Dwayne O. Kelly

PROFILE: The odds seemed to be stacked against Dwayne Kelly. A Jamaican raised in New York City, Dwayne was economically disadvantaged, did not have legal documentation, and was harassed and even abused because of his economic situation. He was a voiceless and nearly hopeless immigrant. Dwayne decided to fight back–using his brain. He realized early on the beauty of hard work and put all his energies into the learning process. “Education represented an outlet,” he said.  “It gave me a sense of control over some aspect of my life and destiny.” Although he struggled in high school, Dwayne was accepted at community college just north of the Big Apple in Westchester County, and along the way earned an Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship from the Foundation. He stayed in the Bronx to study at Fordham University and is now a public interest law student at CUNY in Queens.  Dwayne has not forgotten his painful journey up the ladder of success, and says a legal education will allow him to articulate the concerns and plight of those less fortunate.

INSPIRATION: Dwayne was fortunate to have Linda Ching Sledge (since retired), as his mentor at Westchester Community College. A freshman when he met the respected author and English professor, Dwayne had difficulties writing. Beyond his struggles with grammar, Dr. Sledge saw his willingness to learn. She took Dwayne under her wing, and encouraged him to become active on campus; everything started to click. “She mentored me through not just her class,” Dwayne said. “But through college and helped prepare me for life.” 

ASPIRATION: Dwayne hopes to become an attorney. “I have been given a vision on how to improve my community and the world at large,” he said. As an attorney working with the marginalized citizens of New York City, he will position himself “to give voice to, and be a voice for, the voiceless men and women who feel hopeless about their circumstances.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: For a young immigrant living in the Bronx who struggled in school, nearby Fordham University was a culture shock: a Jesuit university in the Rose Hill section of the Bronx where young people with financial means and high SATs attend. It was Dwayne’s dream to attend Fordham, despite being told by friends he could “never get into a school like that.” Dwayne showed his critics. “Despite all the setbacks, negativity, doubt and what appeared to be insurmountable obstacles, I applied to and gained admissions to the school of my dreams,” he said. “I proved to myself, and to all those who doubted me that I could do anything I set my mind to.” The young man graduated with a 3.6+ GPA, and was named to the Dean’s List each semester at Fordham.

ACCOLADES: In 2008, Dwayne was honored by the NAACP, and awarded the ACT-SO Community Service Award for his service activities on and off the Fordham campus. Graduating Cum Laude, he also earned the university’s Academic Achievement Award, and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

INTERESTING FACT: What do Dwayne and his fiancée have in common? They share a deep connection: Dwayne created a “secret language” that only the two of them can decipher.