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Student Deset Seyoum, a recent L.I.F.E. scholarship winner, is shown here on the Dominican College campus,
Social Work student Deset Seyoum has been awarded a scholarship from the Lupus Inspiration Foundation for Excellence (L.I.F.E.). L.I.F.E.’s mission is to promote lupus awareness and award merit-based scholarships to college students diagnosed with the disease. The foundation also offers support to the students.
“It’s my dream come true, “ said Deset. “I feel that there’s someone who can understand me and help me so it means a lot to me.”
Deset is a native of Ethiopia and after moving here to be with her husband in 2014, became very ill with joint pain and rashes. When she was finally diagnosed with lupus, one of her kidneys was nearly failing and she had to take about 15 medications daily. Today, Deset said she is almost in remission and she takes just four medications.
Deset discovered the L.I.F.E. scholarship application while she was surfing the web for information about lupus. She credits Debra Moniz, Director of the Academic Success Center (ASC), and Sr. Ursula McGovern, O.P., a professional tutor at the ASC, with assisting her with the scholarship application.