Livingstone College Initiative Helps Foster Care Children Pursue Higher Education

by Marlena Chertock |

Infographic. On the left, a Black student with a blue backpack with the Livingstone College bear mascot on it stands in front of the Livingstone College campus, a blue heart surrounds him. On the right, text says: "May Is Foster Care Awareness Month. Together, we can create a campus where every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. H.O.P.E." There is a yellow heart next to Awareness Month, and the H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project logo. Above the four words on the bottom that spell out H.O.P.E., there are icons: a purple heart for Healing, an open door for Opportunity, a graduation cap for Preparation, and a yellow person icon with its hands up in the air for Empowerment.
Graphic from Livingstone College.

Only 1 in 5 youth in foster care pursue their college dreams, according to Blue Cross NC. And only 3–4% of youth who transition out of foster care obtain a four-year college degree, while 2–6% receive a two-year degree, according to research from the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI).

Livingstone College’s President Anthony Davis, himself a foster care alumnus, is committed to changing these statistics.

President Anthony Davis Livingstone College

Dr. Anthony J. Davis, president, Livingstone College, himself a foster care alumnus, is committed to changing these statistics and supporting foster care youth in pursuing their college dreams. Photo from Livingstone College.

On May 1, 2026, President Davis signed a memorandum of understanding with Home4Me, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping teens who are in or aging out of the foster care system, expanding Livingstone College’s H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project. Through this initiative, the UNCF-member institution has helped to make the dream of higher education a reality for youth aging out of foster care.

The program offers students aging out of foster care with a comprehensive support system to help them succeed in higher education. Qualified students can receive up to $35,000, covering tuition, on-campus housing, a meal plan, coordinated mental health services and more. Students are also paired with a success coach to guide their educational and career journeys.

“I am committed to ensuring that the same elevator that enabled me to go from foster care to the president’s chair will be in place for someone else.”

“These students are just like me,” shared President Davis. “I always wanted to go to college but could not. There were many barriers but no bridges.

“My dream was deferred, delayed, but never denied,” he continued. “I am committed to ensuring that the same elevator that enabled me to go from foster care to the president’s chair will be in place for someone else.”

The H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project’s first cohort has seen one student successfully graduate, 22 students enroll in college (95% are continuing their educational journeys) and one student is scheduled to graduate in December 2026.

May is Foster Care Awareness Month and UNCF joins in uplifting students of all backgrounds—including alumni of the foster care system—in their pursuit of higher education.

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