Skagit Valley Herald highlights new partnership at Skagit Valley College
The Skagit Valley Herald recently spoke with College Success Foundation’s Keith Stier-Van Essen, Northwest Coastal Program Director; Kati Ortiz, Passport Coach at Skagit Valley College; and Skagit Valley College President Tom Keegan about a new partnership to serve foster youth launched in 2020.
While the statistics can be daunting — nationally, only 2-3 percent of foster youth graduate from college — education advocates in Washington state refuse to let stereotypes or barriers stand in the way. CSF remains dedicated to supporting this vulnerable student population by providing trauma-informed programs and services to help them succeed.
Washington Student Achievement Council’s Passport to Careers program provides scholarships and support services to help former foster and unaccompanied homeless youth prepare for and succeed in college, apprenticeships, or pre-apprenticeship programs.
The Passport to College program at Skagit Valley College helps knock down barriers by providing a Passport coach on campus to support, advise, and help students navigate college. In her first year, Kati has already made an incredible impact on Passport Scholars at Skagit Valley College.
As President Keegan shares, “This partnership exists to not just raise the level of consciousness about higher education, but to have [these students] be treated in a respectful way and see themselves as college students. And, along the way, knock down the barriers that are put in front of each person.”