Two Xavier High students named Gates Millennium Scholars

Two graduating seniors at Xavier High School in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia were named Gates Millennium Scholars by the Gates Millennium Scholars Program. The two members of Xavier’s Class of 2012 are among 1,000 young scholars worldwide who have received the coveted award, which provides a full-cost scholarship for their entire undergraduate program at a college or university of their choice. The scholarship also can be extended for graduate studies.

This year’s Gates Millennium Scholars at Xavier High School are Pearl Asugar of Weno, Chuuk and Honolulu, Hawaii; and Eleanor Titiml of Koror, Palau.

Asugar will attend St. Martin’s University in Lacy, Washington, where she will major in civil engineering. Titiml will study marine biology at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska.

“We are extremely proud of Pearl and Eleanor. They have worked hard for this honor. Their Gates Millennium Scholarships will allow them to continue to excel in scholarship, leadership and service,” said the Rev. R. Richard McAuliff, SJ, director of Xavier High School.

Asugar and Titiml are the latest Xavier High School students to be named Gates Millennium Scholars. Eight other Xavier seniors since 2000 have received the honor. They are Ryan Edgar, Witmark Tokeak, Sheryl Yumiko Lomongo, Jonathan Thinsew, Kayviann Hallers, and Michael Kigimnang.

Asugar is the daughter of Jack Edward and Doreen Asugar. Her maternal grandparents, Henry and Maggie Asugar, also raised her. The late Mr. Asugar was a member of the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia representing Chuuk, and before that was a long-time Clerk of the FSM Congress.

Titiml is the daughter of Serafina Titiml and the late Rudimch Titiml. Her grandparents, Salvador Rekisiwang and Theodosia Ebibei, and Isau Titiml and Renguul Klaulechad, are also deceased.

This year’s class of Gates Millennium Scholars includes 1,000 students from 47 states in the United States of America; the District of Columbia; the Marshall Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; Puerto Rico; and, the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The program announced that this year’s scholarship recipients would attend 348 colleges and universities. Current Gates Scholars attend a total of 723 colleges and universities in the United States.

The Catholic Church’s Society of Jesus founded Xavier High School on Weno, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia, in 1952. It is a college preparatory boarding school for young men and women from across the Western Pacific in grades 9 through 12. Among its many distinguished graduates are presidents of the Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia, physicians, diplomats, lawyers, members of national Congresses and community and church leaders.

Xavier High School is accredited by the Western Association of School and Colleges. [I](PR)[/I]