Meet Francesco
I was born in Peru and came to the U.S. with my family at age nine. Like so many immigrants, we made the decision to leave our extended families behind to pursue better economic opportunities. Despite the personal costs to my parents, they emphasized that we came here to attain a rigorous education that would ensure a better life for us. I took their words to heart, eager to vindicate my parents’ sacrifices. I worked hard in school, believing that my efforts would help realize the future my family envisioned. I graduated with honors and an academic scholarship to George Mason University in 2011, eager to seize the opportunities before me.
Unfortunately, I confronted many barriers to those opportunities due to my immigration status. I had lived in Virginia for a decade, yet GMU recognized me as an international student because I was undocumented. I paid three times as much tuition as American citizens. I could also only use my scholarship if enrolled for twelve credits each semester, but the funds covered the cost of just six. Undeterred, I lived at home, worked part-time, and invested all my savings into tuition. I was exhausted and overwhelmed but determined to honor the sacrifices my parents had made for my education. I worked desperately, using every waking minute at the expense of my health. But despite my efforts, I could not afford a second semester and was forced to halt my education.
A Turning Point
I was lost. I could no longer envision a future for myself, and I confided in no one. Yet, in reality, I was never alone. My mother urged me to share my story and seek help. I explained my situation to the financial aid director at GMU, who allowed my scholarship to apply for a partial course load. President Obama announced the DACA program, which allowed me to obtain a driver’s license and work permit, opening the doors to more profitable work. Then I found the Dream Project and shared my story again with them. Their generous financial assistance was the final piece of the puzzle. Working and studying full-time, I graduated with a psychology degree in 2015, only a semester late, and with no student debt.
My journey through undergrad taught me many things, but one of the most important was the power of having a community. Alone I was motivated to move mountains that most people would have yielded to. But with the support of my loved ones and the folks I met through the Dream Project, I became unstoppable. I am grateful to them not only for their financial support but for giving me a broader community to belong to. I spent many years paying it forward, helping the Board build their programs into what they are today. And now, I am paying it forward in a new community as I pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University in California. But no matter where my career takes me next, Virginia, its Dreamers, and their supporters will always have a special place in my heart.
The Dream Project is built by students like Francesco. He began as a Dream Scholar, became a Dream Project Board member, and is now having real impact in his field. Your donation to the Dream Project directly impacts immigrant students in Virginia, helping pave the way to a stronger community and a better country.
