Project Description:The mission of SHSU’s FORWARD Program is to empower former foster youth, orphans, and wards of the state by providing the support system necessary to pursue higher education and transition smoothly through college. FORWARD serves as a resource to help the students build meaningful relationships within and without the university that are important to successful personal and professional achievements.
FORWARD is administered by and funded through a committee representing academic affairs (student success initiatives, advising and mentoring center, grants office, department of sociology), enrollment management (orientation, residence life, career services, financial aid, admissions), and student services (student activities, student money management center).
Outcomes:This program is still very new, and the outcomes are not yet identifiable. As we continue to follow this group of students the information will be available.
More foster youth, orphans, and wards of the court will:
- Pursue higher education – numbers of FORWARD students
- Successfully transition to college – retention numbers for FORWARD freshmen and transfers and continuing FORWARD online surveys
- Successfully complete college – graduation rates for FORWARD students