The article is incorrect in one way. It says he got his degree for free. That is not entirely true. He had to declare every class he took as regular income at the rate Columbia would have charged a cash paying student. He paid Social Security and Medicare at a minimum, and probably some local, state and federal income tax as well.
There isn’t much of a call for employees with a Classics degree, but... He now has a good command of a few languages, a strong work ethic, American citizenship and a college degree. Even if he stays at Columbia, he should be moved up to supervisor/management in the very near future.
To me, he sounds like a perfect candidate to open his own business and become one of the one percent.
Not true. Scholarships are not considered taxable income to the extent that they pay for tuition, books, etc. Anything that covers other things, like room and board, is taxable, but it doesn't sound like he had anything like that.