Submit Your Special/Mini-Winter EVRs Now!

Special/Mini-Winter EVRs are due by January 13, 2025.

Reminder: Please include your Partner College name in the EVR filename to avoid delays in payments.

The instructions and video tutorial can be found in the Program Management section on our website. The full EVR schedule for the current academic year can be found here.

Questions: Elena.Salorio@thedream.us and Camila.Salkov@thedream.us 

🎉 Welcome to TheDream.US Team!

Fermin Vasquez, Director of Strategic Communications and Engagement

Join us in welcoming Fermin, our new Director of Strategic Communications and Engagement, to TheDream.US Staff!

Fermin brings fifteen years of experience as a communications professional and lifelong commitment to improving the lives of others. His work has engaged millions of people to take action and push for change.

“As a former Dreamer, having achieved the dream of a higher education, I believe access to education is the key to building a stronger country and thriving communities. I’m honored to be joining TheDream.US to ensure we invest, believe and support immigrant youth in their college and career success.”

December 17, Last PC Power Hour of 2024 - Election Response Pt.2: Protecting Dreamers On-Campus - Steps to Take Now

Tues. December 17th

11 am PT/1 pm CT/2 pm ET

Link to attend

Once again, we encourage all Partner College Teams to join our final PC Power Hour session for 2024 on Tuesday, December 17 at 2 pm ET. We continue to engage in conversation on priorities for supporting our Scholars and Dreamers as we prepare for the next administration. 

In this next session, we will share final housekeeping items for TheDream.US, as well as hear from the following guest speakers:

Monica Andrade - Director of State Policy and Legal Strategy at Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, will share a new Know Your Rights Resources tool for practitioners and higher education leaders.

Dr. Cynthia Carvajal - Director for Undocumented & Immigrant Student Programs at The City University of New York will share how CUNY is evolving emergency response practices developed during the first Trump administration.

Preparing Scholars for Spring: End-of-Year Outreach

We started our End-of-Year communications campaign to Scholars yesterday, with the first round of emails going out to:

• Current National and Opportunity Scholars whose scholarship was withdrawn due to no enrollment in Fall 2024
• New National Scholars that did not enroll in Fall 2024, reminding them to enroll in Spring 2025 to keep their scholarship
• New Opportunity Scholars whose scholarship was withdrawn due to no enrollment in Fall 2024

These emails included directions on how Scholars can appeal their eligibility, if appropriate.  

Heads Up: Next week, we will reach out to Scholars that are no longer eligible for the scholarship as of the Fall 2024 semester for the following reasons:

• Maxed out of funds
• Timed out 
• Graduated 

We will also reach out to all current Scholars an end-of-semester email, reminding them to utilize their ISTS Scholar Portal to track and manage their award and resources available to support their college success.

Reminder: With Fall payments wired, please run the “PC Scholar Report” in your ISTS PC Portal for updated Scholarship Eligibility and Statuses. 

The report will now reflect Scholars eligible to receive funds for Spring 2025 (filter on column O “Scholar Eligibility”).

Questions: Chris.Aviles@thedream.us 

2 Upcoming Promotional Sessions for the 2025-2026 Application Round

This Year’s Application Round Dates:

Opportunity

Opens: November 1, 2024

Closes: January 31, 2025

National

Opens: November 1, 2024

Closes: February 28, 2025

We are hosting 2 Promotional Events this month– please share widely!

Opportunity Scholarship Virtual College Fair – Tuesday, December 17 at 6 pm ET – Register Here

National Scholarship Q&A – Thursday, December 19 at 6 pm ET – Register Here

TheDream.US Featured in Voice of America

TheDream.US was featured in a Spanish-language article in Voice of America. The article covers the importance of TheDream.US Scholarship Programs in opening new opportunities for undocumented students to continue their college and career dreams. As Gaby Pacheco, President & CEO said, "Now more than ever, this is the moment [for Dreamers] to look for the opportunities to study, look for a scholarship, and be part of universities."

Read more here.

Media Inquiries: michael@npagency.com

What it Means to be an Immigrant: "Define American with Jose Antonio Vargas"

Last week, our Advisory Board member Jose Antonio Vargas launched “Define American with Jose Antonio Vargas,” a podcast and YouTube show that dives deep into what it means to be an immigrant, especially as we head into a second Trump presidency. 

Watch the first 3 episodes here, with the latest episode featuring Gaby Pacheco.

Please share widely with our Scholars and your networks to lift the voices of Dreamers and create safe spaces.

For all emails sent to Scholars, go here

For Past PC Weeklys, go here

For Calendar of Events, go here