Dreamers Connecting Our Community Union Scholarship

APPLICATION FOR

DREAMERS CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY
UNION SCHOLARSHIP

YEAR 2025-2026

SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS

Provided by: Dream Center and the A. Ray Olpin University Union

Scholarship Disbursed: Academic Year 2025-2026

Number of awards: 1

Value: $ 3,000

Application deadline: Sunday, February 16, 2025 by 11:59 PM (MST)

SCHOLARSHIP MISSION STATEMENT 

The Dreamers Connecting Our Community Scholarship recognizes and promotes student engagement and service, particularly as it relates to advocating higher education access for immigrant communities in Utah. This Scholarship recognizes student leadership that extends beyond the classroom into the broader community, as we strongly believe education is a human right and that everyone deserves an opportunity to earn a higher education despite immigration status.

UNION SCHOLARSHIP FUND PURPOSE

The purpose of the Union Scholarship Fund is to support the academic achievement of students representing a wide array of backgrounds and experiences; the students are currently attending or plan to attend the University of Utah. The fund promotes the retention and completion of students who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to the mission of the Union. Through this fund, the Union and its scholarship partners recognize students who are committed to bettering the communities they serve. 

DREAMERS CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY UNION SCHOLARSHIP PURPOSE

The Dream Center at the University of Utah, in partnership with the Union Administration Office, is pleased to announce one (1) scholarships of $3,000 each to assist undergraduate and graduate students in accomplishing their academic goals. 

The purpose of this scholarship is to identify and recognize incoming and current University of Utah students whose community engagement and service have, or will contribute to the overall mission of the Dream Center (dream.utah.edu) and the A. Ray Olpin Union (union.utah.edu). This includes students who (1) engage in specialized college outreach and access strategies, (2) provide individualized mentoring for current and future University of Utah undocumented students, (3) promote campus-wide advocacy and/or trainings for University of Utah students, faculty, staff and administration, and (4) increase community-wide awareness of policies affecting current and future University of Utah undocumented students. These opportunities can include but are not limited to involvement with Dream Center events or the community at large.

ELIGIBILITY

• Must have graduated from a high school or GED Program in Utah.
• Be an incoming or current University of Utah undergraduate or graduate student with plans to enroll in the Fall 2025.
• Be able to demonstrate leadership in the immigrant community advocating for higher education access for all (via written essays).
• Enroll in a minimum of 9 undergraduate or 6 graduate credits at the U of U for Fall 2025
• Hold a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and above from the University of Utah or prior institution, and a 2.5 for current high school students. 
• Many students who are selected to receive a University scholarship after May 12, 2015, are required by state law to certify under penalty of perjury that they are eligible to receive the scholarship as a U.S. citizen or a citizen of another country who is lawfully present within the United States. Students who have both graduated from a recognized  Utah high school and who are awarded a scholarship funded by a private donor are not required to certify their lawful presence before receiving a  privately funded scholarship. (This scholarship is a privately funded scholarship; if you graduated from a Utah high school you may skip the next bullet point).  
• Students who did not graduate from a Utah high school are required to certify their lawful presence in the United States must also be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for verification of their lawful presence within the United States. Once the University submits information to DHS for verification this federal agency may have the legal right to share information with other government agencies. If you do not know whether you are lawfully present within the United States you should seek the advice of an immigration attorney before accepting a University scholarship that requires certification and verification. (If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, please contact the Dream Center at dream@utah.edu).

RECIPIENT REQUIREMENTS

• The recipients of the scholarship are expected to attend the annual Union Scholarship Celebration event during the evening of Thursday, September 18th, 2025. The celebration promotes the scholarship on a community level and will be the time when recipients are publicly recognized and awarded.
• Sign scholarship Acceptance Forms
• Schedule a headshot picture

SCHOLARSHIP CONTACT

David Leon

Student Services Manager

University of Utah, A. Ray Olpin Union Building

200 S. Central Campus Dr. Room 235 Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Dleon@union.utah.edu

(801) 927-8301