Shaker Heights Student Named Gates Millenium Scholar

Out of a pool of more than 54,000 applicants, Shaker Heights High School senior Elizabeth Jacob has been named as one of the 1,000 2013 Gates Millennium Scholar.

That means the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will cover all her unmet financial needs as she pursues an undergraduate degree.

Furthermore, the program also provides leadership development opportunities, mentoring, academic and social support, in addition to financial support.

Jacob doesn't just excel in academia. She has proven herself as a leader and shown her commitment to community service.

She is editor-in-chief of The Shakerite and Student Council Vice President. She helped coordinate the third annual “Kick it for Cancer” kickball tournament to raise money for pediatric cancer research, as well as created a “Rock it for Cancer” fundraiser.

Jacob has volunteered at the MCRD School for the Mentally Challenged in Kerala, India, and with the Friendship in Teams Foundation (FIT).

She also plays varsity field hockey.

Jacob has garnered a number of prestigious awards and distinctions, including the Williams College Book Award, which recognizes a student in the top 5 percent of his or her class; the Sue Silverman Award for Journalistic Excellence; and the First Merit /Cleveland Cavaliers Scholarship Award, which recognizes 10 area seniors with a $2,000 scholarship and an iPad.

Jacob will attend the College of William and Mary in the fall and intends to pursue a degree in environmental studies and political science.