The Renaissance Scholars Program at Fresno State, which provides comprehensive support to college students who were formerly in foster care, will increase its enrollment to 80 participants in fall 2016 thanks to expansion funding of $30,000 from the University. Graduate student interns will be hired to assist with student recruitment and student/program development activities. Currently 40 students participate in the program. More than 100 foster youth students have been served since the program’s inception in 2008 and 32 students have graduated in that seven-year span. The average year-to-year retention rate is nearly 90 percent, well above the national average graduation rate of 2-5 percent for former foster youth. INFO: Cristina Moreno, interim coordinator, at 559.278.5055.
