For Immediate Release: January 12, 2023
Contact: Michael Earls at [email protected]
How TheDream.US Partner Colleges Like Oglethorpe University Support Dreamers’ Higher Education in Georgia and Beyond
Washington, DC – At TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college access and success program for immigrant youth, we rely on the support and dedication of our more than 80 partner colleges in 21 states and Washington, DC to support the education and career goals of immigrant students.
In Georgia, we are proud of our partnership with Oglethorpe University in Atlanta and happy to share a new essay from Peter Dye, Oglethorpe’s assistant director of community and global engagement and the scholar advisor to TheDream.US scholarship recipients. In an opinion piece published in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, Dye writes “How Universities Can Support Undocumented Students as Federal Policies Continue to Threaten Them.” In the process, Dye highlights how TheDream.US Partner Colleges such as Oglethorpe remain committed to the success and support of Dreamers during a challenging time.
Below, find more information about how TheDream.US supports undocumented students in Georgia and learn about our upcoming application deadlines, followed by excerpts from the new opinion essay.
For undocumented students living in Georgia, TheDream.US offers two types of scholarships: the Opportunity Scholarship, for Georgia students to attend an out-of-state Partner College, and the National Scholarship for Georgia students to attend Oglethorpe University.
- The Opportunity Scholarship is for students who live in targeted, locked-out states where they cannot access in-state tuition. The Opportunity Scholarship provides up to $80,000 to cover tuition, fees, and on-campus housing and meals for a bachelor’s degree at one of five out of state colleges – Christian Brothers University in Tennessee; Delaware State University; Dominican University in Illinois; Eastern Connecticut State University; or Trinity Washington University (Women’s College). Deadline for applications is January 31, 2023. Full information on eligibility and how to apply for the Opportunity Scholarship available HERE.
- The National Scholarship is for Dreamers who are about to graduate high school or earn a GED; current or previously enrolled university students to attend a Partner College in their state. In Georgia, applicants who become TheDream.US National Scholars will attend Oglethorpe University. The National Scholarship is for tuition and fees up to $19,500 for an associate’s degree and up to $39,000 for a bachelor’s degree. Deadline for applications is February 28, 2023. Full information on eligibility and how to apply for the National Scholarship available HERE.
Below, find excerpts from Peter Dye’s, “How Universities Can Support Undocumented Students as Federal Policies Continue to Threaten Them,” with the full opinion essay available at above link:
“Over the past few years, Oglethorpe University has seen a steady increase in Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and undocumented enrollees. In 2019, Oglethorpe partnered with TheDream.US, a national scholarship program that helps provide access to a college education for immigrant youth who came to the country at a young age without documentation.
Undocumented students make up nearly 10% of Oglethorpe’s degree-seeking student body. As the scholar advisor to TheDream.US recipients at Oglethorpe, I regularly hear about the struggles and obstacles they are forced to face every day. Constant threats of deportation for themselves and family members, limited options for earning income, lack of accessible healthcare, and ineligibility for driver’s licenses in some states are ever-present hurdles. The future of DACA itself is uncertain as the program bounces through the courts again. With the growing likelihood that the program will be ruled unlawful and DACA renewals halted indefinitely, undocumented students
…At Oglethorpe, we have found both an opportunity and a responsibility to provide support to this growing student population. will face a challenging new reality … Despite legislative uncertainty and limited resources, undocumented students have continually found ways to pursue their academic and professional goals. Out of necessity, they’ve been forced to be resilient and resourceful. It’s time for colleges to be the same.”
TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for undocumented immigrant students, having provided more than 8,750 college scholarships to Dreamers attending over 80 partner colleges in 21 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
Meet TheDream.US Graduates
TheDream.US has over 3,000 graduates who are driven, resilient, and helping move our shared country forward. They are nurses, teachers, authors, computer scientists, research scientists, business entrepreneurs, nurses, policy analysts, social justice workers – all contributing to the social and economic prosperity of this country. Their stories are ones of resilience and determination. Meet some of TheDream.US graduates and their stories here
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