This content was published: June 30, 2011. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Rock Creek student earns Gates Millennium Scholarship
Story and Photo by Janis Nichols.
Ronak Patange should pursue cartography. His natural ability to map his own life is so efficient that at age 18, he has a stunningly clear map of what lies ahead and knows with absolute certainty what he wants to explore for the rest of his life.
“My class project involved offshore wind power. When I figured out that offshore winds generate 50 percent more power compared to wind farms in the mid-West, I was hooked. I’ve found what I want to study for the rest of my life," said Ronak Patange.
His path began with an interest in renewable energy during his sophomore year at Westview High School. His self-guided readings lead him to the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls where he learned about course requirements for an engineering degree in renewable energy. Next was a discussion with Westview High School counselor Jim Lekas about the Early College High School Program.
“I knew what the engineering degree at OIT involved and I learned from Mr. Lekas that I could enroll in college classes at Portland Community College and earn college credits while I was still in high school.”
It was an introductory class in renewable energy at PCC’s Sylvania campus that set Ronak on his current path. “My class project involved offshore wind power. When I figured out that offshore winds generate 50 percent more power compared to wind farms in the mid-West, I was hooked. I’ve found what I want to study for the rest of my life.
“The Early College High School Program allowed me to earn college credit and it taught me what to expect from college-level work, how to manage my schedule and how to find the best professors. It made the transition from high school to college work much easier.”
He added, “I just graduated from Westview High School with 75 college credits and they all transferred to OIT where I’ll earn my engineering degree in just three years. I might stay at OIT and earn a master’s degree or I might get a job in renewable energy either in solar technology or wind power.”
The majority of students sweat bullets over the cost of college. Not Ronak. He is a Gates Millennium Scholar. Nationally, 23,000 minority students apply for the award and 1,000 are selected.
“You have to have strong leadership, community service and academic achievements,” he said. “The Gates Scholarship is a renewable, good-through-graduation scholarship based on GMS guidelines. You may major in any field as an undergraduate, but there is a specific list of disciplines covered by the Gates scholarship if you want to continue studying for a master’s degree or a doctorate. Renewable energy is one of those disciplines covered by the scholarship. If I want an advanced degree in renewable energy, I can apply for it.”
Knowing how competitive the Gates scholarship is, consider the odds that Ronak’s sister Simona is also a Millennium scholar and is currently enrolled at PSU with a double major in biology and psychology.