Former foster care children may find a foothold for their future through a new scholarship program at MSU.
The Foster Care Youth Endowed Scholarship Program will provide assistance to a limited number of incoming freshmen who spent some part of their childhood in Michigan court-ordered foster care placement.
Less than 10 percent of young people who leave foster care at age 18 attend college, said Gary Anderson, director of the School of Social Work, which is directing the program.
“Increasingly the states are realizing that this is a population that we need to pay attention to because education is so crucial for their success,” he said. “They often get discouraged before they even think of going to college.”
The Office of Financial Aid and the Office of Admissions and Scholarships are also supporting the program.
Besides receiving financial support, scholarship recipients will be matched with local MSU alumni who can provide encouragement while at MSU. The mentors can also help the students seek employment and housing needed during school breaks.
Anderson said neither foster families nor the state can offer much support to foster children after age 18.
“We are hoping someday the state Legislature will provide some tuition support for them to attend colleges or universities,” he said.
But for now, MSU will do what it can.
Other universities offer similar programs, but MSU’s program is the only one initiated with financial support from former foster students, Anderson said.
Former foster children Rob Henry, associate director of annual giving programs for University Development, and Susan Emfinger, a former special gifts programs officer for University Development, are responsible for launching the program.
Henry, also a licensed foster parent, said the program is supportive of MSU’s commitment to outreach and his desire to give back to the foster care system.
“It was something we wanted to do based on our own experiences,” he said. “And the endowment provides opportunities for us to build strong relationships with the community.”
Maureen Sorbet, spokeswoman for the Family Independence Agency of Michigan, said the agency is pleased that former foster children have developed the program.
“It will afford many foster children the opportunity to attend a school of higher learning and to have successful careers,” she said. “We will be working with the school to help identify individuals who would be eligible for the program.”
Program officials say they hope to see financial support increase so more students can utilize the aid.
The School of Social Work also plans to conduct studies of foster children at the middle and high school levels to learn what factors are discouraging or encouraging them to think about college.
Anyone interested in contributing to the Foster Care Endowed Scholarship Program may call the School of Social Work at 355-7515. Students interested in utilizing the program may call 355-0333 for more information.
