Scholars Equity Network envisions a world where intercultural communities have an equal opportunity to thrive.

Our Mission

Scholars Equity Network provides professional and personal development, civic engagement, and economic empowerment opportunities to scholars from underserved communities to be personally, professionally, and financially positioned to give back to the communities they come from.

Our 3 Priority Pillars

Personal & Professional Development

SEN is taking an active role in cultivating the next generation of multicultural leaders. Our professional and personal development opportunities provide the training, knowledge, and network young people need to align their purpose and passions for global leadership.
Economic Empowerment

SEN is committed to advancing the economic capabilities of tomorrow’s leaders so they can pursue their education, employment, and entrepreneurship goals. We prioritize program opportunities that promote financial security and encourage economic independence.
Civic Engagement

At SEN, we are all about equipping multicultural individuals so they can play an active role in driving positive change. Through SEN’s civic engagement opportunities, young leaders are prepared and supported to give back to the communities they come from.

Our History

Scholars Equity Network is built on a 20-year foundation of investment in the brightest students in the country through the Gates Millennium Scholars and Alumni Association. Launched in 1999, the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program was a $1.6 billion initiative originally funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

GMS provided tuition scholarships to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students of color with high academic and leadership promise who have significant financial need. Over 15,826 scholars have completed a degree since the program’s inception.

GMS Legacy | Video Produced by William D. Caballero (GMS Alum).

The Gates Millennium Scholars Alumni Association (GMSAA) was established in 2009 to foster meaningful connections and enhance opportunities for Gates Millennium Alumni across the country. Over the last decade, our network has gathered in-person and online for professional and leadership development, scholarly engagement, and community service.

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) and Gates Millennium Scholars Alumni Association (GMSAA) are sunsetting, but the work continues through SEN.

Our Next Chapter

Founded by alumni of GMS program, Scholars Equity Network is continuing that legacy by harnessing the collective power of multicultural, high-achieving individuals to equip members of underrepresented communities with resources to become leaders of the future.

We create social equity by championing fair access to education, professional opportunities, social networks, and economic resources for communities of color. Scholars Equity Network unites diverse scholars and professionals who seek to drive change by championing personal and professional development, civic engagement, and economic empowerment for themselves and their communities. Through our work, we are creating limitless pathways to achievement for all.