Foster care alumni are a unique subset of college students who enter post-secondary education having faced significant socio-economic challenges and emotional trauma. These students often understand how attending post-secondary education can help create a more stable life. However, the graduation of this population is extremely low. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand formerly fostered youths' perspectives of the needs and stressors students face while attending post-secondary education. Specifically, the researcher wanted to understand what characteristics influence former foster care youth to enroll in college and what characteristics help former foster care youth persist in higher education until graduation. The study utilized both student departure theory and resilience theory to frame each research question conceptually. The results illuminated the resilience of former fostered youth attending post-secondary education and their characteristics for continued enrollment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc1833500 |
| Date | 08 1900 |
| Creators | McWilliams, Victoria C |
| Contributors | Bush, V. Barbara, Harbour, Cliff, Thomas, Cecilia |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | vii, 106 pages, Text |
| Rights | Public, McWilliams, Victoria C, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights Reserved. |
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