Steven Chen was a recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship, which provides minority students with the opportunity to complete a college education. Out of the 53,000 applications received each year, only 1,000 are selected for the prestigious scholarship that provides full tuition and living expenses for college. The Gates Millennium Scholarship program is funded by a $1 billion grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
As a 2016 Gates Millennium Scholar, Steven will receive a fully funded tuition to the University of California, San Diego as well as graduate school if he chooses to attend. Steven will double major in Economics and Cognitive Science with a specialization in Human Computer Interaction and minor in Computer Science.
"I'm fascinated by how the tech industry is revolutionizing the world and I hope to own my own tech company someday and bring the insights of a low-income student of color to the industry," says Steven.
Steven credits his passion for technology to Gateway and all the opportunities that were available to him. "I am grateful for Gateway's incredible support system and for all the resources and opportunities that were presented to me."
During his time at Gateway, Steven was introduced to professional connections in the tech world and set up with internships at Docker, Inc and REDSHIFT Digital, Inc, two prestigious Bay Area tech companies. These internships provided him with experience in business development, UX design, community and user marketing, and event planning.
Steven was the recipient of Gateway High School's highest award, the Sharon Olken Mission Award, which is presented to a student who best exemplifies all the ideals and expectations of the school's mission: Academic achievement; service to community; respect for differences; personal integrity and shared responsibility for learning.
To learn more about Steven and his Gateway experience, view Gateway's 13th Annual Mattes of the Mind Luncheon video here.