Examining the Lived Experiences of Foster Youth and Administrators in the Urban Community College Environment
Abstract
The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of foster youth and administrators in an urban community college setting. Each year, over 20,000 college-aged youth are emancipated from the foster care system in the United States. While many of these youth report having college aspirations, few enroll in post-secondary education, and even fewer persist to graduation. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with foster youth and college administrators who were affiliated with an urban community college. The researcher identified five key themes: educational obstacles, sense of belonging, barriers to engagement, professional development, and resilience. These themes, woven together, illuminate promising practices for supporting this special population in community college while revealing gaps in current retention efforts.
Subject Area
Community college education|Higher Education Administration|Educational leadership
Recommended Citation
Ambrose, Daniel Franklin, "Examining the Lived Experiences of Foster Youth and Administrators in the Urban Community College Environment" (2018). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI10811247.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI10811247
