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ERIC Number: ED633454
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 116
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3794-3825-8
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Bridging the Gap between Foster Care to College Graduate: A Case Study of an Exemplar College Support Program
Kelly, Denita E.
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
It has been reported that former foster care alumni aspire to attend college and graduate. However, the intent of those aspirations and the reality of those aspirations differ greatly. Many former foster care alumni do not make it to graduation. The purpose of this case study is to explore how an exemplar support program helps their former foster care students be retained to the institution. For this study, former foster care alumni are students in higher education that have aged out of the foster care system. This case study depended on interviews with program staff, an interview with a campus partner, program documents, and program social media sites. The primary research question of this study sought to understand how a support program, that helps former foster care students, retains this population of students. The subset of questions aim to investigate the primary question further by understanding what the support program does to support former foster care alumni. Each question is guided by either human capital theory or the theory of student departure as theoretical lenses. The results of this study revealed six themes that a support program must do to retain students. The program must 1) take care of the necessities that former foster care alumni face as they are moving into the colleges, 2) build on skills that may be lacking from students, 3) be willing to expand services already offered, 4) add new services that may be needed, 5) be flexible and 6) stay consistent. Findings of this study offered ways in which other colleges and universities could expand or create services needed for their former foster care students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A