UIC Alumna and Daughter’s Basketball Team Score Big for Students from Foster Care
When Missy Scanlon (MSW, 1996) read “Changing the Game: Supporting Students from Foster Care to College” in the spring issue of Affirmations magazine, she was instantly inspired to help support the students Professor Jennifer Geiger discussed in her article. “Transitioning to a four-year university is challenging for anyone, but knowing students coming from foster care are doing so without the necessary support network other students enjoy made me want to do something to help,” Ms. Scanlon shared. After reaching out to Professor Geiger and learning while most of these students receive some tuition assistance, items like school supplies, toiletries, and dorm room essentials would still be needed, Ms. Scanlon became eager to assist in gathering and donating these necessities. Knowing others would be excited to participate, she took her idea to a great group of young ladies—her 13-year old daughter’s basketball team—who immediately went to work collecting a variety of needed items to put in care packages for the students.
“I think a lot of kids often take what they have for granted—they don’t appreciate their parents until they leave for college,” Ms. Scanlon joked. “So many kids have parents who will buy them the things they need to complete their dorm room, the school supplies for their coursework—their parents will drive them to orientations and advising appointments.” This layer of built-in support is critical to an incoming freshman’s level of comfort and preparedness. Unfortunately, students coming to universities from DCFS are missing this crucial piece of support, and its absence often leads to problems with retention.
“28.8% of the population in the United States are receiving bachelor’s degrees, but only 3-5% of foster care alumni are successfully completing their undergraduate degrees,” Professor Geiger stated. In her August 2016 report entitled, “Foster Care Alumni and Higher Education: Recommendations to Improve Higher Education Access, Enrollment, and Success in Illinois,” Professor Geiger shared that “former foster youth are significantly more likely to drop out of college after their first year than low-income, first-generation students who have not been in foster care” (Geiger et al, 2016). Just because a student has his/her foot in the door, does not necessarily mean he/she is ready to actually be there. They need the same support services that all students need—tutoring, financial aid, affordable housing and meal programs—but they don’t know how to access these services, and often do not have a relative guiding them in the right direction and advocating for them. “We see this disconnect causing foster care alumni to drop out for really minute details,” Professor Geiger said. “These are issues they could have easily gotten help with, but didn’t.”
This fall, UIC welcomed a cohort of 16 students previously served by DCFS. They connected with the Office of First Year Initiatives, working directly with Brittney Beck, a transition coach who will offer support in navigating college processes. Given the various challenges Brittney anticipated these students will face, she was pleased to get the call from Professor Geiger that a JACSW alum wanted to help out.
Once everyone on the girls’ basketball team had purchased items for the individual care packages, Ms. Scanlon invited the team to her home to put the gifts together. In addition to packing 16 bags with a variety of school supplies, toiletries, and other first-year essentials, each team member created a handwritten card for each student. With personal notes like, “Good luck in college—I hope it’s filled with adventure and fun!“ and “If you work hard and stay focused, you will be successful not only in school but also in life and your future endeavors!“, the girls hoped to provide students with a little added encouragement.
When the students received their care packages in September, Professor Geiger and Ms. Beck had similar feelings regarding the impact these simple gifts will have on them. “It was great for them to have the tangible items—the pens, the paper, the books—but knowing someone is looking out for them, encouraging them to do well, will help them psychologically as they begin their coursework here,” Professor Geiger shared. “I think these gifts will create a better sense of belonging here on campus, which is what makes students stay from semester to semester,” Ms. Beck added. “They will feel a part of things, know they have added support, especially through this new connection to resources completely outside of campus!”
Participating in this experience has had a lasting impact on Ms. Scanlon and her daughter’s basketball team as well. Acknowledging that many of the items purchased for care packages are simple things that come easily to them, the experience gave them a chance to take a step back and focus on giving to back to others. “The girls really appreciate what they have been given in life, and they wanted the opportunity to help others who may not be in the same situation,” Ms. Scanlon said. “We were all so happy to help out, and we really enjoyed ourselves as a team. It was nice to know we could do something to make their year a little easier—one less thing these students would have to do on their own.”