PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (May 31, 2022) – A typical day for Prairie View A&M University’s on-campus foster care liaison officer and social support services program coordinator involves paperwork, phone calls, student meetings, research and maybe an in-person event. But behind the paperwork and referrals is a larger purpose: being a mentor, a guide and even a friend.
This important position serves as the university’s connection point for college students who are adopted, have spent time in the foster care system or have experienced homelessness. As students transition to a more independent life and plug into campus, Panthers Fostering Success, a division of PVAMU’s Division for Student Affairs, helps them navigate processes such as applying for financial aid, finding housing options and registering for classes.
“I am not a counselor, but we do a lot of advising,” said Elizabeth Marion, founding coordinator of PFS at PVAMU. “Part of the job is helping foster a family atmosphere, where there may have been a big gap in the past. These students are great, and they’re so resilient. I just try to see them as the people they are, and it’s a joy to be a part of their growth.”
One such student is Danielle Smith ’21, who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in legal studies.
Danielle Smith ’21
“The Sociology Department at PVAMU prepared me with strong critical and analytical thinking skills, quantitative and statistical reasoning skills, as well as communication,” said Smith. “PFS taught me the importance of time management and inspired me to live in my truth. I would not have walked across the stage if it wasn’t for PFS and the Sociology Department at PVAMU equipping me with the skills I need to succeed not only in the classroom but in real life. PVAMU goes above and beyond to make everyone feel like they are a part of the Panther Family.”
Connection through Service
PFS aims to cultivate learning and development through engaging and fun programs and by providing guidance and assistance through services for students who meet eligibility requirements.
As a special population, their office is dedicated to helping students successfully navigate the process of enrolling and thriving in campus life and academics. Services offered by PFS include priority registration, assistance with applications for financial aid or the state tuition waiver, on and off-campus living options, transportation, healthcare, legal services, campus employment and other available campus and community services.
PFS also serves students with advisory and needs-based advocacy through one-on-one interactions, which foster meaningful personal and professional relationships while navigating college life.
A directive from the Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System has also established a Supervised Independent Living program on all 11 of the university system’s campuses. The PVAMU SIL, called Opportunity NOW (No Opportunity Wasted), provides students with voluntary housing and guardian placement for extended care as they work towards goals and graduation. PVAMU began Opportunity NOW in the fall of 2019 with one student. It grew to five students enrolled in 2020 and now has an enrollment of seven.
The program is designed to assist young adults ages 18-21 in developing living skills once they leave foster care. Students in the program are provided with year-round housing in fully furnished residence hall rooms or apartments, access to meal plans that can be used at the dining hall and on-campus restaurants, and funds towards monthly cell phone and incidentals costs.
Additionally, Opportunity NOW students connect with case management services, academic and life skills development opportunities, and on-campus resources such as financial aid, the health services center or counseling. They are also introduced to the Prairie View town community and local businesses through partnership programs.
In support of these students, PFS is working to establish a partnership with innovative companies like T.D. Williamson. They, along with the Houston chapter of the National Alumni Association, have made generous donations of residence hall room supplies, such as comforter sets, lamps and other decor and supplies for Opportunity NOW participants.
Last May, the National Alumni Association Board of Directors at PVAMU voted to sponsor the PFS program. It made a generous donation that will also benefit these students.
Overall, PFS serves as a resource, a sounding board and, as new PFS Coordinator J. Herschel Norman puts it, “a haven and place of support.”
A Place to Call Home
A key to the success of these students is a sense of belonging. Fun programming, such as birthday bowling parties or campus bike tours, also helps them fight imposter syndrome: “Am I really supposed to be here?” transforms into “I have a university that I can call home!”
It is also known that an engaged student is an enrolled student.
“When we reach out to them, I always talk to them about what they are interested in,” Norman said. “So many of our students are incredibly creative and innovative, whether in a range of skills and interests or their desire to become entrepreneurs and start their own businesses.”
One such student was Bilonda Tshimanga, who graduated this spring. Tshimanga, who majored in communications studies with a minor in business administration, used what she learned at PVAMU to launch her own fitness and apparel blog and business, Bodied By B.Rachel.
Bilonda Tshimanga ’22
Norman said he was inspired by the creativity and motivation of students like Tshimanga and noted that it’s because of how the university and programs like PFS support and get to know each student that success like this is possible.
“There are so many organizations on campus, and we help these students, in particular, plug into something where they find a sense of belonging,” he said. “We’ve also had some students attend our events and meet others in their same life stage and realize, ‘Hey, I’m not alone.’ That really helps root them into college life, and I think it gives them a stronger foundation to stay and see college through to graduation.”
The Road to College
Research shows most youth in the foster care system want to go to college, but only a small percentage graduate with a college degree. According to data from the National Working Group on Foster Care and Education, approximately 3% to 10% complete their college education by the age of 26 compared with the national college completion rate of a B.A. or higher at about 32%.
To combat this reality, Texas offers a tuition-and-fees waiver at state-supported colleges or universities for foster youth currently or formerly in the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and for those adopted from DFPS.
Thanks to their work in maximizing the benefits for their students, the PFS program has seen an average increase of 12% in enrollment of students using the waiver. The average grade point average for the group has also improved exponentially.
To date, more than 50 students who took advantage of the college tuition waiver at PVAMU have graduated. Last year, one of the PFS graduates, who wished to remain anonymous, received a J.A. Knowles Scholarship. This scholarship helped her pay for college-related expenses. It also provided her with a strong financial foundation to start her career.
“As a transfer student, the most important service that PFS offered was referring me to scholarship programs,” she said. “My degree is in business management, and I feel equipped to succeed in the workforce and look for better jobs in the future as my experience grows. While I was a student, PVAMU really helped and encouraged me as a person. I was welcomed and felt part of their family at every point.
“Every person who has experienced foster care or other situations is different. Still, there are so many benefits available to anyone eligible, regardless of their specific experience. Knowing how to maximize those benefits really set me up for success during college and helped me start my life after college.”
A Place to Grow
The success of this program is a testament to the culture that PVAMU has already built—a place students can look to for support, encouragement and guidance. After all, “Prairie View Produces Productive People” is a familiar saying among the PVAMU community.
Thus, a university like PVAMU offers the ideal setting for a program like this to thrive and grow.
“The culture at Prairie View A&M University is well-suited for this program because we believe that PV is a family in which people can be themselves,” Norman said. “I meet so many creative, outstanding students who have such amazing dreams and goals. What we do here, in general, is pull out so many talents in students that may be dormant or unrealized. So not only are we addressing these insecurities of ‘How do I navigate the process of going to college?’ and getting them to the right people to set them up for success, but we’re also cultivating the greatness in them that’s already there.”
For more information about Opportunity NOW or Panthers Fostering Success, email pfs@pvamu.edu.
By Meredith Mohr
-PVAMU-