Shelter from the Storm

Supporting foster youth through their college journey

BY KRISSY VICK

Katie* was in four different foster care placements before she aged out of the system on her 18th birthday, a scenario not uncommon for children growing up as wards of the state in the U.S. foster care system.

“It was hard to form relationships and get close to people because I was always moving,” she said. “Now that I’m in college, it’s hard because I’m alone and don’t really have anybody else, but working on my school and myself is worth every experience.”

Madison entered the foster care system when she was 13 after her family was evicted from their home. Her mother died a year later. Defying national research that shows children in foster care are at high risk of dropping out of school and are unlikely to attend or graduate from college, she mustered the courage, with the support of extended family, to enroll in college after high school.

“Confidence has been one of my biggest barriers,” she recalled. “I found myself doubting if I was going to be capable enough to take on the next few years of challenges, but I knew that getting my college degree was going to get me further in life than doubt.”

For students like Katie and Madison, a new university-wide initiative at UNCW will provide hope and support for enrolled students who have aged out of the foster care system or have experienced homelessness. The program, a top priority for Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Lowell Davis, will provide wraparound services to support these students’ unique needs.

His passion for this program was influenced by vivid memories of his mother, a Dallas, Texas high school teacher who became a licensed foster parent. She was known for generously providing food, shelter and clothing to students in need in her community.

“As a kid, I didn’t understand the impact of her actions, but as an adult, I realized she had a servant’s heart,” Dr. Davis said. “My mother shaped me into the person I am today. My goal now is to pour into other people.”

Before becoming vice chancellor in 2021, Dr. Davis worked with a similar program at the University of Alabama and used those experiences to start a new program at Western Carolina University. Now, he is starting a signature Seahawk program within the Division of Student Affairs and Transition Programs.

Dr. Davis estimates that about 150 UNCW students may self-identify as homeless, emancipated from their parents, wards of the state, or aged out of the foster care system at age 18.

While their needs vary, some of their common struggles include lack of emotional support, financial burdens, and no housing options when campus residence halls and dining facilities close for university holidays and summer break. They also need necessities like food, transportation and medicine. Many are working fulltime jobs while supporting themselves as a full-time student.

To help meet these needs, Vice Chancellor Davis intends to expand the UNCW initiative through public and private partnerships, including local nonprofits and alumni.

For example, Gilbert Scholarship, Inc., founded by Darlena Moore, awarded two $1,500 Gilbert Scholarships to UNCW students this academic year. Moore developed the scholarship program in honor of her own foster care parents, Dick and Mary Gilbert, who were instrumental in helping her attend college and finish her degree.

“I see a piece of myself in each student I meet,” said Moore. “When you are in foster care, you spend a lot of your life trying to look forward and not look back. There is a real healing process in helping other people.”

UNCW Initiatives

Creation of Seahawk program within the Division of Student Affairs and Transition Programs

Public and private partnerships to help meet the needs of 150 self-identified UNCW students

Most students will meet with mentors and academic advisors regularly for check-ins, academic help and emotional support.

The network of support will include advocacy, social gatherings, and a pipeline of community connections and cross-campus collaboration.

To date, Moore’s organization has awarded nearly 40 scholarships to students attending North Carolina colleges and universities. She says her goal is to continue raising funds and providing scholarships as long as there is a need.

“These students are so amazing because they just keep pushing,” said Moore. “Many have suffered emotional and physical abuse, abandonment, neglect, mental health issues around trauma experiences, and they don’t have any foundation to fall back on. They are extremely grateful for what they receive, and they truly desire a college education.”

Current UNCW parents Jennifer ‘95 and David Mertus recently established the Baughan Family Scholarship Endowment in honor of Jennifer’s parents, Edmond and Mary Baughan, who instilled in her the value of an education and the importance of helping others.

Much like Gilbert Scholarship, Inc., the Baughan Family Scholarship Endowment is grounded in the conviction that when young adults age out of the child welfare system, continuing their education at the college level may seem unattainable. This scholarship aims to assist former foster youth in continuing their education and achieving their dreams.

Vice Chancellor Davis has also created a new fulltime position on his staff to oversee UNCW’s support services. Latisha Corpening, assistant director of firstgeneration and foster care programs, has extensive experience working with foster care youth as a licensed therapist. She has served the university since 2020 as a student success advisor in the College of Health and Human Services.

“My top priorities are spreading the word about the program and working to uncover who these students are,” said Corpening. “These students sometimes end up in silos; I want to build a community so they can also support each other.”

Support will look different for every student, but most will meet with mentors and academic advisors regularly for check-ins, academic help and emotional support. As the program develops, Corpening said the network of support will include advocacy, social gatherings, and a pipeline of community connections and cross-campus collaboration.