The star student with an agonising secret
Dan-el Padilla Peralta went from living in a homeless shelter to an elite university. But no-one knew that he was an undocumented immigrant who risked deportation every day.
As an undocumented immigrant to the US from the Dominican Republic, Dan-el Padilla Peralta found himself living in a homeless shelter with his mother and brother. One day he found a book on Roman and Greek history which sparked his interest and imagination. It set him on course for a life of scholarship and academic success, and Dan-el is now a Professor of Classics at the prestigious Princeton University.
Producer: Becky Vincent
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Photo: Dan-el Padilla Peralta reading as a child in a homeless shelter.
Credit: Jeff Cowen
Podcast
-
![]()
The Outlook Podcast Archive
True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives
