Our Program
What is Fostering Laker Success (FLS)?
Fostering Laker Success is a campus-based program that works with youth who have experienced foster care and other out of home placements. We are housed in the Office of Student Support and Belonging in the Division of Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach. We are located on the second floor of Kleiner Commons (above Dish Dining Hall).
Our mission is student success! Program participants will have access to key resources that can help students succeed in their personal, academic, and professional lives. Participants will also gain a community of supportive staff and mentors to assist them in reaching their goals.
Program Eligibility:
- Participant has been in an eligible foster care or non-secure delinquency placement supervised by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) at age 14 or older.
- Participant is younger than 23.
- Participant has experienced out-of-home placement/homeless youth.
Providing mentoring, individualized coaching, goal-setting guidance, academic and social workshops, year‑round housing referrals, and access to emergency and financial assistance.
Fostering Laker Success MDDHS Grant sponsored program with goal of increasing post secondary education graduation rates for foster care/at risk homeless youth.
Mission
Fostering Laker Success is dedicated to attracting and retaining students with backgrounds in foster care and other out-of-home placements by offering comprehensive resources aimed at fostering their successful integration into and graduation from the GVSU community.
Framework
Fostering Laker Success leverages the proven efficacy of the Fostering Success Coach Modeling program, a well-established framework implemented across 16 diverse campuses. Through this program, we forge partnerships with students, offering them tailored guidance to navigate the complexities of college life, access essential health services, and prepare for a seamless transition post-graduation.
Drawing on the comprehensive Casey Family Programs Life Skills Assessment and the holistic "It’s My Life" domains, each student receives a personalized roadmap for success. By collaboratively crafting individualized plans, we empower students to set and achieve their academic, personal, and professional goals with precision and confidence.
The Fostering Laker Success Grant
Fostering Laker Success (FLS) is a dynamic grant-funded initiative dedicated to empowering program participants with a robust support system, both on and off campus, to ensure student's comprehensive success. Through FLS, Laker participants gain access to vital resources designed to enhance their academic achievement, professional growth, and essential life skill development.
Aligned with a statewide college and university initiatives, FLS actively contributes to the collective goal of increasing college graduation rates among youth with foster care backgrounds. Since its inception in 2017, Fostering Laker Success has been instrumental in providing unwavering support to foster care youth at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), thanks to a grant from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
In recognition of its impactful efforts, Fostering Laker Success was honored with another MDHHS grant in May 2022, reaffirming its commitment to fostering success and empowerment among GVSU's foster care community. For more information on the statewide endeavor to improve graduation rates for youth in foster care, visit the Fostering Success Michigan website.
Fostering Laker Success coaching is anchored in seven key Life Domains:.
1. Basic Needs
2. Finances and Employment
3. Physical and Mental Health
4. Cultural and Personal Identity
5. GVSU Community Experiences and Supportive Relationships
6. Life Skills and Destination Planning
7. Education
