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Scholarship America is proud to celebrate our 2026 class of Dream Award Scholars. Each of these students has overcome obstacles and begun their college journey thanks to their grit, drive and determination—and the Dream Award provides them essential financial support so they can complete their education with less debt and less stress.
These renewable scholarships stay with students through the remainder of their college careers, ensuring that they can stay on track and finish their degrees. Since its founding in 2014, the Dream Award has helped nearly 200 talented, determined learners, and we’re excited to welcome the 2026 Dream Award cohort.
Today we’re introducing William O’Neill, whose journey started in a Vietnamese orphanage. At age 9, William was adopted by an American family; after attending high school in Arizona he moved on to Arizona State, where he is now studying Community Advocacy and Social Policy.
Here’s our conversation with William; visit our blog to meet more of the 2026 Dream Award Scholars!
How did you find out about the Scholarship America Dream Award? I found out about the Scholarship America Dream Award through my local library. I applied three times and was a semi-finalist every time. The third time I made it to the finalist round, which I am so grateful for.
The Dream Award relieves financial stresses, and gives me a chance to find other opportunities so I am able to continue adding value to society.
I’m planning on working with the family-owned company, helping out with the apartment complex, and finding a summer internship to continue my advocacy work. When school starts, I am looking forward to making progress on my degree. Finishing my education will allow me to continue to make a difference in the community.
I was inspired by my lived experiences with social services that span before my time here in America, and by utilizing the resources that Arizona has provided for my personal recovery journey from having a health condition. I want to inspire people from all walks of life that it doesn’t matter what one is facing in life—if one believes it, one can achieve it.
At the end of the day, my community has directly inspired me to continue to make progress in my life as well as the lives of others. To start doing so, I served on the Board of Directors of Housing for Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation during the previous summers, and on the Governing Council of Valleywise Health for three-and-a-half years.
I would like to seek an opportunity that will allow me to work on policies that empower the community. My other dream is continuing to work on my novel, and sharing it with people. All of the lessons and tribulations that I have endured, I know now are worth sharing with the world. Graduating from high school and college is important, but it is more important to me that I show and empower others with hope and ambition.
Embrace all struggles and ask for the strength to endure the hard times, along with the wisdom and patience to guide others.
Even though I have lost a lot in life, I have also gained much more than I even asked for. Serving humanity is what gives me strength in tough times. My personal story fuels my continued effort to make a difference in the lives of others.
I really want to give credit to my adopted father and family. When he passed away just after I graduated high school, I knew what I needed to do even to this day: remember all 74 years of his wisdom. My adopted father is my eternal source of strength, pushing me to achieve everything in this world and give back through my GRIT, perseverance, and determination to change myself and the world around me, just as Dad and Mom did.
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