CSU, Chico offers a comprehensive program, called PATH Scholars—Promoting Achievement Through Hope—to support the educational goals of current and former foster youth students. Services include personalized financial aid services, counseling, advising, and tutoring, as well as services for connecting students with resources on campus and in the community.

Promoting Achievement Through Hope (PATH)

Another PATH We Walk: The Foster Youth / Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Experience

Marina Fox
Program Coordinator, Foster Youth Program
Angelica Lopez
Moderator, MSW Intern & Peer Coach
Aaron Alston-Roth
Diana Garcia
Jessica Gonzales
Sarah Simpson
PATH Scholar Panel, CSU, Chico

PATH ScholarsPATH (Promoting Achievement Through Hope) is a CSU, Chico program to support the educational goals of current and former foster youth, as well as unaccompanied homeless youth. Program Coordinator Marina Fox points out that these students are resilient, determined, and have high potential to succeed. In a panel discussion, four students in the PATH (Promoting Achievement through Hope) Scholars program describe their foster youth experience before they arrived at the University. Each one begins by telling his her story. The students then explain what has worked for them as they pursue their goal of earning a degree in the hope other students can learn from their experiences. They also talk about how they draw strength from each other. PATH began in 2014; at the time of this recording (May 2017), there were 50 students in the program. Presentation Time: 44 minutes | View Now

PATH Scholars Panel Discussion

Amber Feary
Veronica Felix
Elian Lopez
Angelica Perez
Demitrius DeLaCruz
Students, CSU, Chico

A panel of CSU, Chico students share their experiences as they transitioned from foster care to post-secondary education and how they are overcoming barriers to attain a bachelor’s degree. According to research, only 3 to 5 percent of foster youth obtain a four-year degree, compared to 24 percent of the general population. The goals of this discussion are to increase awareness about foster care alumni at Chico State, to reduce stigma around this population, and to celebrate the students’ stories of resiliency, determination, and courage. Presentation Time: 50 minutes | View Now