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California Lutheran University Grants Its First Scholarship To Benefit Syrian Refugees

Rama Youssef

California Lutheran University has granted a young woman its first scholarship that benefits Syrian refugees. 

Eighteen-year-old Rama Youssef has received the International Leaders Scholarship from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. It was created by an alumna who wanted to help Syrian refugees.

Youssef was born and raised in Damascus, Syria and lived there during the start of the Civil War.

“Many times, I literally was going to lose my life. It was very bad. We would just be walking in the street, and a bomb can literally take over,” she said.

In 2012, she moved to the U.S. on temporary protected status.

Youssef said this scholarship is her only opportunity to go to college.

“It’s the ticket that I was looking forward for my future to begin all the dreams and plans I have and I’m going to make happen by going to college,” she said.

She begins Cal Lutheran in the fall as a biology major and hopes to become a dentist.

CLU is the parent of KCLU Radio.