4:39 p.m., Feb. 13, 2008--The University of Delaware has offered full scholarships to the four children of Ju-Juanna Latif, a single mother whose Wilmington, Del., home and that of her next-door neighbor, Rose Morgan, were razed and completely rebuilt this week as part of the TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Louis Hirsh, UD director of admissions, who presented the grant to the family during a news conference near their home, said that upon admission to UD through the regular process Latif's children, Antonio, 19; Aarron, 13; Ju-Juanna, 12; and James, 9, would enjoy full grants for tuition, fees, room and board and an $800 annual book stipend for four years.

Hirsh presented the family with a UD catalog and a letter of intent that outlines the offer, potentially worth more than $250,000, as well as a letter from UD President Patrick Harker, which read, in part: “I have read with great interest the story of you and your family and have been moved by the considerable support given by members of the greater Wilmington community. The University of Delaware would like to participate in this remarkable effort to provide a brighter future for you and your children.”

The family also received gifts from several other donors, including $125,000 from ING Direct to pay off the mortgage on their three-story duplex on South Clayton Street, a $25,000 savings account for each of the four children from Discover Bank, life membership from both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware and the YMCA, as well as a $2,500 cash gift from Dr. Ingrid Warmuth, a dermatologist from Elmer, N.J., and $500 from the City of Wilmington, which also renamed a section of the family's street to James Way, after the youngest child, who has cerebral palsy.

“The most gratifying thing is that this is a profound investment in their future,” Hirsh said. “What the family has been given materially is important and heartwarming and what's wonderful to know is that what we are offering will carry through to the next generation and enable Ms. Latif's children to do wonderful things for their own children.”

Latif, 39, overcame homelessness and dropping out of school to go to college and find a job as a state welfare fraud analyst and buy her own home. Morgan, 70, a widow and retired librarian, has been Latif's mentor and friend and has played the role of grandmother to the children. Morgan and Latif's family enjoyed a fully paid trip to Disney World while their homes were being torn down and rebuilt by dozens of volunteers.

Latif, who fought back tears and continuously said, “Thank you so much,” as the gifts poured in, said that she had considered UD for the education of her children because it is a “wonderful college” that is close to her home and members of her family had graduated from the University.

“I'm so honored and so appreciative of what you are doing,” Latif told Hirsh, her voice choking with emotion.

Antonio said that he has always had an interest in studying music so that he can eventually run his own production studio. Aarron said he is hoping to study animal science, while 12-year-old Ju-Juanna said she is hoping to study law.

Hirsh explained that if any of Latif's children does not win direct admission to UD's Newark campus, the University would consider their admission to the Associate in Arts Program, subject to the same rules and restrictions applicable to other applicants. Designed to ensure the academic success of its students, the Associate in Arts program is offered by the University on Delaware Technical & Community College campuses in Georgetown, Dover and Wilmington. Students who successfully complete the program and earn the Associate in Arts degree in liberal arts or in elementary teacher education are guaranteed eligibility to continue study on the Newark campus for a UD bachelor's degree.

Article by Martin Mbugua
Photos by Kevin Quinlan