Impact Scholars Program “Your life has purpose. Your story is important. Your dreams count. Your voice matters. You were born to make an impact.” —Rae Smith

Overview What is the Impact Scholars Program? Student success Program development Short and long-term program goals

Our Mission The mission of the Impact Scholars Program is to engage, support, and equip youth and alumni of foster care to take ownership of their college experience and embark as authors of personal and community change.

Program Objectives Address the underrepresentation and underachievement of former foster youth in higher education. Increase enrollment, retention and graduation rates of former foster youth at Boise State University. Equip students to take ownership of their college experience, and become authors of personal and community change.

FY at Boise State Identify and track student academic performance. Outreach to all, support is available and voluntary. Distribute care packages, gift cards, free dinners from community donors. Retention rate of students engaged is 92% (SP13-SP14, n=13). GPAs are rising. Increase in student engagement: presenting, assisting with outreach, active role in planning. Connect students to scholarship money and other resources.

FY at Boise State New ISP FY Students FY Served Graduates 2012-13 baseline 11 2 2013-14 6 13 1 14-15 9 22

ISP Success Increase in campus and community awareness. Increase in referrals  increased communication with incoming/current students. Development of website and application as part of larger marketing plan. Database will track data more efficiently. Donors are interested. Scholarship fund coming soon. Statewide and national participation in HEFY efforts (including students).

What’s next for Impact Scholars? Short-term goals: Increase high school outreach. Integrate mentoring and financial planning into participation. Develop leadership and ownership among scholars to steer direction of student community. Host statewide HEFY conference.

What’s next for Impact Scholars? Long-term goals: Improve the educational pipeline from HS to college, including community college transfers for these students. Provide scholarship funds to increase retention and reduce loan dependence . Better utilize community/campus partnerships. Capture graduate success stories. Hire Impact Scholars as interns to help with programming and IFSN (statewide) engagement.

Thank You Anna Moreshead, Impact Scholars Coordinator Email: annamoreshead@boisestate.edu Thank You