Brissa Sarabia, a Glenbard East High School senior from Glendale Heights, Illinois, was recently named the first-place winner of Elmhurst University’s 2025 American Dream Fellowship competition. As a result, she received a four-year, full-tuition scholarship to attend Elmhurst this fall.

Elmhurst launched the annual American Dream Fellowship Competition in 2018 to celebrate and reward first-generation college students who have been accepted to the University.

Participants applied by submitting videos responding to the question, “The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can attain their own version of success. What is your version of success?”

They were then invited to come to Elmhurst’s campus in April for the second round of the competition, where they met other participants and took part in a group project, while parents and guardians attended panel discussions and a resource fair to learn more about the college experience.

The day culminated in an awards ceremony, where each participant was recognized and presented with a $1,000 scholarship. The winning group projects were announced, and then the first-place and second-place winners were revealed.

First-place winner Sarabia plans to major in business administration at Elmhurst. Her heartfelt video showcased her commitment to making an impact and to making her family proud. She was among 88 students who entered this year’s contest.

“For me, the American Dream isn’t a fairy tale—it’s real,” Sarabia said. “My version of success is about cherishing every moment and learning from every experience while staying true to what truly matters: love, family and the connections we share. It’s about living each day with purpose and gratitude and, ultimately, making my parents proud by showing them that their sacrifices were the foundation of everything I am, and everything I strive to become.”

Sarabia returned from a family vacation by herself to attend the recognition event. Afterward, she texted senior admission counselor Missy Gillis: “Thank you so much! You brought joy to me with your kindness! I am so excited to be a part of Elmhurst and can’t wait for what the future brings!”

Second place went to Valentina Uribe Gonzalez of Addison Trail High School in Addison, Illinois, who also plans to study business administration. She received a $10,000 renewable scholarship to attend Elmhurst.

In her video, Gonzalez emphasized the importance of never losing sight of her personal “spark.”

“Success is my own spark that drives me to be better every day,” Gonzalez said. “Success is more than just goals—it’s about a commitment to never give up, and being able to spread your own spark, leaving a legacy in this world.”

In recognition of the quality and creativity of this year’s submissions, two group projects were selected as winners:

• Group 5 created Students of Success (S.O.S), a support club for first-generation students that includes job search resources, culturally enriching events, peer mentorship and fundraising through cultural celebrations. Team members included Brent Pack, of Chicago; Sofia Zaragoza, of Glendale Heights, Illinois; Sarai Cabrera, of Romeoville, Illinois; U’Riayha Edmond, of Clarksdale, Mississippi; Maya Jodlowski, of Medinah, Illinois; and Antonio Moore, of Hammond, Indiana.
• Group 8 launched Melting Pot, an organization that promotes cultural awareness and inclusion through events, discussions and an interactive website. Team members were Concetta Biondo, of Franklin Park, Illinois; Elyse Suga, of Plainfield, Illinois; Isabelle Martinez, of Wood Dale, Illinois; Breanne Long, of Lake Villa, Illinois; and Muhammad Sadiq, of Lombard, Illinois.

Group winners each received $1,500 scholarships that are renewable for four years. More than 250 people attended the Round Two event on campus, including 85 students, their families and friends. Organizers noted the exceptional quality of the video submissions and praised the creativity and collaboration shown in the group projects.

The American Dream Fellowship Competition and other initiatives to support first-generation college students demonstrate Elmhurst University’s commitment to building a caring, supportive community that will enable students to gain confidence and excel in their careers.