UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Foster youth can face many challenges, but those who continue into college are better prepared for adulthood and more likely to achieve economic independence and an improved quality of life. The Fostering Lions program, which already supports current Penn State students who were foster youths, hosted its fourth “Fostering Little Lions” summer camp for foster youth going into 11th or 12th grade and recent high school graduates.
The first Fostering Little Lions camp was held back in 2019 with virtual sessions during 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sponsored by the UPMC Altoona Foundation, camp attendees stayed in a dorm, did team building exercises with the Penn State Campus Recreation, and worked with Penn State Career Services to help match their interests with a major and a future job title.
“The camp is a wonderful opportunity for foster youth to come to a campus and experience college life in person,’” said Cheri McConnell, Fostering Lions coach and coordinator of the Fostering Little Lions camp.
The youth also attended presentations held by Penn State Admissions, Penn College, and the College of Health and Human Development. Additionally, they received an overview of the Fostering Lions Program at Penn State and how it can support them in their academic endeavors. They also attended a State College Spikes game and had ice cream from the Berkey Creamery.
The Fostering Lions program, housed within the Social Science Research Institute’s Child Maltreatment Solutions Network, was launched during the 2017-18 academic year. The program has been an indispensable resource for more than 50 students at campuses across the commonwealth with 19 participating students having graduated from Penn State. The program supports any student who is or has been in foster care or any homeless youth who has had any involvement with Child and Youth Services.
In addition to proactively working with county agencies that work with foster youths to connect with students who are interested in attending Penn State, students can also enter the Fostering Lions by being referred by another office on campus, or by indicating they had previously been in the foster system as part of the New Student Orientation process. As of last fall, potential Penn State applicants can also indicate if they have been in foster care on the Penn State application.
“Whenever I go out and I talk to foster youth, there are always some who say to me, ‘I didn’t think I could go to college,’” said McConnell. “And we want to be able to show them that they can go to college with plenty of support and resources to help them succeed.”