Gwen Jones-Tyler graduated from Wichita High School East with an International Baccalaureate Diploma. The IB program emphasizes rigorous academic standards as well as leadership and service. A program coordinator at Wichita State University says that Gwen is “a proven leader, one of those students we measure other students – and ourselves -by.”

Senior class co-president, vice-president of the Black Leadership Club, vice-president of the Spanish Club, and co-captain of the Pom Pom Squad, Gwen assumed leadership roles in all of her high school activities. In her junior year she brought her formidable organizational skills to the task of orchestrating a community-wide “Youth Day of Caring” for the United Way. She led more than 600 young people in performing a full day of community service. For these efforts, and her dedication to the Study Buddy program through which she mentors and tutors middle school children, Gwen was named a “Daily Point of Light.” She is she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2003.