Miami Dade College leads nation in students receiving Dreamers scholarships

February 13, 2014
Posted BY LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ
ASSOCIATED PRESS

Miami Dade College on Tuesday became the big­gest recipient of a new pri­vate scholarship program aimed at helping immi­grant youth.


From left to right, Jose Machado, a student of Nicaraguan descent, Cheryl Little, executive director of Americans for Immigrant Justice, and students Julio Calde­ron and Natalia Jaramillo listen to President Obama’s announcement that his administration had ordered suspension of deportations of documented students seeking the protection of the DREAM Act, on June 15, 2012. The students were at Miami Dade College.
(ROBERTO KOLTUN/EL NUEVO HERALD MCT)

Former Washington Post owner Donald E. Gra­ham, who co-founded The­Dream. US, joined College President Eduard Padron at Miami’s historic Free­dom Tower to present the awards to 22 Miami Dade students. Another 17 youth nationwide also were to re­ceive the support in this in­augural batch of scholar­ships.

Graham said he be­came interested in helping the Dreamers after work­ing with youth in Washing­ton, D.C., public schools, encouraging them to at­tend college. Each year, the number of students unable to afford college because of their immigration status grew.

“There was always this one group of students that could not go. First it was five, then it was 10, then it was 75 to 100 even in Wash­ington, D.C.,’’ he said.

$25 million raised
Youth brought to the country as children and who now live here illegal­ly – so-called Dreamers – are not eligible for federal grants, and in many states must pay out-of-state tu­ition.

Philanthropist Henry Munoz III and for U.S. Sec­retary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez also co-founded the group last June and tapped Miami Dade alum­na and Dreamer activist Gabby Pacheco as its pro­gram director.

TheDream.
US provides scholarships of up to $25,000 in aid and has raised $25 million, Graham said.

Award recipient Federi­co Paseiro, 20, whose father buses tables at a Miami ho­tel, is using his scholarship to study business admin­istration and hospitality management.

“I still can’t believe I went from not knowing what path was open to me two years ago to now getting a scholarship to go to col­lege,’’ said Paseiro, who be­gan classes last month.

Miami Dade has long supported college access for qualified youth living in the country illegally. It is one of a small number of Florida schools that pro­vides them in-state tuition.

http://flcourier.com/2014/02/13/miami-dade-college-leads-nation-in-students-receiving-dreamers-scholarships/