Cece Manze '15 Visits the Gates Foundation

Cece Manze '15 Visits the Gates Foundation

Marlborough's 2015 Guerin Prize winner wrote about Melinda Gates as the living American she most admired.

Cece Manze '15 Visits the Gates Foundation

On July 21st, Chase “Cece” Manze ’15, Marlborough’s 2015 winner of the Guerin Prize, spent the day at the Gates Foundation in Seattle. The Guerin Prize, established in 1999, offers members of Marlborough's Junior Class an opportunity to write a competitive essay about the living American whom they most admire. The winner of the Guerin Prize is provided the unique and special opportunity to meet the subject of her essay.

Cece started her day with a tour of the Foundation, attended a programmatic update from the Foundation’s agriculture section, and joined a learning session on the topic of women and girls with relation to the Foundation’s water, sanitation, and hygiene section. This was followed by lunch with Melinda Gates, during which time they were able to speak one-on-one about the morning meetings and Melinda’s work at the Foundation. The afternoon was spent with Gates Foundation Program Directors. Cece attended sessions related to gender issues in global development, the role of the Foundation in family planning initiatives, and a discussion about the Foundation’s work to support women farmers.

In Cece’s Guerin Prize essay, she explained that she selected Melinda Gates because, while Gates could have chosen a life in which she was known primarily as Bill Gates’ wife, her hard work, altruism, and perseverance in seeking solutions to global problems have made her a formidable figure in her own right; she is someone who chooses action over resignation in the face of daunting challenges. Moreover, Cece admires Gates’ efficacy in creating change, having stated in her essay that, “known as one of the most altruistic, innovative, and purely compassionate individuals in the United States, if not the world, Melinda Gates’ quiet dedication and relentless drive to be a positive force for mankind have helped steer her global philanthropic foundation towards many successes.”

Congratulations, Cece!

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