Only in America could a young refugee from a war-torn nation have the opportunity to attend a private high school and earn a scholarship to one of the world’s most prestigious universities. I share my story in the hope that it will inspire those who seem to be losing hope in the freedom and opportunity offered by this great nation.

As a child, my family lived in the Sudan, then ruled by a totalitarian-style government. There was no freedom of speech, nor were we allowed to openly practice our Christian faith. When the decades-long civil war came to our village, my mother swept me, my brother and our cousins into her arms and we fled, hoping simply to survive the 100-mile walk to the nearest United Nations camp. We were eventually evacuated to a Kenyan refugee camp and spent six years there. But we were lucky because eventually we were granted asylum status in the United States. Like others across the globe, we recognized America as the land of freedom and opportunity, but when we arrived we discovered that achieving success would not be easy. 

Speaking limited English and with few financial resources, my mom found an apartment for us in a low-income neighborhood in Denver. We were enrolled in the local public school where we found that most students were not proficient in reading or math, and that bullying was commonplace. 

Then my mom heard about Arrupe Jesuit High School, a school known for its focus on academic and spiritual excellence. In other countries, a top-quality education is only available to a privileged few. We could not afford the modest tuition at Arrupe until my brother and I both received support from ACE Scholarships — a program supported by selfless people in the community who give generously to empower low-income families with the ability to provide their children with the benefits of a private-school education. Thanks to ACE Scholarships, my brother and I were able to attend Arrupe for all four years of high school.

Still, my dream of attending college seemed out of reach until I was encouraged to apply for a scholarship from the Daniels Fund. This foundation was started by Bill Daniels, who grew up during the Great Depression, was a fighter pilot in World War II and Korea, and was a driving force in the development of cable television. When he died in 2000, he left his estate to help people in need in the Rocky Mountain region.

Each year, the Daniels Fund awards about 200 four-year college scholarships, allowing students who demonstrate character, leadership and service to attend any four-year nonprofit college or university in the United States. I am honored to have received the scholarship, which is allowing me to attend Notre Dame University. 

Earning the Daniels Scholarship was an incredible accomplishment in my life, second only to becoming a citizen of the nation that produces programs like Arrupe Jesuit High School, ACE Scholarships, and individuals like Bill Daniels.

I am proud to be a Daniels Fund scholar. I support the foundation’s efforts to improve their application process with an increased focus on honoring Bill Daniels’ intent by finding students who embrace American ideals, such as free enterprise, freedom of expression, and a personal commitment to serving others.

What I value most about my K-12 and college education is that it has equipped me to have an informed voice in my community and in our nation. I was born in a country where freedom of dialogue was forbidden, and we fled to a nation that embraces freedom of speech, even when that speech is in dissent against the government. Allowing citizens to voice their opinions, free of reprisal, is the hallmark of our free society.

Because in the end, democracy isn’t passive; it requires active participation, and thanks to their quality college education, Daniels Fund scholars are ready, and eager, to participate. Bill Daniels once said, “America remains the greatest nation on Earth, where boundless opportunities still exist for each and every one of us.” America will remain the greatest nation because of the young people coming out of programs like the Daniels Fund Scholarship program, who are prepared to fight for what’s right in the country we love so much.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given, and like so many of my Daniels Fund peers, I pledge to work tirelessly to serve my community and my adopted country.

God bless America.

Aluel Doldol, a native of Sudan, grew up in Denver and attends the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, as a Daniels Scholar.