior at Pathways Middle College, has been awarded the Gates Millenium Scholarship that could be valued at up to $250,000 by the time she finishes college at the University of Tulsa. The scholarship covers expenses from a bachelor’s degree to a doctorate and is awarded to only 1,000 high school seniors annually. The Gates Millennium Scholars Program, established in 1999, was initially funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation.

photo - Brianna Dick, 17, of Tuttle, is seen in one of the Pathways Middle College High School classrooms on the Oklahoma City Community College Campus in Oklahoma City on May 11. Brianna won a Gates scholarship and plans to attend the University of Tulsa. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

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Pathways is an academic-based high school in the Oklahoma City Public Schools with no sports or extracurricular activities such as drama or band. Students take college-level courses and accumulate college credit before graduation. Students also take part in community service.

Dick chose Tulsa over the University of Oklahoma. She was born there before moving to Beggs and later the Oklahoma City area.

“I’ve always really enjoyed Tulsa,” she said. “I knew I wanted to stay in the state and I had two really good options.”

Dick plans on majoring in business, finance or accounting.

“It’s a great opportunity for me no matter which direction I go in,” she said. “I’m pretty lucky to be in this situation.”

Writing skills helped

Dick carried a 4.0 GPA this year and is a valedictorian, and was class president during her junior year. She accumulated 130 community service hours, mostly working at a local food bank. She said her answers to questions on the Gates scholarship application were one of her biggest strengths.