He plans to attend Utah State University to pursue an engineering degree and then go on to earn a master's and a doctorate. He also hopes to be a member of USU's track and field team.

Riva Sheppard

Monument Valley senior Riva Sheppard will be the first person in her family to go to college. As an honor roll student, Sheppard polished off her graduation requirements a quarter early and has been out of school for the past couple of months.

But while attending school she participated in volleyball, basketball, FFA, National Honor Society and the performing arts. She is the second person from the small rural school to receive one of the scholarships.

She plans to attend Southern Utah University where she may go into pre-law. After that she said she may go to law school, but that is too far down the road to say for sure yet.

Gabriela Dellapiana

Gabriela Dellapiana said she is ready for a break. In addition to being a Gates Scholar, the East High senior was also named a National Merit Scholar and an honorary National Achievement Scholar.

The honor roll student is also involved in student government, volleyball and track. She is also vice president of the National Honor Society and president of the multicultural club at the school. She has also been active in the community volunteering for The Road Home and the Big Brother/Big Sister program. She is the youngest of four siblings.

Her strongest subject is math, and she plans to pursue a career in sports medicine. She will be starting college at the University of Utah this fall and then may attend Washington University in St. Louis for postgraduate work.

Rui Ma

During the past school year, adequate sleep has been a rare luxury for West High senior Rui Ma. The honor roll student is involved in debate, Health Occupations Students of America, Math Engineering and Science Achievement, mock trials and is also a member of the student senate.

After school she assists in biology research at the University of Utah, volunteers at the Salt Lake Library and in the peer court program, works as a peer mentor at the Division of Youth Services and still has time to squeeze in time to play piano.

She plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania this fall, pursuing a degree in either biology or economics. Then she hopes to attend medical school or a business school.