Exceptional 18-Year-Old Akayla Brown Wins $2 Million Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Scholarship

Philadelphia resident Akayla Brown, an 18-year-old student from Bodine High School, has achieved a remarkable feat by winning the highly competitive Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Scholarship. Despite facing intense competition with 34,000 applicants nationwide, Brown's outstanding 3.3 GPA earned her a place among the 300 seniors selected for this prestigious scholarship.

Expressing her excitement, Brown shared, "When I got the letter I was in shock. I was shaking. I was jumping up and down, screaming."

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Apart from the Gates Foundation Scholarship, Akayla Brown received admission offers from 18 universities across the United States, accumulating over $2 million in scholarships. Her exceptional achievements include winning multiple presidential scholarships.

“I want to be an example to my peers and to the next generation and show them that you can make anything you want to become possible. I just live my life to the fullest. You live every day, but you only die once. And there’s no coming back,” Brown told Philly Mag.

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Choosing Howard University in Washington DC, United States, Brown plans to pursue a degree in international business. She expressed a deep connection to the historically black college and university (HBCU) environment: “I love the feeling of being around my own people and the community. In my heart, I always knew that being at an HBCU was where I belong.”

Brown's versatility extends beyond academics; she started a nonprofit at the age of 13 and emphasized her goal to grow and extend her nonprofit during the Gates Foundation Scholarship application. Her nonprofit has organized events for the homeless, assisted with back-to-school initiatives, and conducted a turkey drive.

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Upon entering Howard University, Brown plans to bring not only her knowledge but also her nonprofit and resources to contribute to the community. She envisions being a guiding force for the urban community and bridging the gap.