August 7, 2026
Wendy’s Manager Earns Full Ride To Yale After Boss Invests In His Future
Thalles Winner DeSouza will enroll at Yale this fall after earning admission in May 2026.
A former Wendy’s shift manager who immigrated to the United States after fleeing gun violence in Brazil is preparing to attend Yale University on a full scholarship after two franchise owners helped pay for his college education, The New York Post reports.
According to the outlet, Thalles Winner DeSouza will enroll at Yale this fall after earning admission in May 2026. His acceptance follows years of academic achievement and financial support from Cape Cod Wendy’s franchise owners Usama El-Sehrawey and the late Ernest Smily, who encouraged him to pursue higher education instead of leaving the company for a higher-paying construction job.
El-Sehrawey told TODAY.com that when DeSouza shared plans to leave Wendy’s to save money for college, he urged him to stay and promised to help make college possible. The franchise owners began setting aside money based on the hours DeSouza worked, eventually covering three years of tuition at Cape Cod Community College.
“At the time, I had no idea how much that opportunity would change my life,” DeSouza wrote in a Facebook post published July 28.
While attending Cape Cod Community College, DeSouza earned straight A’s, founded a campus religious club, and served as student body president for two years. He later transferred to Bunker Hill Community College before applying to Yale. According to the Yale Daily News, the university admits roughly 2% of transfer applicants.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, DeSouza said his family moved to the United States in 2016 after he survived a shooting inside their home. He was 13 and did not speak English when he arrived.
DeSouza said Yale awarded him a full scholarship valued at more than $194,500. He plans to major in political science, minor in human rights, and follow a pre-law track as he works toward becoming an attorney.
El-Sehrawey told the outlet that he wanted to recognize DeSouza’s determination and work ethic despite the challenges he faced after immigrating to the United States.
Reflecting on his journey, DeSouza credited the franchise owners for believing in his potential.
“Sometimes all it takes is one person who believes in you,” he wrote. “I’m living proof of that.”
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