Each year, the Forum gives the Keepers of the American Dream Award to leaders and organizations making their community and our country a better place for immigrants. Our honorees embody the spirit of immigrant achievement, contribute significantly to the well-being of immigrants in the United States, and are advocates in every sense of the word for the value of immigrants and immigration to the nation.

This year’s honorees include:

Dan Boone, President, Trevecca Nazarene University

As president of Trevecca Nazarene University, Dr. Dan Boone has guided the institution to become a true campus of welcome, where immigrant and first-generation students are celebrated as essential members of the community. Under his leadership, Trevecca has expanded support for DACA recipients, created pathways of opportunity for immigrant families, and fostered a culture that affirms the dignity and contributions of all students.

A longtime partner of the Forum, Dr. Boone has also played a key role in advancing the work of Christian colleges and universities, including the successful launch of Students of Welcome. Beyond Trevecca, he has been a trusted national voice in Christian higher education, serving in leadership roles such as Chair of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and calling on faith institutions to stand alongside immigrant families. 

A native of McComb, Mississippi, Dr. Boone first answered his call to ministry at the age of 12 and went on to serve as a pastor for more than two decades before becoming Trevecca’s president in 2005. He often reminds us that “there are no foreigners in the kingdom of God”—a principle he has lived out through his actions and advocacy. His unwavering commitment to immigrant students and families reflects the values of compassion, service, and inclusion that are essential to the future of our country. 

Carla Cochrane, Women of Welcome Chapter Leader

An evangelical Christian from Ellis County, Texas, Carla Cochrane felt God call her on a mission to serve asylum-seekers. In 2019 she found the Women of Welcome Facebook group and became a member. Through Women of Welcome’s online resources, she began learning more about asylum seekers and discovered the group’s informational and educational guides that helped her prepare her first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border.  

A grandmother and active member of her church, she made that first trip that same year to visit refugee camps in Reynosa and Matamoros. She returned in 2020, 2022, and 2023 alongside local ministries, distributing food, water, blankets, and prayer to the individuals and families seeking refuge in America. 

It was on a border immersion trip in September of 2023, through her work with Practice Mercy Foundation that they conducted an eyeglass clinic, and she met Juan, a boy from Venezuela. He began helping her assemble pairs of glasses and they spent hours working alongside one another, despite the language barrier and cultural divide. She learned that Juan and his brother had left everything behind, including grandparents who they would likely never see again. His mother remained in Colombia, and they were seeking to join their father in New York. When Juan told her that he missed his family, especially his grandparents, she knew he needed a grandmother’s touch. They shared a hug she will never forget. Among the countless opportunities she has had to touch so many lives, it was hug that she made it clear why God had called on her. 

That’s why it was extra special when she brought her own granddaughter with her on a border service trip last summer—the first member of her family to do so. Carla knows her mission is just getting started.  

Michael Tupper, Retired Chief of Police, Marshalltown, Iowa 

With more than 32 years of service in law enforcement, including 13 years as Chief of Police in Marshalltown, Iowa, Chief Tupper has been a champion for building trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement. Raised in Dubuque, Iowa, Tupper began his career with the Ottumwa Police Department before serving as Chief of Police in Nevada, Iowa, and later Marshalltown. Early in his career in Marshalltown, a community where over 30% of the population identifies as Hispanic, Tupper intentionally sought out ways to strengthen relations with immigrant residents. This effort led him to connect with the Forum. In 2015, Tupper became a co-chair on the Forum’s Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force. Now, as an advisor, he consistently advocates for commonsense immigration policies that increase public safety while upholding the dignity of all people.

Throughout his career, Chief Tupper has reminded the nation that when local police are tasked with federal immigration enforcement, communities become less safe. His leadership was tested most recently with the passage of Iowa’s SF 2340, a law establishing a state crime of “illegal reentry” and burdening state and local police with the responsibility to arrest people suspected of being in the country after deportation or denial of entry. Chief Tupper courageously opposed this legislation, stating: “Playing politics with public safety never helps public safety. It will diminish public safety because it will cause people to needlessly fear the police. This law has severely harmed community relationships that took decades to build.” His courage in standing up for immigrant families and his leadership in forging partnerships between law enforcement, faith leaders, and community advocates embody the very best of public service. 

Beyond his professional work, Tupper is known for his commitment to community and family. He and his wife, Sarah, have five children and four grandchildren, and his faith and family values continue to inform his dedication to fairness, integrity, and service.  

For more information on this year’s Keepers of the American Dream reception, e-mail events@immigrationforum.org.

Check out highlights from past Keepers of the American Dream reception: