Nominating Bill Gates to the Hall of Fame for Great Americans
This paper develops a definition of what it means to be a "great American" and argues that Bill Gates satisfies those criteria. Beginning with a brief history of the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at Bronx Community College, the paper traces Gates's life from his childhood in Seattle, his introduction to computers at Lakeside Preparatory School, and his partnership with Paul Allen, through the founding of Microsoft and its landmark deal with IBM. The paper then examines Gates's transition from business leader to philanthropist through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, highlighting key global health and development initiatives. It concludes by formally nominating Gates alongside other Hall of Fame luminaries on the basis of his intellect, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy.
- Introduction: Thesis and overview of Gates nomination
- The Hall of Fame for Great Americans: History and current state of the Hall
- Bill Gates: Early Life and Education: Gates's childhood, school years, and first programs
- Building Microsoft: Founding Microsoft and the IBM deal
- Philanthropy and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: Gates Foundation initiatives and global impact
- Conclusion: Formal nomination alongside other Hall of Fame luminaries
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper opens with a clear thesis and organizational roadmap, letting the reader know exactly what criteria will be applied and how Gates will be evaluated against them.
- Historical context about the Hall of Fame itself adds credibility and grounds the nomination in a concrete institutional framework rather than abstract praise.
- The chronological narrative of Gates's life flows naturally into an argument, so biography and persuasion reinforce each other throughout.
- Direct quotations from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a peer-reviewed source (the WHO Bulletin) add authoritative support to the philanthropic claims.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates purposive use of biography as evidence: rather than simply cataloguing life events, each biographical detail is selected because it supports the central claim that Gates meets the definitional criteria for a great American. The transition from the Microsoft section to the philanthropy section is especially effective, framing Gates's charitable work not as separate from his business career but as its natural culmination.
Structure breakdown
The paper is organized into five substantive sections bookended by an introduction and conclusion. After establishing the Hall of Fame's history and current need for new inductees, it moves chronologically through Gates's early life, his entrepreneurial career, and finally his philanthropy. The conclusion synthesizes these threads into a formal nomination, comparing Gates to other Hall of Fame honorees. Citations follow MLA format throughout.
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to develop a relevant definition of what it means to be a "great American" today and to demonstrate what it takes to satisfy these definitional criteria. In the information technology field, one name stands above the rest in personifying the types of enduring contributions to the nation that make an individual a "great American." William "Bill" Henry Gates III is an exemplary model of a highly successful modern business leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. In support of this nomination, an informative summary of Gates's life and his contributions to the nation are followed by a summary of the biographical research and important findings in the conclusion.
The Hall of Fame for Great Americans
Established in 1900 to honor the best of the best in American leadership, the Hall of Fame for Great Americans features 98 bronze busts nestled in an outdoor colonnade at Bronx Community College and was the first "hall of fame" in the country. When it was established at the turn of the century, induction into the Hall of Fame for Great Americans was considered a major achievement, and even the elections for new nominees received nationwide press coverage (Dolnick 1). In fact, some contemporary observers suggest that the institution was so famous that it was referenced in the motion picture The Wizard of Oz, when the Munchkins proclaim that Dorothy will be ". . . a bust, be a bust, be a bust in the Hall of Fame!" (as cited in Dolnick 2).
Following the sale of the Hall of Fame in 1973, however, the collection of bronze busts of great Americans has been largely ignored and forgotten despite the luminaries honored there, and there have been no new inductees since 1976 (Dolnick 2). Clearly, what the Hall of Fame needs at present is fresh representation that reflects the increasing diversity of the nation as well as the latest enduring contributions individuals have made to American society and culture. One such individual who satisfies the definitional criteria for a great American is Bill Gates, whose life and contributions are discussed below.
Works Cited
"About the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation." Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2018. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/.
"Bill Gates Biography." Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 15 Mar. 2018, www.biography.com/people/bill-gates-9307520.
"Bill Gates Biography: Success Story of Microsoft Co-Founder." Astrum People, 2018, astrumpeople.com/bill-gates-biography/.
Cumberland, Sarah. "Awareness to Action: Regina Rabinovich Manages a Portfolio of More Than US$ 1 Billion of Grants in Infectious Disease Work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She Talks with Sarah Cumberland about the Challenges and Successes of Working in Global Health." Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 89, no. 6, June 2011, pp. 400–403.
Dolnick, Sam. "A Hall of Fame, Forgotten and Forlorn." The New York Times, 2009, https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/nyregion/05metjournal.html.
Wendell, Bryan. "What Percentage of Boy Scouts Become Eagle Scouts?" Bryan on Scouting, 2018, https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/03/30/what-percentage-of-boy-scouts-become-eagle-scouts/.
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