South Student Wins 2018 Reverend Samuel McKinney Scholarship
Congratulations to South Seattle College student Domonique Gordon, recipient of the 2018 Reverend Samuel McKinney Scholarship presented during Seattle Colleges’ 45th Annual Community Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 12, 2018 at Seattle’s Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Established in 1998 to recognize the contributions of the Rev. Samuel McKinney, civic leader and longtime pastor at Mount Zion Baptist Church, each year the $1,500 scholarship is presented to a qualified African-American student currently enrolled in the Seattle Colleges District.
At the celebration, South Seattle College Interim President Peter Lortz presented Domonique with his scholarship, stating, “Just as Dr. King advocated for education, Domonique strongly believes that if he can empower himself through his studies, he can empower others, especially those who mean the most to him.”
A graduate of the Bronx Leadership Academy in New York City, after high school Domonique spent four years serving in the US Navy before coming to South. In addition to a full class load, Domonique also works two jobs on campus totaling 30 hours every week. During his time at South, he has become a student advocate and leader through his involvement with several clubs and organizations. He is treasurer for the United Student Association, chair of the Student and Activities Fee Budget Committee, and a member of the Tenure Committee and Ready-Set-Transfer (RST) Academy. As a proud veteran, he is also a member of the Student Veteran Association and is a veterans service specialist.
“It was important to me to become involved in campus activities when I came to South,” says Domonique. “I was always a pretty reserved person before coming to South, so I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and try and create some change on campus for students while I am here.”
As the first person in his family to attend college, Domonique plans to transfer to a four-year university and eventually complete his master’s in Computer Science. After college Domonique hopes to merge his understanding of technology with his love of health and nutrition. His motto, “Prevention is better than cure,” has inspired him to someday open his own fitness gym and develop software to help others live healthier lives.
“Growing up, I never saw people that looked like me, or people that I could identify with that worked in the tech industry,” says Domonique. “I hope someday that I can be that role model that I never had, create my own path in the industry and become an example for others.”