Fostering Lions at Penn State Greater Allegheny is an initiative dedicated to supporting students with foster care experience. The program connects students with resources that help them succeed academically, access financial aid, and graduate with confidence.

Program Benefits

Fostering Lions offers:

  • Individualized Support from campus liaisons who understand the challenges faced by students with foster care experience.

  • Priority Consideration for student employment, textbook loans, emergency grants, and temporary housing assistance through the ACE office.

  • Financial Aid Guidance to identify funding opportunities and secure housing during breaks and summer sessions.

Commitment to Success

At the Greater Allegheny campus, we provide access to educational advocates who help students navigate the Penn State system and connect with essential resources. Our goal is to champion the success of foster youth throughout their college journey.

Who Qualifies?

Students may qualify if they:

  • Check box 53 on the FAFSA and complete a dependency review packet for independent status.

  • Self-identify as having significant foster care experience, including kinship care.

  • Experienced foster care placement after age 13 or were adopted/discharged at 16 or older.

Program History

In 2018, Greater Allegheny campus was selected as one of six institutions in Pennsylvania to join a cohort supported by the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, and Research at the University of Pennsylvania. Through this partnership, the campus received technical assistance to design evidence-based programming that improves retention and graduation outcomes for students with foster care experience.

The collaboration with the Field Center provided valuable insight into the unique challenges foster youth face and helped build the internal and external partnerships needed to address those challenges effectively.

Guided by successful models such as Fostering Lions at University Park and Fostering Success Michigan, both nationally recognized for their campus-based support programs, Greater Allegheny campus officially launched its own Fostering Lions program in Fall 2019.