SEATTLE, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced $58 million in added scholarships for public-health graduate students.
Through its Millennium Scholars program, administered by the United Negro College Fund, the foundation awards scholarships to low-income students of color. Undergraduate students who qualify can study any subject, but the program only covers graduate school for students who a pursuing degrees in identified areas of need -- math, science, education, library science or engineering.
The additional funds will expand that graduate school funding to students of public health, the Seattle Times reported, and are expected to help about 400 students get advanced degrees.
The foundation is known for being one of the world's largest funders of global health initiatives, but when the scholarship program was founded, public health was not identified as an area where more graduates with advanced degrees were needed, a spokesman said.
