Originally Submitted to the Daily Flyer by: Debbie Wyne, Interim AVP of Enrollment Svcs, DWyne@nvcc.edu

TheDream.US is more than just a scholarship program for students wishing to attend college. TheDream.US is an organization that also provides college and career guidance to undocumented immigrant students, also known as Dreamers, who attend one of more than 80 partner colleges.

NOVA came on board as a partner college early in the growth of this organization. This partnership has allowed for more than 100 undocumented students (with or without DACA or TPS) to attend NOVA over the past nine years, with many of those students later transferring to George Mason University and other partner colleges. These scholars have been supported by NOVA’s Monica Gomez (LO), a longtime NOVA employee who was designated as the scholar advisor to these scholarship recipients. Monica’s role is to support and assist them in planning their degrees at NOVA. She also serves as the liaison between TheDream.US and NOVA to ensure that the college receives the students’ funds to cover their tuition and fees each semester. The scholarship is open to students who:

• Came to the U.S. before November 1, 2018, and are undocumented,
• Entered the U.S. before the age of 16,
• Have significant unmet financial need,
• Have graduated or will graduate from a U.S. high school,
• Graduated with GPA of 2.5 or higher,
• Are eligible for in-state tuition, and
• Intend to enroll full time in an associate or bachelor’s degree program.

The application cycle is open beginning today, November 1, and runs through February 29, 2024. Students will be notified in late April 2024 if they were selected as a recipient of the scholarship. Students can find more information about the scholarship at www.thedream.us.