DOVER, Del. (AP) – Delaware State University is joining with a national scholarship program to increase college opportunities for immigrant students living in the United States without permanent legal status.
Gov. Jack Markell joined school officials and former Washington Post chairman and CEO Donald Graham on Tuesday to announce the historically black school’s partnership with TheDream.US, a privately funded scholarship program co-founded by Graham.
TheDream.US is also partnering with Eastern Connecticut University to offer Opportunity Scholarships for students who face barriers to higher education in 16 states.
“In four states, they are banned from some or all state colleges,” Graham said. “Even if they pay, the doors are shut. In others, they are barred in practice because the states deny them in-state tuition.”
The new scholarship program is aimed at helping students in states where TheDream.US says they are being “locked-out” of college opportunities. Those states are Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.