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Mpowering My Success

Oftentimes, people who have experienced foster care lack traditional family support which can make transitioning into college and graduating difficult. That’s where we come in! Mpowering My Success staff members understand that success comes in many forms, and we strive to set up students for personal, financial, and academic success on their path to graduation and beyond! From group workshops to meeting one-on-one with a Life Skills Coach, Mpowering My Success aims to provide students with many resources to overcome potential challenges, build and develop life skills, and obtain a college degree.

Mission
Mpowering My Success provides students who have experienced time in foster care with an added layer of support during their journey in college through personalized success plans that focus on education, mental health, belonging, relationships, and life skills.

The Mpowering My Success program staff are dedicated to assisting program participants reach both their educational and personal goals. Contact us today if you would like more information!

Eligibility

UM-Flint students who are under the age of 23 and meet one of the following criteria may be eligible for the Mpowering My Success Program:

  • Student was in foster care on or after their 14th birthday
  • Student was adopted from foster care on or after their 16th birthday
  • Student was in a non-secure delinquency placement supervised by Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) on or after their 14th birthday

Students who have experienced foster care but do not meet at least one of the above criteria are still eligible for some services through the Mpowering My Success program.

What We Provide

In partnership with the DHHS, Mpowering My Success is an on campus program at UM-Flint that is dedicated to providing wrap-around support services to students who have experienced foster care. Students who meet eligibility requirements and become involved in the program receive access to a wide variety of resources, including:

  • Regular meetings with a Masters Level Life Skills Coach
  • 24/7 Emergency on-call support
  • Financial assistance and annual emergency funds
  • Life Skills Workshops
  • Referrals to both on and off campus resources as necessary
  • Regular meetings with assigned mentor
  • On campus housing during school breaks if needed
  • Assistance as needed when applying for Education and Training Voucher (ETV), Fostering Futures Scholarship, etc.

Resources for Students

Connecting with Others Who Have Experienced Foster Care
Michigan Youth Opportunities Initiative (MYOI): An overview of the services that MYOI provides for participating youth.

Physical & Mental Healthcare

  • Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS): UM-Flint’s counseling center provides free and confidential counseling as well as accessibility services to UM-Flint students.
  • Catholic Charities: Local mental health service provider for people of all backgrounds and religions.
  • Genesee Health System: GHS serves people who have Medicaid insurance or are covered by Healthy Michigan, those enrolled in the MI CHILD program, or people who have no insurance and cannot pay for services but meet eligibility requirements. ​
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call, text, or chat 988 to be connected to a trained counselor
  • Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 in the US
  • Genesee County Health Department: Provides various physical health treatments, immunizations, testing, etc. for Genesee County residents.

Clothing, Personal Care Items, Etc.
Foster Closet of Genesee County: The Foster Closet of Genesee County provides FREE items to youth of any age who are active in the foster care system. The Foster Closet carries a wide variety of items, such as clothes, shoes, and personal care items.

Foster Care Scholarships, Grants, & Funding Sources