Central Indiana employee Demetria Jimerson is leading the charge for the Foster Youth Initiative Program at Ivy Tech. The program aspires to help current and prospective students who did not receive a degree or certification after aging out of the foster care system achieve their post-secondary education goals.
This Initiative, which actually spans across the state, assists students between 18 and 26 years old with re-enrolling at the College. It also assists in the removal of educational barriers – such as financial assistance and SAP appeals, and community barriers, such as housing instability, food insecurity, and transportation issues.
The program got off to a great start in Fall of 2019, when Jimerson completed nine visits to the Anderson, Richmond, Bloomington, Evansville, Kokomo, Lafayette, Lawrenceburg, Madison, and Marion Ivy Tech locations. In 2020, she aims for a lofty goal of visiting all 17 main campuses to advocate and implement the Foster Youth Initiative Program. Her first stop? Muncie!
If you know a student in our service area that was formerly in foster care, they can reach out to Demetria for more information at djimerson6@ivytech.edu.
Ivy Tech Indianapolis News 
Leave a comment