Dream Project

Student aid: the Dream Project awards renewable college scholarships to students whose immigation status creates barriers to education in Virginia. The Dream scholarship is awarded to talented immigrant students who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership, community involvement and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Scholar, alumni and family support:dream Project scholarship recipients, college graduates and their families are additionally supported by the organization through activities and programming designed to help them succeed in college and careers. A. The Dream Project partners with an organization called beyond 12 to provide personalized college coaching services to help students thrive in college and beyond. These services are provided to all freshman students as well as selected sophomores and students who are transferring from two- to four-year colleges. Most Dream Project students are the first in their families to attend college, so this coaching service is often critical for their success. B.the Dream Project hosts an annual Dream summit for these students and young graduates. This weeklong annual event attracts 150 scholars, alums, and parents. The summit began as a program for current and former Dream scholars and mentees, but recently, we created a second, separate summit for parents. We provide a safe space for all to be empowered by their immigrant experience and bond with peers. An in-person kick-off event offers opportunities for these groups to meet and network. Community leaders and professionals lead different, high-quality educational and inspirational tracks. Alumni workshops include resume optimization, interview skills, financial literacy, and workforce readiness. Topics for scholars include financial aid, transferring colleges, navigating graduate school, networking, time management, and career coaching. Parents of our scholars and alums participate in workshops such as accessing community resources, mindfulness, and immigration law and policy changes. C.the Dream Project employs a case manager who connects students with other community and government resources which provide additional rent, food, and physical and mental health support and services. Some of these services are internal to the Dream Project including: d.the molly and joseph herman Dream scholar loan fund provides interest free loans to eligible students to pay for unexpected emergencies, as well as daca application fees payable only to uscis. Students may receive multiple loans, each loan up to $2000 and only payable directly to the school, for undergraduate and graduate educational expenses. Repayment for non-daca loans commences after graduation and should be completed within two years, though the committee may impose other terms or conditions. Daca loans are repaid in monthly installments over five months. E.the Dream Project works to create systemic change and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion by empowering young immigrant adults to lead community initiatives that advocate for change in the infrastructure. This is accomplished through participation in community coalitions/groups, and educational events and the formation of the leadership council. The leadership council is an opportunity for our alumni who are especially interested in becoming leaders in their field. This program recruits former Dream scholars that are interested in strengthening their leadership and self-advocacy skills. In addition to gaining a sense of community, our leadership council attends exclusive advocacy workshops and gains valuable networking opportunities through speaking with politicians and business professionals. Members of our leadership council can also choose to take a more active role in the events and operations of the Dream Project. O emergency relief and mental health fund, which provides grants to help students pay for rent, food, utilities, and healthcare if community resources are not available. O computer support providing computers to students in need.

Mentoring: the Dream Project also provides a mentoring program for high school seniors and community college scholars who are transferring to a four-year university. From september to may participants meet on tuesday evenings with our team of staff and mentors. Following group discussions and workshops, mentees and their advisors meet one-on-one to address the specifics of the student's college admissions process. Mentors are a confidential resource, informed on how college admissions work for noncitizens, who students can count on to see them through this journey to higher education.

Communications and advocacy:the Dream Project further works to spread awareness about the struggles that our Dream scholars and families face, and supports partner organizations who advocate for their rights. This is accomplished through traditional and social media streams, participation in community coalitions/groups, and educational events.

Family engagement and support:from the very beginning, the Dream Project has relied on parent volunteering and support to succeed. The organization began as a small group of concerned parents hoping to send their children to college despite the many obstacles in their path. We continue to rely on the assistance of family, while keeping in mind the many barriers that exist for those seeking higher education in the immigrant community. The Dream Project hosts an annual week-long Dream summit and workshops throughout the year for parents focused on how they can support their students in college and beyond. Through a computer core partnership, members of the parents committee also receive basic computer classes; participants are given laptops to improve their digital skills and proficiency with microsoft software. The parent committee also supports the fundraising efforts of the Dream Project and organizes fundraisers throughout the year to fund a named scholarship and other Dream Project programs.