Smoke Signals 7
JUNE 15, 2009
First Gates scholarship recipient plans to obtain master's in education
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Tribal member Ashlee Mer
rill, 22, one of the first Or
egonians to win a Gates
Millennium Scholarship, received
a degree in human development
and family services on June 13
from Oregon State University in
Corvallis.
Merrill, the daughter of Tribal
member Brent Merrill, gradu
ated with honors and completed
her studies in the minimum four
years.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foun
dation awards need-based scholar
ships to minority students with
an impressive record of academic
achievement, leadership and com
munity service. The scholarships
provide students with funds to
cover 100 percent of their unmet
needs and is renewable for up to
nine years.
Merrill is the first local Gates
winner to earn her degree. She
graduated from Willamina High
School in 2005.
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Smoke Signals file photo
Ashlee Merrill
Merrill told the McMinnville
News-Register that she plans to a
take a year off and then enroll in
graduate school to seek a master's
degree in education.
Rachel Warner, Grand Ronde's
Tribal college counselor in 2005,
encouraged West Valley students
to apply and guided them through
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Photo by Michelle Atatmo
Singer Dtonne Warwkk tings'! Say a Uttle Prayer during har concert
at Spirit Mountain Casino's Events Canter on Friday, June S.
the scholarship process.
"It was a crazy opportunity," Mer
rill said at the time. "I was happy
to do everything I could to apply
for it."
She told the News-Register that
the Gates scholarship made it so
she did not have to work to subsi
dize her education, which allowed
her to concentrate on her studies.
Tribal member Amanda Thomas
Monk, 21, also received a 2005
Gates Millennium Scholarship and
went to Oregon State University for
a year. She was Willamina High
School valedictorian in 2005 and
is the daughter of Tribal member
Brian Thomas.
Monk is currently attending
George Fox University in Newberg,
where she said she has one more
year to go before obtaining a degree
in nursing. D
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal member Kateri Marrufo feeds her 14-month-old son and Tribal
member John Marrufo during the Young Mother's Tea at the Tribal
Community Center on Friday, May 29. Mothers of children age 2 and
under and mommies-to-be were invited to the annual event put on by the
Dental Clinic and the Tribal Wellness Program.
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$200 registration fee per team
Contact Chris Labonte 503-879-1369 or
800-242-0232 for more information
Ad treated by George Vatdel