DSU Opportunity Scholarship Students Meet Benefactors

It was a meeting between the “Dreamers” and the people who have made their academic dreams come true.

Don Graham chats with the Opportunity Scholarship students.

On Sept. 6, a group of 34 new DSU students – undocumented immigrant youths who came to this country with their family when they were younger – met Don Graham, the founder of TheDream.US and its Opportunity Scholarship that has made their enrollment at DSU possible.

The students, well-dressed in professional attire as an expression of their respect and gratitude, also met two other individuals who helped open the doors of Del State to them – Gov. Jack Markell and DSU President Harry L. Williams.

DSU is one of two schools that has agreed to accept the Opportunity Scholarship students – known as Dreamers – who come from states in the U.S. that make it virtually impossible for them to enroll in state institutions of higher education because of immigration status.

Mr. Graham said that he got cooperation in Delaware that was hard to find elsewhere. “There were governors that wanted to do this, but couldn’t get the politics right in their state,” he said. “And there were other governors that didn’t want to be a part of this.”

However, he got a receptive response from Gov. Markell, who in turn received an immediate commitment from the DSU president to accept the Opportunity Scholarship students.

“We are invested in every single one of you,” Mr. Graham told the group. “You are here because of Gov. Jack Markell and Dr. Williams.”

Gov. Jack Markell told the students that they were not only welcomed at DSU, but also welcomed to remain and work in Delaware after they graduate.

Gov. Markell said he was already impressed with the students and hoped after they complete their degrees that they will remain in Delaware.

“You should be able to live out the American Dream,” said Gov. Markell. “We are going to do our level best to provide you with the platform and foundation to do that in Delaware.”

Dr. Williams said he is confident that these students will do well at DSU.

“These students already have proven themselves at American high schools across the country and their academic excellence at that level made it possible for them to take advantage of this valuable opportunity,” Dr. Williams said. “They were all above the admission standard of the University, which was a requirement to receive the scholarship.”

U.S. Senator Tom Carper and Dr. Christine Cannon, executive director of the Arsht-Cannon Fund of the Delaware Community Foundation, were also on hand to wish the student an intellectually prosperous academic journey.

“You’re here, and you didn’t come to just any university,” Sen. Carper said. “You came to Delaware State University, which is an outstanding institution of higher education.”

Fernando Morales said he and his fellow Dreamer students are profoundly grateful for this opportunity.

After the meeting, 34 new DSU Hornets posed for photos with Mr. Graham, the governor, the DSU president and spent some precious time to get to know them even better.

Fernando Morales, a Dreamer student from Arkansas, said the sense of gratitude that he and his Opportunity Scholarship colleagues feel is too profound to put adequately into words. The Mexican native noted, however, his high respect for Mr. Graham.

“He is very humble person,” said Mr. Morales, who is majoring in Movement Science at DSU. “I admire him for helping people who don’t get very many opportunities in this country.”