Ahmed Rashad Elhelw

“I never dreamt that I would ever be able to come to the U.S. to attend college.”

 AHMED ELHELW

Just ask Ahmed Rashad Elhelw. America really is the land of opportunity. Growing up in Egypt, he came to the U.S. in part to fulfill his father’s dream that he earn an engineering degree in the states. When his father died barely a month after his arrival, so did Ahmed’s financial means to fund a university education.

“Financial difficulties with my family meant that I couldn’t start a university engineering program,” Ahmed says. “I also realized my English wasn’t good enough.” He decided to stay in Dallas after finding out that Brookhaven College offered a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program and English as a Second Language.

Ahmed took two semesters of English language classes before beginning the GIS program at Brookhaven, where he received a DCCCD Foundation Muse scholarship. “Getting the Muse scholarship has meant a lot to me,” he says. “I was very concerned about being able to provide tuition for myself.”

Now fluent in English, he dreams of earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering after he completes his associate degree. His career goal is to become a petroleum engineer and return to Egypt.

For now, he lives with an American family, is active in student government, and works part-time in the college’s Student Life Center. He also serves as a student representative on the DCCCD Foundation board of directors.

“I never dreamt that I would ever be able to come to the U.S. to attend college,” he says. “I always had a dream to study engineering. “
I most appreciate that in this country, you are rewarded when you work hard,” he says. “I studied hard and was able to earn a scholarship. There’s just more opportunity in the U.S. for higher education.”