TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s Office of Academic Affairs and the Alabama REACH program will host a foster care and higher education summit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Child Development Research Center on campus.
The one-day summit, “Fostering the Hope,” aims to educate foster care program stakeholders on how they can support and guide foster youth who ant to go to college.
Attendees will participate in two facilitated group conversations focused on preparing school-aged foster youth for higher education by teaching them to be self-reliant.
The event also will feature a student panel and keynote speaker David Crutchfield, marketing coordinator for UA’s Student Recreation Center. Crutchfield, a former foster youth, recently marked his 10th year working at UA.
Refreshments and lunch will be served.
The summit is the culmination of a semester-long project for students of Dr. Tyra Hillard, UA associate professor of restaurant, hospitality and meetings management, in her class titled Advanced Meeting and Convention Management.
Alabama REACH is a comprehensive support program designed to empower current and former foster youth, orphans, emancipated minors and wards of the state of Alabama to pursue higher education and graduate from college. It serves as a resource hub to help students access needed services on campus, as well as cultivate meaningful relationships off campus. REACH’s goal is to graduate individuals who will be successful personally and professionally. For more information, go to http://www.reach.ua.edu/.
Cost is $35 for pre-registration, $15 for students and $40 for day-of registration. Registration for the summit is open until April 18; participants may register here.
Contact
Kristi Payne or Richard LeComte, UA Media Relations, 205/348-3782, rllecomte@advance.ua.edu
Source
Jameka Hartley, Alabama REACH, jyhartley@aalan.ua.edu, 205/348-5819