For Immediate Release: January 15, 2021
Contact: Michael Earls: [email protected]
TheDream.US Announces Opening of College Scholarship Round for San Antonio-Area Immigrant Youth
Visit https://thedream.us/scholarships/national-scholarship/ for Application Information
Washington, DC – TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college access and success program for immigrant youth, has announced the opening of its new Scholarship round for the 2021-2022 academic year. The organization’s expanded eligibility criteria opens applications to DREAMers who have DACA, TPS or who came to the country before November 1, 2015 and otherwise meet the DACA eligibility criteria.
The new scholarship round includes a focus on San Antonio-area immigrant youth in their pursuit of a college education. TheDream.US has awarded more than 150 scholarships to San Antonio College and Texas A&M-San Antonio and paid over $1.6M in awards. Additionally, Texas DREAMers attend four other Partner Colleges in the state: University of Houston, UNT Dallas, The University of Texas El Paso, and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
According to Candy Marshall, president of TheDream.US: “We are honored to support highly motivated DREAMers in San Antonio and across the Nation who are often unable to afford a college education. We are buoyed by President-elect Biden’s commitments to reinstate the DACA program and pursue legislation that will provide DREAMers with a path to citizenship that will enable them to fully contribute to our shared country. Until this happens, immigrant youth in Texas will continue to face barriers in pursuing higher education because they are ineligible for federal financial aid. With the opening of our 2021-22 Scholarship round, we want to thank Texas A&M San Antonio, San Antonio College, and our other Texas Partner Colleges for helping Texas DREAMers pursue their dream of a college education and a meaningful career.”
Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson, President of Texas A&M-San Antonio stated, “We take great pride as the only four-year public university in San Antonio, partnering with TheDream.US to ensure opportunities for immigrant students with the dream of earning a college degree. Texas A&M-San Antonio remains committed to providing support and guidance to DACAmented and undocumented students’ financial aid opportunities. Our university community is enriched, and our society is much stronger with these individuals.”
Hugo Cantero, an academic success coach and TheDream.US Scholar Advisor for Texas A&M-San Antonio said, “As an ally for undocumented or DACAmented youth, we are committed to meeting your education and career goals at A&M-San Antonio. Make your academic dreams come true this Fall 2021 semester. We are here to support you and your families every step of the way!”
According to Fernanda Rangel, a new TheDream.US Scholar attending Texas A&M-San Antonio,“TheDream.US has impacted me for the better. I now have the chance to continue moving forward. When I was three I was moved to the United States without any knowledge of how my immigration status would impact my life. Now I attend college and I am working towards my career goals despite all the obstacles. Earning a college degree matters to me because it is more than a piece of paper. It is all the knowledge I will obtain while working for the degree that will change the world and allow me to help people.”
The deadline for applications for the National Scholarship is February 25, 2021. Learn more here
About TheDream.US
- TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college access and success program for immigrant youth, having provided more than 6,500 college scholarships to DREAMers at more than 70 partner colleges in 16 states and Washington, DC. We believe that all young Americans, regardless of where they were born, should have the opportunity to get a college education and pursue a meaningful career that contributes to our country’s prosperity.
- Read the September 2020 “In Their Own Words” survey report from TheDream.US detailing how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of 2,681 Scholars attending Partner Colleges in 17 states and Washington, DC. The survey found that while DREAMers and their families’ economic and health security have been greatly diminished by the pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding the future of DACA, DREAMers remain focused on completing college, giving back to their communities, and ambitiously pursuing their post-college goals.