Bruin Dreams Scholarship Program
The Bruin Dreams Scholarship Program provides support for students who are undocumented, seeking asylum, or applying for or granted Temporary Protected Status in the United States.
Bruin Dreams ensures ALL members of our community can pursue an education. This is a highly competitive scholarship as there are not enough funds to support the full applicant pool. Your gift to the Bruin Dreams Scholarship Program will enable these students to pursue their educational dreams at SLCC.
SLCC is a leader in supporting undocumented students. Nearly 50% of all undocumented college students in Utah attend SLCC and make up 2.5% of the college's total student population.
"I have never felt closer to my dream than after I landed in this country. And today I am so grateful to say you are an essential part in that. Thank you not just for the money, but for believing in me and what I can do." – Paola
A New Home, a New Future
Jevahjire France, who goes by Jevah, was born and raised in the Southern Province of Haiti and moved to the U.S. when he was only 14 years old. The youngest of six boys, Jevah has always looked up to his father, an educator, and his older brother, who was the first to go SLCC and was also a recipient of the Bruin Dreams Scholarship. “Going to college was always going to be a part of my journey; both my parents valued education even though my mother was only able to go through the tenth grade in Haiti,” said Jevah. “My father worked and received a master’s degree in education and has always been my main role model.”
Attending Cottonwood High School and eventually graduating from Jordan High School, Jevah focused on his studies and kept his head down. “Because I was undocumented when I came to the U.S., I didn’t want to get in trouble or draw too much attention, so I was not aware of so many programs that would have helped me,” said Jevah. “I just kept my head down and worked hard in school.” During his high school years at Cottonwood High School, Jevah found he had a talent for robotics and joined his high school robotics team. The team competed at the first robotics regional tournament in Utah and qualified for the World Championship tournament while he was on it, and this gave him a vision to pursue mechanical engineering in college. “For a while, I wasn’t sure I would be able to attend college due to finances and my status, but I opened up to my school counselor about my situation, and she told me about the Bruin Dreams Scholarship.”
Jevah is in his second year at SLCC and has received Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from the U.S. Government due to the political unrest of the last two years in Haiti. “I am so thankful for my TPS status, but it is also hard to accept the realities of what is going on in my country,” said Jevah “I am just trying to focus on my education and my future, and TPS and the Bruin Dreams Scholarship allow me to do that.” 
“I am so thankful for the Bruin Dreams Scholarships because, without it, college would not be an option for me,” said Jevah. “I have worked multiple jobs while attending school and don’t have any assistance with my education. So, I can truly say this scholarship is keeping my dream alive.”