������Ƶ

APSU launches groundbreaking overnight preview program for youth in foster care

By: Ethan Steinquest September 9, 2024

Austin Peay State University’s housing quad, where several campus residence halls are located. | Photo by Beth Rates

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - For six Tennesee foster youth, two days at Austin Peay State University offered more than a glimpse of college life - it sparked a statewide blueprint for supporting children in care as they pursue higher education.

Austin Peay’s Independent Living/Overnight Preview Program, hosted this summer with the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, allowed participants to explore campus resources during the day and spend the night in a residence hall. It was the state’s first program of its kind in nearly 20 years.

“T�󾱲� event opens the door to possibilities for these students,” APSU Director of Residence Life Kimberly Morrow said. “I know there are other schools in the state that have programs for students who have been in care once they arrive on campus. But because I work in housing, I understand the significance of seeing what home is going to be, and I wanted to make sure they walked away knowing ‘this is where I can live and learn.’”

APSU Housing & Residence Life plans to continue hosting the innovative program each summer, and its success has already inspired other institutions.

“We have foster care liaisons at various college campuses across the state, and I think Austin Peay’s program set the roadmap for other universities to allow youth in foster care to gain the experience of seeing what college life is like,” DCS Director of Independent Living Courtney Matthews said. “We want our young people to have opportunities to think of life beyond their current circumstances. Tennessee has 95 counties with young people in care from east to west, and we hope other universities will join this initiative so our young people can have the experience of going to college.”

Morrow developed the idea for the program in 2019 based on conversations with students, but COVID-19 put the plan on hold until recently.

“Before the pandemic, Austin Peay actually hosted a day camp for our young people in foster care,” Matthews said. “T���� were so excited to be on that campus, so when Ms. Kim emailed me about this new opportunity, my mind went back to that because we value and appreciate our partnership with Austin Peay.”

The Independent Living/Overnight Preview Program offered a similar experience, combining games and activities with a look at student support services and an overnight stay. Participants will also receive a housing scholarship if they attend Austin Peay.

“We want to make sure that youth in care can enter their freshman year at APSU without barriers and that they know what’s available to them,” Morrow said. “The program is set up a lot like a traditional preview day, but because it’s overnight, they can also see the structure of the residence halls and learn about that experience.”

Youth who signed up appreciated learning about financial aid, tutoring services, and the opportunities available on campus based on survey feedback from the event.

“We also had a really powerful segment built into the agenda with a young person currently attending Austin Peay who was a foster youth,” Matthews said. “He had an opportunity to engage with these young people and talk to them about his experience transitioning out of foster care and going to Austin Peay, and that was so impactful for them.”

Future goals for the program include creating new opportunities to connect with current students who were in foster care and working with more campus partners to break down educational barriers.

“We had some fantastic partnerships with the other offices on campus, and everyone from financial aid to admissions was so excited to spend time with this student population,” Morrow said. “There’s so much potential in how this program can be designed to continue having an impact. I feel like this was a fantastic pilot, and we’re only going up from here.”