For Immediate Release: December 18, 2020
Contact: Michael Earls: [email protected]
TheDream.US Announces Opening of College Scholarship Round for Houston-Area Immigrant Youth
Visit https://www.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 Houston-area immigrant youth in their pursuit of a college education. TheDream.US has awarded more than 340 scholarships to the University of Houston. Additionally, Texas DREAMers attend five other Partner Colleges in the state: San Antonio College, Texas A&M San Antonio, 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 Houston 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 the University of Houston and our other Texas Partner Colleges for helping Texas DREAMers pursue their dream of a college education and a meaningful career.”
According to Richard Walker, Ed.D., Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, University of Houston System, “The University of Houston’s mission of offering opportunities for learning, discovery and engagement to a diverse population of students is shown through our commitment to our DACA recipients. At the University of Houston, our UH Dreamers are talented and have shown true Cougar Pride. They are already becoming campus leaders—as members of the Honors Program, as resident assistants and as part of the Student Government Association. UH Dreamers have a strong academic pursuit with an impressive 3.1 median GPA. The University of Houston is committed to diversity and supporting our Dreamers. We have already seen their commitment to their family, education, and to the university; with our continuing support I feel confident that our Dreamers will become an integral part of their community and nation.”
According to Brett Perlman, CEO of Center for Houston’s Future, “Houston is home to 32,000 DREAMers, who are hard-working young people providing essential services in fields as varied as education, hospitality, construction and health care. Our research at the Center for Houston’s Future shows that they and other immigrants are core to our region’s economic future and therefore we must continue to support these young people. Working with TheDream.US, we at the Center have had the privilege to get to personally know and work with many of these young people and have been so impressed by their drive and determination.”
According to Yolanda B, a first year TheDream.US Scholar attending the University of Houston, “TheDream.US has impacted my life in the biggest way possible. Before I knew about their scholarship I did not think I would ever have enough money to attend a university because I am not eligible for many scholarships or even federal loans. I had heard ‘no, you’re not going to college’ so many times and had become so disillusioned. Now I’m a college freshman who aspires to work in the medical field as a nurse and then move my way up to become a physician’s assistant. TheDream.US helped make my dream come true.”
According to “Alejandra,” a first year TheDream.US Scholar attending the University of Houston, “I’m so happy that I get to go to college and continue my education. TheDream.US has given me hope in the present. As an undocumented student, I am always looking forward to a future where I am allowed to work, allowed to drive, and not have to worry about being ripped away from my home. I used to only think of the present as a transition to a future where I can finally be accepted into society, and people could finally see my potential without negatively thinking about my immigration status. However, after hearing TheDream.US emphasize that they stand by undocumented students no matter what, say that they believe in us, and recognize that we are valuable to society, I was so touched that the present suddenly felt liveable and enjoyable. I finally had the piece of the future that I wanted the most: people who think that I’m valuable and that I belong here.”
For more information on eligibility and how to apply for a TheDream.US scholarship, visit https://www.thedream.us/scholarships/national-scholarship/
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.