SAN ANTONIO – Fernando Jacquez is one of the first students to graduate from Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s Fostering Assistance, Transitions & Education (FATE) program, which aims to help Bexar County foster and adopted youths earn a college degree.
New program helps foster care youth aging out of system prepare for adult life
The program started in November 2019 and aims to increase college admission and graduation rates of foster and adopted youth. It has already helped more than 50 students in its first year.
“When we age out of foster (care), you know, we come out of foster homes, it’s like, well, you know, goodbye,” Jacquez said.
At 10 years old, Jacquez entered the foster care system.
“I prayed every single day when I was taken away from my family. It was one of -- if not, the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” Jacquez said.
He was eventually adopted by his grandmother and was motivated to succeed.
“First-time college graduate in my family,” Jacquez said.
He recently graduated from Texas A&M University-San Antonio and is now pursuing his masters.
Jacquez said this wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the FATE program.
“He came to the office, and he wanted to go to graduate school, and he was looking for loans or scholarships or something to pay for school. And I said, ‘Well, aren’t you using the waiver?’” said Norma Davila, foster care support coordinator at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Thanks to the program, Jacquez learned more about a waiver provided by the state that helps pay for education for youths who go through the foster care system.
“He would be paying college tuition right now, and it’s happened. It has happened where many students have had to pay tuition, not realizing that they were tuition-exempt,” Davila said.
The FATE program provides mentoring and basic needs, including food, school supplies and hygiene products.
“In the state of Texas, only about 3% of that population graduate from college. So we’re trying to change that, and we’re trying to maintain retention,” Davila said.
The program helped 56 students total in its first year. This year, coordinators have identified and reached out to 68 students.
“I think there should be more awareness for kids that, you know, come up through the foster system, and there should be more programs that are willing to reach out to them,” Jacquez said.