Welcome to the Sudanese in Kentucky Web site, where we honor the history and recognize the accomplishments of refugees from Sudan who have resettled in the Bluegrass State. Beginning in 2001, about 150 Sudanese refugees put down roots in Louisville. They were among nearly 4,000 Sudanese refugees to whom the United States granted asylum from the world’s longest-running civil war, which claimed 2 million lives and displaced 5 million others. Known as the Lost Boys and Lost Girls because they mostly raised themselves after religious, ethnic, and regional strife forced them to flee their Southern Sudan homelands, they have endeared themselves to many Americans because of their positive attitudes, strong work ethic, and insatiable desire to learn.
Si
nce 2005, the all-volunteer Sudanese Refugee Education Fund has guided students towards 41 post-secondary degrees at the associate's, bachelor's, and master's levels. Please read below and on the following pages for more about our organization and the students we serve.
Congratulations to our 2009-10 graduating class:
See television coverage of the June 5, 2010 Sudanese Scholars Celebration at
Watch a video presentation of the graduation ceremony on this YouTube video.
Ngor Biar Deng,
master of engineering in
chemical engineering with a
certificate in environmental
engineering, University of
Louisville
Kuol Kuai Deng, bachelor's degree in public health, Western Kentucky University
Pajieth Ayiel Bul, bachelor's degree in chemistry with business concentration,
University of Louisville
Alier Mareet, bachelor's degree in criminal justice, Indiana University-Southeast
"Abraham" Deng Goch Deng, bachelor's degree in sociology/ criminal justice and religion
with a minor in philosophy, University of Dubuque
Kennedy Nakwa, bachelor's degree in business/computer information systems,
Xavier University
Chol Nhial Chol, bachelor’s degree in business with finance concentration,
Indiana University-Southeast
Ayuen-Arok Deu Deng A, associate's degree in medical assistant/clinical associate,
Daymar College
Benjamin Garang Lual, associate’s degree in computer applications,
National College of Bu
siness & Technology
Peter Thiep, associate's degree in computer technology,
National
College of Business & Te
chnology
Mawut Mach, associate's degree in criminal justice, Jefferson Community & Technical College
Yol Goch Aciek, associate's degree in criminal justice, Jefferson Community & Technical College
Biong Arop Biong, associate's degree, National College of Business & Technology
(Remarks written below were read at the 5th Annual Sudanese Scholars Celebration
on June 5, 2010 at Resurrection Episcopal Church in Louisville.)
The first of the Lost Boys in
Louisville to earn a college degree and one of the first in the nation to reach
that milestone, Ngor Biar Deng was a trailblazer from the very start. He obtained a
bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Louisville in 2006 and a
second bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 2009. Now he has become one
of only two Sudanese Americans from this area to earn a graduate degree, having
recently received a master’s in engineering in chemical engineering from the
University of Louisville’s Speed Scientific School along with a certificate in
environmental engineering.
Along the way he picked up a slew of scholarships
and academic honors, including a recent recognition from the National Society
of Black Engineers for his high grade point average.
Last year he also received
the D.A. Richards/G.E. Memorial Scholarship in recognition of his “academic
attainment and research aptitude."
In addition, Ngor received
a prestigious Graduate Student Assistantship from the University of Louisville,
which involved managing a tutoring program for students in math and science.
Ngor makes everything look so easy that people often forget how much he has struggled to get to this point. When he came to the United States in 2001, he had only a 9thgrade education. Nevertheless, he studied and quickly passed the high school equivalency exam so he could attend community college.
When he entered the University of Louisville, he felt lost and overwhelmed, particularly in classes outside his strengths of math and science. He reached out to mentors and friends, accepted tutoring, and kept accelerating toward his dreams. When a family emergency diverted him from plans to attend medical school, he moved to Dallas, took a co-op position in engineering, and came up with an alternate career in chemical engineering. In addition to all of his academic work, Ngor has appeared on national television, represented the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund at numerous speaking engagements around the community, and written more thank you letters to donors than we can count.
All the way back in high school in the Kakuma Refugee camp, friends couldn’t help
noticing that Pajieth Ayiel Bul‘s grades in math and science were usually the
highest in the group. He was simply a natural. And that is how someone who only
arrived in the United States in May 2003, making him among the last of the
Sudanese to arrive here, finds himself earning a bachelor’s degree six and a
half short years later.
Two months after making Louisville home, Pajieth was
busy working full time at an aluminum company and studying for his GED. By
January 2004, he had passed his GED and begun taking classes at Jefferson
Community College.
Two years on he had transferred to the University of
Louisville and was still working full time, now at UPS. It was only in January
2007 that Pajieth allowed himself to cut back on his work hours to focus on
school. Even for a natural like him, upper-level courses in physical and
analytical chemistry were hard. Pajieth prevailed with with a high GPA in a
tough subject. We are exceedingly proud to honor Pajieth Ayiel Bul for
his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Louisville.
We’d also like to note that this is something of a family affair, as Pajieth’s brother graduated recently from a university in Washington state.
People often marvel at
the dedication that Sudanese Americans have shown for higher education. And
it’s certainly true that all of those here have set an important standard for
what immigrants can accomplish in their adopted country. But what many people
may not know is that the Lost Boys have not only sacrificed to put themselves
through school, they have also sent money back to Africa for years so that
their relatives could become educated too.
No one
represents that heroic effort better than Chol Nhial Chol. Last month, Chol
earned a bachelor’s degree in business with a finance concentration from
Indiana University-Southeast. He did so while working full time, first at
Cardinal Aluminum and then for the last three years at Zappos national shoe
distribution center in Bullitt County. Chol’s achievements are remarkable,
considering that when he came to the United States in 2001, he had only
completed the 8th grade in refugee camp schools.
In less than two
years he had completed the requirements for his GED and enrolled in community
college. From there he moved to the University of Louisville and eventually to
IUS. All the while, Chol has been the only means of financial support for his
entire extended family back in Africa.
He has supported his mother and father
and four siblings in Sudan. In addition, he has paid to send a brother and two
cousins through private high school in Uganda. And now he is paying to send one
of his cousins to college in Uganda.
That’s an incredible
amount of weight on one person’s shoulders, even someone as big as Chol. Please
join me in honoring Chol’s magnificent accomplishments, both in the classroom
and in the wider world.
WhenKuol Kuai
Deng was a young boy living in refugee camps in Ethiopia, he watched helplessly as many of his young
friends succumbed to ailments like measels and dehydration. Even then he
somehow understood that it shouldn’t be that way---that with more doctors,
better food, clean water, and basic supplies, those sick boys would be well.
That innate
understanding fueled an interest in public health, and Kuol‘s own strength and
resilience nursed that dream during his time at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, on his long journey to
Louisville, Kentucky, and through years of working full time at University
Hospital while simultaneously taking English classes at JCC and supporting
three brothers.
When it came time
to make his dream of a public health degree a reality, Kuol’s chosen major led
him to Western Kentucky University. He was the first of Louisville’s Lost Boys
to go to WKU, and on the eve of his first day there he confessed a case of
nerves to his friend and this organization’s chair, Holly Holland. “How will I make
friends?“ he plaintively asked her.
That gave Holly a
case of nerves, too. But then, two short months later, she visited him on
campus and found herself reassured by the constant interruptions of “Hello, K!“
coming from passersby everywhere they went. Everyone knew Kuol: fellow
students, faculty, even the University President.
Anyone would be
impressed by the intelligence that allowed Kuol to make the dean’s list for
three semesters. But people must also be drawn to his wisdom.
Before leaving
Kenya, Kuol learned that his father had lost six members of his family,
including his wife, in an attack on their village. Far away in Kakuma, Kuol
worried about his dad and recorded taped messages of encouragment for him. He
urged his father to find the strength in his heart to look ahead, re-marry, and
rebuild his family and life.
We know that
Kuol’s combination of grit and understanding will take him far. It gives our
organization great pleasure to recognize Kuol Deng for his bachelor’s of
science in public health.
When "Abraham" Deng GochDengthought
he was called to the Catholic priesthood, he moved from Louisville, Kentucky to
Epworth, Iowa to attend Divine Word seminary. A college education was also in
his plans, but first he had to pass the high school equivalency exam. He failed
the English literature section seven times before he got the score he needed.
Most people would have quit from discouragement, but Abraham kept going.
He
studied three years at Divine Word and in 2008 earned an associate’s degree in
cross-cultural studies. He also provided many hours of volunteer service to
groups assisting children, disabled adults, and the elderly. After realizing
that he no longer wanted to become a priest, Abraham transferred to the University of Dubuque to complete his
education.
Last December, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a
concentration in criminal justice and religion and a minor in philosophy. He graduated with honors, Magna Cum Laude, with a 3.8 cumulative grade point average. As
part of his education, Abraham served an internship with the Commonwealth’s
Attorney’s office in Louisville, earning praise from his supervisors for his
strong work ethic and skills.
When he returned to Louisville a few months ago,
he quickly obtained a full-time job in his field as a mental health worker at
Our Lady of Peace Hospital.
Abraham
received many scholarships from the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund. Though he
was usually far from home, Abraham always fulfilled his service requirement by
writing long and thoughtful thank you letters to his benefactors. It is with
deep pride and appreciation that we recognize his accomplishments.
Whenever the Sudanese
Refugee Education Fund had to report the grade point average of scholarship
recipients to our donors, we were always very thankful that Alier Mareet was
part of the group. He earned so many A’s in college, first at Jefferson
Community College and then at Indiana University-Southeast, that the SREF board
members did a double take whenever we saw the occasional B sneak onto his
transcript. In May he graduated from IUS with a bachelor’s degree
in criminal justice and a double major in criminology, carrying a 3.8
cumulative grade point average with him. In other words, he was just two-tenths
of one percent away from being perfect throughout his college career. He was on
the Dean’s List or Chancellor’s List every semester. And at the graduation
ceremony at IUS on May 15, he was named the most outstanding student in his
department, graduating with distinction.
Alier has worked full time at Norton Hospital throughout college and
supported himself as well as multiple family members back in Africa.
Nevertheless,
he managed to save enough money to bring his wife, Yar, and son, Kuereng, to
Louisville last year. And shortly he and Yar will welcome another child to
their family in Louisville. Alier’s beautifully written thank you notes have
been well received by many donors to the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund, and
we are very proud to recognize his achievements.
One of Kennedy Nakwa’s
former teachers at Atherton High School in Louisville once wrote a newspaper article about him and described his fierce athleticism on the soccer field this way:
“His playing style reflects the
authority of a field general and warrior,” the writer reflected.
While
attending Atherton, Kennedy was named the best soccer
player in the western half of Kentucky and earned an athletic scholarship to
Xavier University in Cincinnati. He played Division I soccer for four years,
which involved the significant challenge of balancing practice schedules,
athletic conditioning, travel, and games with the academic requirements of a
top university. Perhaps no one should be surprised that this son of a tribal
chief in Sudan managed everything so well.
On May 15, Kennedy earned a bachelor’s degree in business with a
concentration in computer information systems. Before he had even completed his
coursework, he had obtained a full-time job in his field. He was recently hired
as a business intelligence consultant for a company called Sogeti. We are so proud to recognize him.
Much like Kuol
Deng, Ayuen-Arok Deu Deng's interest in medicine began amid tragedy in
refugee camps. At Kakuma, Ayuen-Arok took in the amount of suffering and the
dearth of supplies and dreamed of a job in medicine where he could make a
difference.
Wasting no time,
Ayuen-Arok launched his career at Kakuma, where he functioned as an unoffical
medic. He learned basic first-aid techniques and got supplies from a friend’s
father, soon enough becoming the go-to person for on-the-field football
injuries.
When he learned
he’d be coming to the United States, Ayuen-Arok dreamed of finishing school and
fulfilling his destiny. That dream was defered for seven long years while he
took ESL classes and worked full-time to put three siblings through private
high school in Kenya.
Finally, in 2008, he began classes in clinical and
medical assistance at Daymar College, a program he selected because it offered
the fastest path to a job in direct patient care.
Today Ayuen-Arok
celebrates this degree even as he prepares to go back to school for his next
one, a bachelor’s in nursing that will allow him to work in the emergency room of a hospital or other
trauma settings where the fast pace matches his prodigious energy.
We have no doubt
that Ayuen-Arok has found his calling, and we are thrilled to celebrate this
major milestone with him today.
Yol Goch Aciek arrived
in Louisville in August of 2001 in a group of six. From the time he arrived in
America to now, this group has stayed together to support one another, even
moving into their very own house together in March of 2009.
From the
beginning, Yol has been the unofficial counselor of the group and commanded
much respect. Meanwhile, even as his Louisville household relied on him to help
navigate their way in a new country, Yol has worked full time as a resident
monitor at a Louisville halfway house to support his mother, sister, and three
nephews in Africa. Today his family also includes a wife and two children in
Uganda.
It’s an amazing
amount of responsibility for someone who is still in school.
I think the secret
to his success may be found in a proverb Yol himself quoted in a thank you note
to one our organization’s donors: “When a fly sits on a
cup full of water, it looks like the ocean to him, and when an
elephant sees the water, it looks like a tiny grain of sand."
Yol is clearly
the elephant, seeing every challenge as something small enough to overcome.
Yol has already
begun work on his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and political science
at the University of Louisville, and today we are thrilled to celebrate his
associate’s degree in Criminal Justice from Jefferson Community College with
him.
Biong Arop Biong, associate's degree, National College of Business & Technology
(Please check back soon for more information about his achievements.)
Benjamin Garang Lual knows a good thing when he sees it. He
knew GSI Commerce Solutions was a good place for him to work when he started
there nine years ago, and so he still works for the company.
He recognized how important computers were when he
started using them, and so he chose computer applications as his field of study
once he sat for his GED and was ready to begin work towards a degree.
He knew that National College, with its quarter-based
schedule that allowed him time to travel home and visit the mother, sister, and father
he supports in Sudan, was the right fit for him. And best of all, he knows that going back to school for a
bachelor’s degree at Sullivan University will be a good thing that will allow him to
simultaneously earn a living in technical support and also bring much-needed
computer skills and training to his homeland.
We are proud to day to recognize
Benjamin Lual for his associate’s degree in computer applications from National
College of Business and Technology.
When Mawut Mach came
to Louisville in September, 2003, he quickly learned that being among the last
to arrive from Sudan could be lonely. While he worked hard to learn how to
shop, do laundry, and drive with the help of congregants from Christ Church
United Methodist, his friends---those he had assumed would show him the
way---were getting up as early as 4:00 a.m. to go to work.
So Mawut pressed
on alone, completing his ESL classes in one and a half years while working
first as a grader at Anderson Wood Factory and later at Norton Hospital to
supporting his mother, sister, and brother in Sudan. In 2005 Mawut began his
coursework in criminal justice at Jefferson Community College, choosing this
topic with the hope that studying the nature of law and justice could
ultimately help him fight injustice here and abroad.
Today we are
proud to recognize Mawut for the associate’s degree in criminal justice he
completed in August of 2009, and we are extremely pleased to announce that he
is on track to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville in
the coming school year.
Peter Thiep earned an associate’s degree in computer
applications from National College of Business & Technology and soon he
will continue his education at Sullivan University where he intends to complete
a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He hopes to become a youth treatment
counselor, a police officer, or serve some other role in social services.
In the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, Peter served as Head Boy of 1,450 Lost Boys, Information Secretary General of four states of Barh el Ghazel youthful, and was one of the founders of Pakok Dimma Sudanese Youth Association (PDSYA) with headquarters in Dallas, Texas.
Currently he serves as Secretary General of the Sudanese community in Louisville and works as a welder and
translator for Jeffboat, a Southern Indiana shipyard.
Peter has a wife,
Asunta Madut, and they have had three daughters: Adau,
Athiep, and Ading. In addition, Peter is the sole means of support for his
mother, sister, and 17 brothers back in Africa. Two of those 17 brothers are now in high school, thanks to Peter’s financial
support.
When Yai Lyai heard that an organization called the Sons of Sudan was offering college scholarships to Sudanese refugees who could gain admission to Colorado Christian University, he left Louisville to apply for one of the positions. Despite the generosity of the organiza-tion’s sponsors, the Sons of Sudan organization was able to provide tuition, but not room and board costs. In addition, the college would not let the Sons of Sudan students apply for traditional financial aid, so Yai and others were forced to find jobs off campus and take out loans. Without a consistent meal plan at the university, the students depended on the generosity of benefactors named Dave and Alana Folsom who provided money from their limited retirement funds to feed the Sudanese students. Yai also received several scholarships from the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund.
Such obstacles might have deterred a less determined student. But Yai Lyai persevered. In 2006 when Ngor Biar Deng became the first of the Lost Boys from the Louisville area to earn a college degree, Yai said he was doubly motivated to continue his education. He told Ngor that he had set an example for all the other Sudanese students to follow. He told Ngor that he was his hero. Now Yai has become a role model himself. In May, he graduated from Colorado Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
From his teenage years when he conducted sophisticated political caucuses under a tree in the Kakuma Refugee camps in Kenya to his emergence as a representative of the Sudanese Youth Association and a founding board member of the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund, James Maluak Malou has consistently, tirelessly, generously distinguished himself as a leader. Last year we recognized James for his remarkable commitment of service to Sudanese-Americans and the greater Louisville area. While guiding the education of others and never asking anything for himself, James worked the night shift for six years at UPS to pay for his education. He also worked multiple part-time jobs to support his wife and bring her to the United States. James has now added college graduate to his list of accomplishments, completing a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Louisville. He recently accepted a position as a case manager for Kentucky Refugee Ministries.
Lino Loboholoka Nakwa's story of self-sacrifice, perseverance, and dedication to his family and education has been widely reported in newspapers, television and radio, blogs, and email chains. When the U.S. government initially turned down Lino's green card application because of a misinterpretation of his experience as a war refugee, thousands of people across Kentucky rose to his defense. Every member of the state's Congressional and Senatorial delegation pleaded his case, and the government agreed to reconsider his situation. What motivated people, including hundreds of students and faculty at Transylvania University, to pick up the telephone and write letters on his behalf? In part, it was their admiration of how he became the surrogate father and sole support of his four teenage siblings when he was only 24 years old. In part, it was his persistence in pursuing a college education while raising a family and working full time. Building on their faith in his potential, Lino recently earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a finance concentration from Transylvania University, where he made the Dean's List three of his four semesters at the school. He now works as an assistant manager at KFC, part of YUM! Brands Corporation.
Like Yai Lyai, Jor Deng Jor traveled many miles to earn a college degree. Originally resettled in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jor came to Louisville in December 2004 to visit his two cousins. While he was in town, he met Yai, who told him about the Sons of Sudan scholarship program. Two days later, Jor moved again to Colorado Springs and earned one of the seven scholarships offered to Sudanese refugees at Colorado Christian University. While he was in college, Jor worked as a sales associate at a sporting goods store to pay his living expenses. In May, Jor earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in organization management.
(Photos are not available for all of the graduates:)
After coming to Louisville as a war refugee in 2001, Maurice Moro started taking classes at Jefferson Community College and later transferred to Campbellsville College, which has an extension campus in Louisville. All the while, he was working full time at UPS. He said that many times he wanted to quit school, but professors and mentors urged him on. In May, Maurice earned a bachelor's degree in social science from Campbellsville College. He plans to pursue a master's degree in counseling. He also is pursuing an associate's degree in Bible studies from Louisville Bible College.
Kuol Akech Dut, who received multiple scholarships from the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund, received a bachelor's degree in philosophy and theology from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. "A lot of thanks to the SREF for its scholarship, which has made a difference not only in my academic college life but also in other graduates' lives," he wrote.
We would also like to recognize Yengi Desmond Tutu Soti, a Sudanese national with ties to the Louisville community. In May, Desmond graduated from Westminster College in Missouri with a dual degree in chemistry and math. His 3.9 cumulative grade point average earned him Summa Cum Laude standing, the highest academic honor awarded to bachelor's degree candidates. Desmond received a fellowship to pursue a graduate degree in chemical engineering at the University of West Virginia, where his research focus is Nonlinear Chemical Dynamics.
Abraham Aluel recently received an associate’s degree in radiology from Jefferson Community College. He is a multiple award winner from the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund. Abraham attained certification in radiology and now works for Norton Hospital Corporation.
Alor Arop Deng received an associate's degree in clinical and medical assistance from National College of Business & Technology. While working full time as a certified nursing assistant and an interpreter at Kentucky Refugee Ministries, he maintained a 3.5 grade point average. He plans to continue his studies at Wesleyan University. "I do believe education is the only way we can overcome what we have gone through," he said. "God brought us from where we did not have any hope to the land of opportunities."
As a refugee of the civil war in Sudan, Wesley Confer Lukudu Lasu was forced to stop and start his education at many points. After graduating from high school in United Nations refugee camps, Wesley briefly attended the University of Juba and was trained as a community health worker by Medicin Sans Frontiers, an international aid organization based in the Netherlands. When he became a target of the Northern Khartoum government, he fled to Egypt and was granted asylum by the United States in 2003. Two years ago, he resumed his studies at National College. In May he received an associate's degree in surgical technology. While working full time and supporting his wife and four children, Wesley maintained a 3.82 cumulative grade-point average, the highest in his class.
Mawut Mach, who has received several scholarships from the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund, completed an associate's degree in criminal justice from Jefferson Community College in the summer of 2009. Mawut has transferred to the University of Louisville to pursue a bachelor's degree in his field.
Victor Kuany, another scholarship recipient, received his diploma in computer applications from National College.
In the following pages, you will read about other young men and women who are trying to further their education so they can pursue careers in business, engineering, science, health care, social work, and the ministry, among others. Most of the Sudanese work one or more low-wage jobs while supporting themselves and multiple family members back in Africa. In addition to paying for their own college expenses, many also send money so younger siblings can attend boarding schools in Kenya and Uganda. Please consider supporting their cause.
All the way back in high school in the Kakuma Refugee camp, friends couldn’t help
noticing that Pajieth Ayiel Bul‘s grades in math and science were usually the
highest in the group. He was simply a natural. And that is how someone who only
arrived in the United States in May 2003, making him among the last of the
Sudanese to arrive here, finds himself earning a bachelor’s degree six and a
half short years later. 
When he returned to Louisville a few months ago,
he quickly obtained a full-time job in his field as a mental health worker at
Our Lady of Peace Hospital. 
Nevertheless,
he managed to save enough money to bring his wife, Yar, and son, Kuereng, to
Louisville last year. And shortly he and Yar will welcome another child to
their family in Louisville. Alier’s beautifully written thank you notes have
been well received by many donors to the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund, and
we are very proud to recognize his achievements. 
One of Kennedy Nakwa’s
former teachers at Atherton High School in Louisville once wrote a newspaper article about him and described his fierce athleticism on the soccer field this way: 
Today we are
proud to recognize Mawut for the associate’s degree in criminal justice he
completed in August of 2009, and we are extremely pleased to announce that he
is on track to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville in
the coming school year. 
Peter has a wife,
Asunta Madut, and they have had three daughters: Adau,
Athiep, and Ading. In addition, Peter is the sole means of support for his
mother, sister, and 17 brothers back in Africa. Two of those 17 brothers are now in high school, thanks to Peter’s financial
support.
When Yai Lyai heard that an organization called the Sons of Sudan was offering college scholarships to Sudanese refugees who could gain admission to Colorado Christian University, he left Louisville to apply for one of the positions. Despite the generosity of the organiza-tion’s sponsors, the Sons of Sudan organization was able to provide tuition, but not room and board costs. In addition, the college would not let the Sons of Sudan students apply for traditional financial aid, so Yai and others were forced to find jobs off campus and take out loans. Without a consistent meal plan at the university, the students depended on the generosity of benefactors named Dave and Alana Folsom who provided money from their limited retirement funds to feed the Sudanese students. Yai also received several scholarships from the Sudanese Refugee Education Fund.
Lino Loboholoka Nakwa's story of self-sacrifice, perseverance, and dedication to his family and education has been widely reported in newspapers, television and radio, blogs, and email chains. When the U.S. government initially turned down Lino's green card application because of a misinterpretation of his experience as a war refugee, thousands of people across Kentucky rose to his defense. Every member of the state's Congressional and Senatorial delegation pleaded his case, and the government agreed to reconsider his situation. What motivated people, including hundreds of students and faculty at Transylvania University, to pick up the telephone and write letters on his behalf? In part, it was their admiration of how he became the surrogate father and sole support of his four teenage siblings when he was only 24 years old. In part, it was his persistence in pursuing a college education while raising a family and working full time. Building on their faith in his potential, Lino recently earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a finance concentration from Transylvania University, where he made the Dean's List three of his four semesters at the school. He now works as an assistant manager at KFC, part of YUM! Brands Corporation.
Like Yai Lyai, Jor Deng Jor traveled many miles to earn a college degree. Originally resettled in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jor came to Louisville in December 2004 to visit his two cousins. While he was in town, he met Yai, who told him about the Sons of Sudan scholarship program. Two days later, Jor moved again to Colorado Springs and earned one of the seven scholarships offered to Sudanese refugees at Colorado Christian University. While he was in college, Jor worked as a sales associate at a sporting goods store to pay his living expenses. In May, Jor earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in organization management. 
We would also like to recognize Yengi Desmond Tutu Soti, a Sudanese national with ties to the Louisville community. In May, Desmond graduated from Westminster College in Missouri with a dual degree in chemistry and math. His 3.9 cumulative grade point average earned him Summa Cum Laude standing, the highest academic honor awarded to bachelor's degree candidates. Desmond received a fellowship to pursue a graduate degree in chemical engineering at the University of West Virginia, where his research focus is Nonlinear Chemical Dynamics.
As a refugee of the civil war in Sudan, Wesley Confer Lukudu Lasu was forced to stop and start his education at many points. After graduating from high school in United Nations refugee camps, Wesley briefly attended the University of Juba and was trained as a community health worker by Medicin Sans Frontiers, an international aid organization based in the Netherlands. When he became a target of the Northern Khartoum government, he fled to Egypt and was granted asylum by the United States in 2003. Two years ago, he resumed his studies at National College. In May he received an associate's degree in surgical technology. While working full time and supporting his wife and four children, Wesley maintained a 3.82 cumulative grade-point average, the highest in his class.