Livingstone College Helps Foster Care Youth Pursue Higher Education
SALISBURY, N.C. – Livingstone College is on a mission to change lives by paving a bright future for foster care children pursuing higher education.
The H.O.P.E Emancipation Project is a transformative initiative targeting students aging out of foster care, offering a comprehensive support system to help them succeed in college.
Qualified students can receive an investment up to $35,000, covering tuition, on-campus housing, a meal plan, coordinated mental health services, and much more. Each student is also paired with a dedicated success coach to guide their educational and career journeys.
Since its launch, the program has already produced measurable success. The H.O.P.E. Alpha Cohort enrolled 22 students, with 95% currently persisting in college with one graduate and another scheduled to graduate in December. Additionally, 40% of students in the cohort currently maintain GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0, while 95% reported having a strong sense of belonging on campus
Less than 1% of children in foster care attend college. Livingstone College President Anthony Davis, himself a foster care alumnus, is passionately committed to changing that statistic.
Born in Connecticut to a teen mother, Dr. Davis was placed in foster care after his grandmother’s passing on the day he was born. Raised by a caring foster mother, he learned early on the power of education to open doors.
“These students are just like me. I always wanted to go to college but could not. There were many barriers but no bridges. My dream was deferred, delayed, but never denied,” Davis said. “I am committed to ensuring that the same elevator that enabled me to go from Foster Care to The President’s Chair will be in place for someone else.”
