Jean-Yannick Diouf immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was eight years old from Senegal. Jean, who goes by Yannick, earned his Associate's degree from Montgomery College and is now a Smith School student majoring in Business Management and Entrepreneurship at University of Maryland, College Park at USG. In addition to his studies, Yannick is involved in bettering his community. He volunteers at Passion 4 Learning, Inc., a program that “helps kids become amazing students.”
In December 2012 he was a recipient for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). He has been an active participant in United We Dream, a national non-profit organization that advocates for immigrant rights. Yannick was one of six young people who were invited to the White House to meet the President and discuss how they benefited from the DACA.
Often referred to as DREAMers, these six individuals represented the millions of immigrants who have forged a path to earn citizenship. Yannick commented on the experience by saying, “I feel extremely humbled and privileged to have been able to represent thousands of DACA people around the country. This is an experience I will never forget.”
President Barack Obama commented, "I don't think there's anybody in America who's had the chance to talk to these six young people . . . who wouldn't find it in their heart to say these kids are Americans just like us, and they belong here, and we want to do right by them."