DAYTON, Ohio — As graduation season approaches, the University of Dayton is celebrating a first — its first class of Flyer Promise students. The scholarship removes financial barriers for under-represented and under-served students, like Yasmin Espino.
What You Need To Know
- The UD Flyer Promise program is a nearly full-ride for under-represented and under-served students
- Yasmin Espino is part of the first Flyer Promise class
- Espino said the scholarship allowed her to attend her dream school without the worry of incurring debt
- Espino is also a first-generation college student. She said the scholarship has helped break the cycle of poverty in her family
When Espino walks to class on the University of Dayton’s campus, she’s reminded of why she loves her school so much.
“How friendly everyone is, everyone always says hi,” Espino said.
She’s an engineering major and a first-generation college student
“For me it means breaking the cycle of poverty that my family has dealt with me growing up,” Espipno said. “It also gives me an opportunity to give back to my parents directly with all of the wealth that I get through my education.”
She always wanted to go to UD, having grown up in Dayton, which is why receiving the Flyer Promise Scholarship was a dream come true. The significant scholarship includes tuition, textbooks and study abroad opportunities.
“Originally I told my mom, no matter how much money and debt I’m in, I’m going to UD,” she said. “And having that security of knowing that I can actually go to my dream school and not be thousands of dollars in debt was surreal.”
Now, four years later she’s a senior, taking her last few classes, and she won’t have to answer questions in class much longer.
Espino plans to go into the Peace Corps after graduation, where she’s planning to get placed in Latin America. She said thanks to UD’s ability to treat her as an individual, she’s been able to take a more untraditional path.
“When I came on campus, I felt that sense of community and diversity and inclusion and the push to want to educate students as a person, as a whole, versus just educating them to be an engineer,” Espino said.
While Espino is part of the first class, she said she’s enjoyed seeing the classes behind her succeed too.
“It’s really more than a scholarship program, it’s a family,” she said. “We do a lot of retreats, activities together. My best friends are all in Flyer Promise.”
