TWU’s FAST Academy speeds prep for foster alumni

A social worker or policy researcher could point to a myriad of factors that make pursuing college difficult for young adults who spent their youth in foster care, but Raven Maldonado can sum up the challenges in one word: disruption.

“I switched schools so many times – too many to count,” Maldonado recalled.

In many cases, foster youth are displaced several times during their formative years, creating disruption that makes it difficult to maintain continuity in everything from relationships to coursework.

“It’s difficult constantly having to make new friends and having to start over,” she added.

So it’s not surprising that many young people who age out of foster care will need additional support should they choose to pursue a higher education.

Nationally, fewer than 9% of students who have been in foster care will graduate from a higher education institution. But through an innovative program, Texas Woman’s University is working to change that.

Through TWU’s Frontiers Program – aimed at supporting former foster youth as they navigate their way through the higher education experience – the university last summer launched the FAST Academy, which is an intensive three-week residential bridge program that introduces foster-care alumni to the rigors of college study.

The free program uses an array of hands-on activities and experiential learning opportunities to better prepare students for the classroom. Among the more creative activities is one that incorporates yoga into the writing process and another that uses collages as a creative outlet for unfolding trauma that students may have experienced while in foster care. Throughout the program, students hear from several speakers who themselves were in foster care and successfully made it through college

Included in the curriculum are fast-paced courses in math and English – subjects that are key college-readiness indicators – which gives participants an opportunity to earn up to six hours of college credit in an accelerated learning program.

Eighteen participants in the inaugural summer 2024 class lived in a campus residence hall during the program, giving them ample opportunities for interaction with one another when they weren’t participating in classroom activities.

“We know that when students have the social support they need, they tend to be successful in the classroom and persist,” said Amy O’Keefe, TWU’s executive director of the Campus Alliance for Resource Education (CARE), which oversees the Frontiers Program. “This population is growing, and Texas Woman’s is committed to finding new approaches to helping these students thrive.”

What’s more is the FAST Academy helps students explore other disciplines, and in some instances may even prompt them to choose a different academic path.

Shawnda Smith, a TWU associate professor who taught the accelerated math course during the summer program, said one student who was good at math said he planned to switch majors to a STEM-related field during the program.

“This (program) opens their eyes to other majors,” Smith said.

Program participants can apply the college credit they earn to attend any Texas college, O’Keefe said. Of the 18 students who took part in the inaugural FAST Academy, 11 enrolled at Texas Woman’s. Maldonado was among them.

Maldonado, who learned about the program through a high school counselor, said the academy was a fulfilling experience because it provided a supportive environment. She added that because she was able to complete two courses at an accelerated pace, it gave her the confidence to pursue a college education.

For now, she plans on pursuing a major in music, and dreams of one day becoming a vocal performer.

“This absolutely was a confidence booster for me – and I made friends,” Maldonado said. “It helped a lot being around others who went through the same things as I did.”