Creating Successful Transitions for
Foster Youth
Fall 2010 Counselor Conference
Presented by
CSU Foster Youth Campus Support Programs
Who is a former foster youth?
Children who were removed by the courts from
their family of origin due to abuse and/or neglect,
and placed into the care of extended family
members, foster parents or non-relative
caregivers until their 18th birthday.
Barrier: Access
• Only 15% of youth in foster care are likely to be enrolled
in college prep courses during high school compared to
32% of all students.
• Only about 20% of former foster youth go on to college
compared to about 60% of all high school seniors.
• Only 3% will eventually graduate from college as
compared to about 27% of the general adult population.
• Over 70% of youth in foster care report that they
desire to go to college.
Common Barriers to College
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K-12 school and placement instability
Academic/learning gaps
Lack of educational advocacy
Low high school graduation rates
Records transfer and confidentiality issues
High rate of homelessness after emancipation
Long-term effects of abuse and neglect
Campus Programs
• CSU Dominguez Hills
• CSU East Bay, Renaissance
Scholars
• CSU Fresno, Renaissance
Scholars
• CSU Fullerton, Guardian Scholars
• CSU Los Angeles, Court Scholars
• CSU Pomona, Renaissance
Scholars
• CSU Northridge, Resilient Scholars
• CSU Sacramento, Guardian
Scholars
• CSU San Bernardino, EOP Foster
Youth Program
• CSU San Marcos, ACE Scholars
• CSU Stanislaus, Promise Scholars
• San Diego State University,
Guardian Scholars
• San Francisco State University,
Guardian Scholars
• San Jose State University,
Connect, Motivate, Educate (CME)
Society
Campus Support Services May Include:
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Outreach and Recruitment
Admission assistance
Financial assistance
Housing assistance
Orientation to college life
(e.g., EOP Summer
Bridge)
• Academic advising and
monitoring
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Counseling and support
Mentorship opportunities
Life skills workshops
Employment opportunities
Social and quarterly
celebrations
• Post-graduation career
planning and assistance
• Student Drop-In Center
Scholarship Programs
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Foster A Dream (Bay Area)
Fostering Futures (Bay Area)
Larkin Street (Bay Area)
Orphan Foundation of America (National)
Orangewood Children’s Foundation
(Orange County)
Silicon Valley Children’s Fund – YES
Scholars
United Friends of the Children (Los
Angeles County)
Promise 4 Kids (San Diego County)
Board of Governors Fee Waiver- BOG
(Community Colleges)
California Student Aid Commission
California Chafee Grant Program
• This is a federally funded program
administered through the California
Student Aid Commission.
• Gives up to $5000 to eligible former
foster youth to use for career and
technical training or college courses
at California Community Colleges,
Cal State Universities and University
of California campuses, etc.
www.chafee.csac.ca.gov
Additional Programs
• Foster Youth Services (FYS)
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Established to support the education needs of foster youth in K-12. FYS provide
support services to help youth transition through their educational journey while
in care.
FYS programs are located in 57 of 58 counties and provide local higher
education agencies a natural bridge to partners who address the K-12
challenges facing foster youth.
• Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI)
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Developed by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) to
provide a system-wide framework to support former foster youth by designating a
FYSI Liaison at all 112 California Community Colleges. The FYSI produced a
manual and resource guide to educate the Liaisons on how to work with students
from foster care.
Foster Youth Educational Planning Guide
What’s Inside?
• This planning guide contains checklists, tips and
information to support foster youth from 7th grade
through 12th grade who have a dream of a college
education.
Who should have one?
• Foster youth, caregivers, social workers, educators
and advocates.
Why should I need it?
• To monitor and track the educational progress of
foster youth to career and college preparation.
How can I get more?
• If you would like additional printed copies of the
Planning Guide, please contact Jenny Vinopal
jvinopal@calstate.edu or (562)951-4734.
Applying for Admission
• Apply online at www.csumentor.edu
The Online Undergraduate Admission Application to be completed by the student
Applying for Admission
Admission Application: Step 3
** Foster youth should complete the income
and family size under “independent.” If they
do not have any dependents, they should
answer “1.”
Applying for Admission
Admission Application: Step 11
** Encourage students to apply for EOP.
NOTE: students must first submit an online
Undergraduate admission application
before completing the online EOP
application.
Admission Application: Step 12
** This section can only be completed once
so please make sure the student answers
correctly. Foster Youth should mark “yes” to
the question that asks, “Are you a foster
youth, orphan or ward of the court or were
you prior to age 18?”
What You Can Do
• Connect with the Foster Youth Services (FYS) liaison in your school
district or the Foster Youth Success Initiative at the community
colleges.
• Identify foster youth at your school and advocate for school stability
(for foster youth to remain in the same school K-12).
• Prepare and encourage your students to pursue higher education
and track their progress closely.
• Advise students to complete the A-G requirements and get them on
the college track early.
• Find out more information about the county independent living
program and the resources it offers.
CSU Foster Youth Support
Contact List
CSU Bakersfield
Keith Powell, Director
Educational Support Services
9001 Stockdale Highway
Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099
(661) 654-2276
kfpowell@csub.edu
CSU Fullerton
Grace Johnson, Director
Guardian Scholars Program
P.O. Box 6828
Fullerton, CA 92834
(714) 278-4900
gjohnson@fullerton.edu
CSU Sacramento
Dr. Joy Salvetti, Director
Guardian Scholars Program
6000 J. Street, Sacramento Hall 3014
Sacramento, CA 95819
(916) 278-3643
jsalvetti@csus.edu
Humboldt State University
Adrienne Colegrove-Raymond
Academic Support Programs
1 Harpst Street
Arcata, CA 95521
(707) 826-4791
abc1@humboldt.edu
CSU Chico
Joshua Whittinghill, EOP Advisor
Renaissance Scholars
400 West First Street
Chico, CA 95329-0710
(530) 898-6831
jwhittinghill@csuchico.edu
CSU Los Angeles
Becky Hopkins, Director
Educational Opportunity Program
5151 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90032
(323) 343-3200
bHopkin@CSLANET.CalStateLA.edu
CSU San Bernardino
Tristan Garcia, Coordinator
EOP Foster Youth Program
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
(909) 537-3051
tgarcia@csusb.edu
San Diego State University
Josephine Mojica, Assistant Director
Guardian Scholars Program
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-4735
(619)594-0140
mojica@mail.sdsu.edu
CSU Dominguez Hills
Martha Clavelle,
Student Support Services
1000 E. Victoria Street
Carson, CA 90747
(310) 243-3646
mclavelle@csudh.edu
CSU Long Beach
Andy Espinoza, Director
Educational Opportunity Program
1250 Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90840
(562) 985-5637
aespinoz@csulb.edu
CSU San Marcos
Jim Mickelson, Director
ACE Scholars Services
333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd.
San Marcos, CA 92096
(760) 750-4869
jsm@csusm.edu
San Francisco State University
Xochitl Sanchez-Zarama, Director
Guardian Scholars Program
1600 Holloway Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94132-4028
(415)405-0546
xvsz@sfsu.edu
CSU East Bay
Kevin Bristow, Coordinator
Renaissance Scholars Program
25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard
Hayward, CA 94542-3056
(510) 885-4426
kevin.bristow@csueastbay.edu
CSU Monterey Bay
Berj Amir, Retention Advisor
Educational Opportunity Program
100 Campus Center, Bldg. 47
Seaside, CA 93955-8001
(831) 582-5148
Berj_amir@csumb.edu
CSU Stanislaus
Wanda Bonnell, Coordinator
Promise Scholars
801 West Monte Vista Ave.
Turlock, CA 95382
(209) 667-3108
wbonnell@csustan.edu
San Jose State University
Connie Hernandez-Robbins, Director
CME (Connect, Motivate, Educate) Society
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192-0031
(408) 924-1089
connie.hernandez-robbins@sjsu.edu
CSU Fresno
Kizzy Lopez, Coordinator
Renaissance Scholars Program
5150 N. Maple Ave., M/S/ JA 62
Fresno, CA 93740-8026
(559) 278-5055
kizzyl@csufresno.edu
CSU Northridge
Jose Luis Vargas, Director
EOP Resilient Scholars
1811 Nordoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330
(818) 677-4151
Jose.luis.vargas@csun.edu
Cal Poly Pomona
Sara Gamez, Coordinator
Renaissance Scholars
3801 West Temple Ave.
Pomona, CA 91768
(909) 869-3169
sigamez@csupomona.edu
CSU Office of the Chancellor
Jenny Vinopal, Assistant Director
Foster Youth Programs
401 Golden Shore, 6th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-4734
jvinopal@calstate.edu
Visit
www.calstate.edu/fosteryouth
for specific programs available to foster youth at
the 23 California State University campuses
www.calstate.edu