An urban university campus support program for students from foster care: Services and outcomes

Purpose: This study is an outcome evaluation of the Guardian Scholars Program (GSP) at San Francisco State University, which supports current and former foster care youth on the campus. GSP services include: case management, year-round housing, career planning, social activities, leadership opportunities, and scholarships. Methods: This study examined a sample of all 194 GSP students ages 17 to 30 who received services from the Guardian Scholars Program between 2005 and 2017. Results: The program saw an 84% sophomore year retention rate, an 82% overall retention rate, and a 70% six year graduation rate. These outcomes are better than the outcomes for the SF State general population of students, SF State Pell Grant recipients, and nationwide public university students. Conclusions: Although descriptive in nature, this study offers early evidence that comprehensive campus support programs may lead to improved academic outcomes for foster youth in undergraduate studies at four-year universities.