October 25, 2013...During a fundraiser held in Birmingham, Alabama on Friday, October 25, 2013 as part of the 72nd Magic City Classic weekend, T.D. I., Turning Dreams Into Realities which is a 501c3 tax exempt organization founded by Alabama State University alumni from the states of Texas and Alabama, announced the first of many students accepted into their scholarship and mentorship program.  The organization is dedicated to assisting students with making a successful transition into adulthood, higher education or the professional workforce by way of mentor programs, scholarships, and professional development.

The recipient is Diezman D. Ellis, a freshman from Uniontown, Alabama.  His dream is to obtain his Master's of Business Administration and then go on to be a Chief Executive Officer of an international company as well as be an entrepreneur and healthcare advocate.  After watching both his grandparents suffer from diabetes and having to be cared for by his mother, he is dedicated to helping young people fight obesity through making healthy food choices and exercising daily. He is a member of Alabama State University's Student Government Association and National Honor Society.  Along with TDI's scholarship, he has also received The Thurgood Marshall scholarship through Costco, Alabama Counts College Scholarship and the Alabama State University Incentive Award. He is a former high school athlete, former Jr. ROTC member, and former Kappa League member.  

Programs like this offered by T.D.I. were created in the spirit of what defines T.D.I. yesterday, today and tomorrow, which is the embracing of fellowship and strong relationships within the organization, the desire to have fun, and the assurance that all endeavors are performed in excellence. In addition to professional development and business acumen, T.D.I. cares about sharing lessons learned from member's experiences in an effort to reduce the risk of students making the same mistakes.

In the fall of 1993, a group of sixteen young men from Talladega, Alabama and Dallas, Texas met as freshman on the campus of Alabama State University. They started what is now a perpetual friendship with a common ambition to be successful and a desire to use their knowledge, time and monetary gifts to give back through an organization they founded called TallaDallas, Inc., which later became T.D.I.  

The organization has extended the deadline for a sophomore or junior to apply for acceptance in the program until November 15, 2013. For more information on T.D.I. Inc., to apply for the scholarship,to schedule an interview, or make a tax deductible donation, please contact them at (713) 344-0422 or email them at info@tdi2r.org. For more information visit their website at www.tdi2r.org.