Bill Gates: The Education Advocate

William Henry “Bill” Gates, founder of Microsoft, is one of the world’s most popular and highly admired entrepreneurs. As of February 2008, he is also the world’s third richest person. Gates is an active philanthropist working for various causes through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was established in 2000.

After stepping down as chairman of Microsoft in June 27, 2008, Gates began concentrating on his philanthropic work. Early on in his career, Gates studied the work of renowned philanthropists Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller. He eventually established the William H. Gates Foundation in 1994. Several years later, in 2000, Gates and his wife, Melinda, set up the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is a combination of three family foundations.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has a United States Program that functions mainly to provide significant opportunities for Americans to attain quality secondary and postsecondary education. Over $2 billion has been allotted for the improvement of learning opportunities. The Gates Library Initiative provides computers, Internet access and training to libraries located in the U.S. and Canada’s low income communities.

Public education is an important issue for Bill Gates as he recognizes the problems that beset its system. To help address this issue, the Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS) was established in 1999 through a $1 billion grant which Gates and his wife gave. The program’s main aim is to promote academic excellence while making sure that deserving but financially-challenged minority students are given the chance to reach their highest potential.

At present, a total of over 12,000 Gates Millennium Scholars have been given the opportunity to fulfill their lifelong goals and ambitions.

Gates-funded schools are spread throughout the U.S. and Gates, together with wife Melinda, continue to create programs moving towards creating workable high school reforms. Gates believes that education is an important economic factor. It can either create or destroy an economy in the same way that it builds brighter futures for students across the world.