UNC has many resources for our undocumented student population, one of the most beneficial is the DREAMer Engagement Program (DEP) which is designed to help DREAMer/Undocumented students transition into their first year at UNC. Students who have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and those with no status can become a part of the DREAMER Engagement Program. If students are attending a college or university for the first time or are considered a transfer student to UNC are encouraged to participate.
DEP provides support in many forms. During the summer students within the DEP participate in a two-day orientation where they begin to create community with one another and learn about the resources on campus available to them and how to access them. Students are also paired with a mentor who has previously gone through the program. The mentor is to become the first point of contact for their mentee. Throughout the academic school year, members of the DREAMer Engagement Program are given the opportunity for professional and personal growth. DEP offers workshops on the topics of personal branding, networking with staff and faculty, as well as alum.
Community building aspects are integrated through the program where cohorts bond through various activities and events to strengthen their relationships. The DREAMer Engagement Program also provides students with additional support through the Students Affairs and Equity and Inclusion Resource Center. This center is located on central campus and provides a space for studying, rest, and support for all students on campus. At this resource center students meet the student coordinator of DEP, as well as, Rodolfo Vargas, the Campus Coordinator of Undocumented Student Services. The student coordinator serves as an advisor to students, as well as is able to help plan and schedule workshops, connect students to resources, and provide a sense of community connection.
If you have any questions about the program or other resources available to you please contact Rodolfo Vargas at Rodolfo.vargas@unco.edu or Izbeth Pacheco at Izbeth.pachecoholgui@unco.edu.
Interested in applying to the DREAMer Engagement Program, please visit DREAMers at UNC.
