Iraqi Teenager
Arrives at Thomas
Dan begins classes March 8, looks forward to playing soccer

WATERVILLE, March 7 — The long-awaited arrival of a Baghdad teenager to the Thomas College campus occurred on Saturday, March 3. Dan’s dream of studying in the United States and escaping the violence in war-torn Iraq has finally begun.

Thomas College held a news conference on March 7 to discuss Dan’s arrival to Maine. Five television stations, a local newspaper, Thomas’ student newspaper and Maine’s public radio station covered the event. The news was broadcast statewide and throughout New England.

Dan, 18, is the first recipient of the Paul J. Schupf Scholarship for Iraqi Students. The College is welcoming the first, of what it hopes will be several, Iraqi students to its campus.

Following an ABC “World News” story in December, Paul J. Schupf, a friend of Thomas, contacted the College and pledged to provide a scholarship to Dan.

"Bringing Dan to the United States, and in particular, to Thomas College, will provide this young man with opportunities he would not have in his country, as well as a respite from the violence in Baghdad. We are especially grateful to Paul Schupf for his generosity," said George Spann, president of Thomas College.

The original ABC story about the Iraqi teenager depicted the harsh conditions under which the teenager lives on a daily basis. Last year, his best friend was shot to death while walking with Dan. During the videotaping for the ABC “World News” interview, gun shots rang out near the young man’s school yard.

The interview made a powerful impression on Schupf, a Hamilton, N.Y., investor and philanthropist. He called Spann to say he wanted to make the teenager’s educational dream come true by bringing Dan to America and providing the teenager with a college education at Thomas. As a result, the Paul J. Schupf Scholarship Fund for Iraqi Students was established in 2006.

Dan has interests in music, computers, soccer and tennis. He will study computer information systems at Thomas, and expects to participant in intramural soccer and tennis games. Before coming to the U.S., he was a senior at the School of Music and Ballet in Baghdad where he played the oboe.

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