The Urban Scholars Program is a community of excellence dedicated to the prosperity of its scholars and all they touch in every endeavor. To achieve any lofty goal, such as a bachelor’s degree from a prestigious university, scholars need to feel supported and support others in their “village.” A foundational concept that guides our existence is the spirit of dumela.

Dumela (pronounced doo-may-luh) comes from the Sotho language (Bantu origin) which is spoken primarily in South Africa. To many, the spoken definition of dumela is “good morning / good evening / good night.” The true essence of dumela is a spirit that allows for deep level of acknowledgement and support.

“I believe in you, I affirm you and I see the great potential in you!”

College has its trials, tribulations and successes, and scholars need to be consistently reminded of the spirit of dumela by the university community and the support network they bring to Marquette. Urban Scholars are selected from communities where support was evident, and it is our goal to continue supplying that support.