Bill and Melinda Gates award three nonprofit founders with grant money, support from Foundation

BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This evening, at the Microsoft Alumni Foundation 2009 Founders' Gala, Bill and Melinda Gates recognized the nominees, finalists and three award winning "Integral Fellows" -- a new program honoring Microsoft Alumni who have made a meaningful difference in the daily lives of others by using their talents, time and resources to contribute to the community. The Integral Fellows program awarded three Microsoft alumni with an unrestricted $25,000 grant for their nonprofit organizations, additional funds raised at the gala, as well access to the talents and skills of alumni to help support their ongoing efforts.

"It's really about helping Microsoft alumni maximize and leverage resources. The Foundation provides the framework to bring people, ideas and organizations together to help address our world's challenges," said Jeff Raikes, chair of the Microsoft Alumni Foundation Board. "These three award winners, along with all of our nominees, exemplify what it means to give back. Their work is deeply rooted in service and making a difference in people's lives."

The three award winners and their nonprofit organizations are:

• Patrick Awuah, Ashesi University, Ghana www.ashesi.org
• Trish Millines Dziko, Technology Access Foundation, Seattle, WA www.techaccess.org
• John Wood, Room to Read, San Francisco, CA www.roomtoread.org
  

The distinguished panel of judges included:

• Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States of America
• Bill Drayton, chair and CEO, Ashoka
• William H. Gates Sr., co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Pierre Omidyar, founding partner, Omidyar Network and founder and chairman, eBay Inc.
• Thomas J. Tierney, chairman and co-founder, Bridgespan Group
  

Rigorous evaluation of the finalists included achievements that embody the values of the Microsoft Alumni Foundation: innovative; entrepreneurial, effective; collaborative and to operate with integrity. The nominees were also judged on: the ability to create something extraordinary out of limited resources; selflessness; passion; smarts; need and scalability.

To date, Microsoft alumni have launched over 150 nonprofits, generating over $100 million dollars a year, impacting over 100 countries around the world, in virtually every program area imaginable.

"The Integral Fellows, and all of the sixty-six nominees, remind us that the Gates Foundation is just one of the hundreds of nonprofits that grew out of the Microsoft experience. We are moved and humbled to be a part of this community," said Melinda French Gates, co-chair and trustee, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Bill and Melinda Gates presented the awards while recognizing the impact the nonprofit organizations have made in their area.

About the Integral Fellows award winners:

• Seattle's own Technology Access Foundation's (TAF) ultimate goal is to empower students with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to be innovators and active contributors to their communities. Its founder, Trish Millines Dziko created TAF in 1996 to give more people of color and women opportunities to thrive in high school studying the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
• Room to Read partners with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children's literature, constructing schools and providing education to girls. John Wood established Room to Read with its humble origins in Nepal in 2000, where he began bringing donated books to rural communities.
• As founder of Ashesi University, Patrick Awuah returned to his homeland, Ghana, to establish a co-educational institution whose mission is to educate African leaders of exceptional integrity and professional ability. Ashesi University began instruction in March 2002 with a pioneer class of 30 students offering majors in computer science, management information systems and business administration, to over 400 students representing fourteen countries today.
  

About the Foundation: The Microsoft Alumni Foundation was established to catalyze the collective power of Microsoft alumni and leverage our resources to provide innovative, scalable and transformative solutions to our world's challenges. Launched in 2007, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity with its worldwide headquarters based in Bellevue, Washington, USA. Board members include: Jeff Raikes (chair); Chuck Hirsch (president); Scott Oki (co-founder and vice president); Paul Shoemaker (treasurer); Tony Audino (co-founder); Sharon Maghie (co-founder and secretary) and Brad Smith (Microsoft representative).

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on the Microsoft Alumni Foundation, please visit www.microsoftalumni.org.

SOURCE Microsoft Alumni Foundation

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