HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - State officials, including Governor Ned Lamont, celebrated the success of an educational program Thursday that aims to help foster children enroll into college after high school.
While at the UConn Hartford Campus, UConn Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, John Volin, announced 158 students have participated in the Rising Scholars Program since its start in 2013. Since then, he says the program has had an 83 percent retention rate, a 99 percent program graduation rate, and a 93 percent enrollment rate of foster children in a college of their choice.
It's a four-week summer program where high school students in foster care experience college education while studying at the UConn Storrs campus.
Connecticut Department of Children and Families Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes says the program is a collaborative effort between the DCF and UConn to help foster children attend and succeed in higher education.
Dorantes says only about 7 to 10 percent of foster children attend higher education nationally.
One of the Connecticut youth in foster care who participated in the program, Maria Kelley, says she heard of the program when her DCF worker, Gina Cluff, recommended it to her.
Kelley is now a freshman at UConn with a 3.8 GPA. She is currently working for the program as an office assistant and a mentor for foster youth in college, according to Susana Ulloa, the director of High School Initiatives at the Center for Academic Programs.
Kelley is also the president of a student organization that provides mentorship and resources for students who are in foster care as well as students experiencing homelessness , food insecurity, and independent status. Kelley says she's hoping to go to law school one day.