Resilient voices of success: counter‐narratives of foster youth in graduate school

2018-03-22The limited research on foster youth in higher education focused on college access but ignored the experiences of those who successfully navigated college and enrolled in graduate programs. The master‐narrative shared about this population does not give voice to their knowledge and experiences of their resilience. Using interviews with former foster care youth in graduate school at a large private college in Southern California, this study utilized and expanded on counter‐narrative framework to render these students visible and to give voices to their stories. The research sought to answer three questions: How do foster youth define success? How do foster youth describe their challenges and successes in graduate school? How does institutional context influence the way foster youth define and achieve success? The study found that when respondents felt they were part of the decision‐making process about their lives, they achieved success in higher education. They were challenged with adhering to the rigor of their programs while simultaneously advocating and searching for financial, emotional and supportive resources. Their successes lie in the services of others, having an impact on their communities, and progressing to their educational and life goals. The institutional context of the foster care system and education system creates an environment that disregards this population’s needs. In fact, stereotypes and the lack of social capital and mentors are among the hindrances to their progression toward success