President Boone awarded “Keeper of the American Dream” honor by the National Immigration Forum

Michelle Loria Alvarado

Executive Editor

After more than a decade of working with a local non-profit to help make scholarships available for undocumented college students, Trevecca President Dan Boone was awarded the “Keeper of the American Dream Award” by the National Immigration Forum.

Boone was given the award on Sept. 29 at Belmont University during the conference ”Leading the Way,” hosted by the National Immigration Forum. He was also honored at a reception in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 13, in which Ethan Rice, ASB intercultural director, received the award on Boone’s behalf. 

“The National Immigration Forum was the first group that gave to me a viable position that included biblical theology of the immigrant, careful data about the issue that was in front of us, a deep respect for law, and an attempt to do this in a bipartisan way,” said Bonne during his acceptance speech.

More than a decade ago, Trevecca became one of the Tennessee universities willing to enroll students who could not access state aid or traditional scholarships because of their immigration status.

According to Equal Chance for Education (ECE), the organization once partnered with 22 colleges statewide. For the 2025–2026 application cycle, that number has shifted to 11 partner institutions, with Trevecca remaining one of the participating campuses.

Boone’s relationship with ECE began when he met high-achieving students who excelled in high school but had no path to college because they lacked a Social Security number and therefore could not apply for financial assistance. As ECE was establishing itself, Boone invited its founder, Michael Spalding, to use space on Trevecca’s campus to meet with students and mentors, helping build a consistent place of support for ECE scholars.

Over the past 11 years, ECE has awarded more than $1 million in privately funded scholarships and supported more than 331 college students.

The National Immigration Forum is a bipartisan organization founded in 1982 that advocates for the value of immigrants in the United States. They promote responsible federal immigration policies, address today’s economics, and the need for national security, according to the organization’s website.

The “Keeper of the American Dream” award is given to leaders and organizations that make their communities and the country a better place for immigrants.

“For me, the award just confirmed within my heart that I was trying to be an obedient follower of Jesus, and there were people who recognized that,” said Boone. 

Rice said he felt honored that Boone chose him to be his representative at the reception. 

“Of all the people he could have chosen to do this, he could have picked anyone from the administration, he could have picked any student, and he picked me,” Rice said. 

Joel Tooley, consultant with the National Immigration Forum, said they chose Boone for the award because of his intentional service with the immigrant community.

“What makes Dr. Boone stand out is that he has demonstrated a very intentional and long-term commitment to his work, and he has laid a very strong foundation for it to continue well beyond his own administration,” Tooley.

Boone’s service was inspired as a result of growing up in southern Mississippi during the civil rights era.

“I was able to see the costliness of not providing equal access to education to African Americans,” said Boone

He saw this as a failure of American society that harmed the African American community. 

“For me, leading the way is ‘Let’s not let that happen again with those who are immigrants to our country,’” Boone said, “Let’s bring them into the higher education processes, so that they may be educated and prepared to be good citizens, good leaders, and good servants in American culture.”

This award, however, does not change things for Boone. He will keep serving and being a helping hand for the immigration community.

“Honestly, the award gives me sadness because the things I’ve done are the kind of things that I think any good leader should do normally,” said Boone, “I will continue to advocate, speak to people, encourage, and influence in the same way I have in the past.”