Welcome to the Year Up Dallas-Fort Worth’s Commencement Website!

We are honored to be recognizing the exceptional hard work of our Year Up DFW Class of 2023 graduates—Class of Winter 2023. It is our privilege to spotlight these young people’s talent and commitment over the last year as they walk across the virtual graduation stage and launch into their future careers.

The Year Up DFW team is proud to support the journey of each of our graduates. Our Graduates began the Learning & Development process and undertook training, courses, and coaching designed to build their skills and confidence. Each of them put in the time and effort and proved that they were EPIC (Empowered • Professional • In-Demand • Career-Ready) and ready to embark on a new internship opportunity. Entering into a new and challenging environment is never easy. We are so proud of how these graduates rose to the challenge and want to recognize their dedication to their professional development. It takes courage to overcome personal and professional barriers, and these individuals exemplified true resilience and determination throughout their Year Up journey. They are a model of how personal accountability aligned with access to opportunity can be a catalyst for success. 

This journey would not be possible without the incredible support of all of you. A support system of family and friends is the necessary foundation for any person’s achievement of professional goals. Your sacrifices and compassion provided the reinforcement needed so that these interns could arrive at this special moment.

To the donors and corporate and community partners who have been instrumental in creating opportunities and resources for our young people, we thank you. We are grateful for your time and commitment to closing the opportunity divide. We also want to recognize our colleagues at Dallas College, especially El Centro campus, for the academic instruction and guidance of Year Up students throughout their time in the program. 

Lastly, we want to thank all the coaches, volunteers, and Year Up staff members who walked alongside the students during their year Up journey. Your efforts have been fundamental to this program, and the students graduating today are a testament to your commitment. We are so proud of Year Up DFW Class of Winter 2023! 

Graduates, congratulations on this incredible accomplishment.

Adam Esmaeel,

Year Up DFW Site Director