For Immediate Release: April 10, 2025
Contact: Fermin Vasquez at [email protected]
Dr. Hyein Lee Available for Interviews to Share One-of-a-kind Data and Expertise on Dreamers
Washington, DC -This week, the CUNY (City University of New York) Graduate Center published a profile of TheDream.US Chief Operating Officer Dr. Hyein Lee titled, “She Speaks for the Dreamers,” noting, “Alumna Hyein Lee, the chief operating officer of TheDream.US, has a story to tell about college-educated undocumented immigrants based on the vast data she has collected.” The profile, excerpted below, notes that Dr. Lee “has a story to tell about college-educated undocumented immigrants based on the vast data she has collected.”
Below, find key excerpts from the CUNYGraduate Center profile of Dr. Hyein Lee: “She Speaks for the Dreamers” and also read the recent TheDream.US 10-year impact report: “From Dreams to Destinations: A Decade of Immigrant Achievements and the Future Ahead,” filled with never-released data and snapshot profiles of some of the organization’s 4,000-plus Alumni and based on Dr. Lee’s research and dissertation.
“Hyein Lee (Ph.D. ’24, Sociology) has a straightforward message about the reach and relevance of U.S. immigration policy. ‘It is about all of us,’ she said at an immigration policy panel discussion at the Graduate Center in February. ‘Chances are that someone that you know is undocumented, and they haven’t felt safe enough to come forward and identify their own immigration status,’ she said. ‘This happens constantly.’
She would know. As the chief operating officer of TheDream.US, a nonprofit that provides college scholarships to undocumented students, Lee has gathered the most comprehensive set of data on Dreamers — undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children — in the country. Her research shows that they are embedded into the nation’s economy. They are excelling in college and working in professional settings, from Fortune 500 companies to hospitals to schools. Since 2014, TheDream.US has provided college scholarships to over 11,000 students, including over 2,000 students at 18 CUNY colleges.
…over her seven years at TheDream.US, Lee, an immigrant from Korea herself, has earned their trust. She also used the research skills she gained as a Graduate Center Sociology Ph.D. candidate to design how the organization collects and tracks data about the Dreamers it supports.
‘With a very small team, she has collected what really is the best data that I am aware of related to the academic performance of undocumented students,’ said Donald Graham, the former publisher of The Washington Post and a co-founder of TheDream.US. ‘It is extraordinary.’
A portion of the data became the foundation of Lee’s doctoral dissertation, and she presented some takeaways from it at the Graduate Center’s Dissertation Showcase last May.
… The statistics and stories Lee and her team have gathered have made their way to Capitol Hill and city halls.
‘It is a tribute to Hyein’s remarkable competence that her data is sought out by members of Congress, by mayors,’ Graham said. He noted that many are in favor of Dreamers, but, he added, ‘They’re also looking for accurate data without exaggeration that tells their story.’
Last year, Lee was promoted to chief operating officer of TheDream.US. She and her seven-person team ensure that the organization’s 4,200 students and close to 80 participating colleges are being served. She helps set and carry out the organization’s strategic vision.
Graham described her job succinctly. “She now does everything,” he said. “She administers the entire organization, which is big and complicated.” He added, “I’ve been the CEO of a public company. I’ve been the publisher of The Washington Post for 21 years, and I’ve worked with some great managers, and Hyein is a great manager.”
Lee considers the job a privilege. “There are moments in history which seem very pivotal,” she said. “And I always wanted to know that I played a part when the challenges arise.”
About TheDream.US
TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for undocumented immigrant students, having provided more than 11,000 college scholarships to Dreamers attending close to 80 partner colleges in 20 states and Washington, DC. We believe everyone, regardless of where they were born, should have equitable access to a college education, a meaningful career, and opportunities to contribute to the communities they call home. For more information on TheDream.US, visit www.thedream.us.
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