In 2016, Thalles Winner DeSouza, then 13, experienced a terrifying night in his Brazilian neighborhood when bullets hit his home. His mother decided to move the family to the United States. Upon arrival in Massachusetts, DeSouza spoke no English and felt he had few chances to succeed. Now, at 23, he is preparing to attend Yale University.
His journey to an Ivy League school began at a Wendy's restaurant on Cape Cod. While in high school, DeSouza worked there and became a shift manager. As graduation neared, he worried about paying for college and planned to work in construction. However, his bosses, Usama El-Sehrawey and Ernest Smily, saw his potential. El-Sehrawey promised to fund his college education if he stayed with Wendy's.
This offer was life-changing for DeSouza, who had thought higher education was impossible. El-Sehrawey and Smily agreed to pay his tuition based on his hours worked. DeSouza then attended Cape Cod Community College, where he achieved excellent grades, led the student body as president, and started a club. He later studied at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston.
In May 2026, DeSouza was accepted to Yale as a transfer student, a difficult achievement. Yale also provided a full financial aid package worth about $194,500. DeSouza reflected on his hard work, feeling every moment of exhaustion was worthwhile. Terry Smily, Ernest's son, celebrated DeSouza's success, noting it reflected the values of Wendy's founder, Dave Thomas. DeSouza expressed his gratitude, emphasizing that believing in someone can make a huge difference. He plans to major in political science and minor in human rights, with ambitions for law school.