UW-Eau Claire's Fostering Success program is aimed at providing resources and support for Blugolds who are former foster youth and/or identify as homeless. The program began as an idea of the 2018-19 Leadership Fellows cohort. With the help of then first-year student Taz Smith and university faculty and staff, the group collaborated to initiate a program that could be impactful to many Blugolds.
The goal is to develop a robust Fostering Success program that will increase the numbers of students who have been in the foster youth system who enter and are successful in college. Once they enroll at UW-Eau Claire, the program will help to increase the Blugolds’ sense of well-being and belonging, provide needed support to stay in college, help them stay on track to graduate on time and help reduce the amount of debt they accrue during college.
Specifically, the Fostering Success program will provide:
- First-year orientation programming for former foster youth.
- A peer-to-peer mentorship program where older Blugolds will mentor first-year students.
- Faculty or staff “college coaches,” who will meet monthly with students to provide an adult connection to campus and the community.
- Intentional advising to support academic success and retention.
- Monthly events to connect foster youth with one another.
- Access to laptops and other technology resources for academic and personal computing needs.
- Emergency fund resources to provide just-in-time finances.
- Intercultural immersion experiences.
- Access to study support and tutoring resources.
- Access to clothing and food resources.
All gift to Fostering Success will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000 by Elaine Olson '71 and Scott Pratt '78 and his wife Teresa Browning. Use this matching opportunity to double your impact for these students who come from the foster care system or have experienced homelessness.
