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Fostering Success Graduates

 


Olivia Johnston


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Graduated with B.S in Business Administration, Spring 2021
 

During my time in Fostering Success, I was able to plan and lead many family dinners, participate in education and advocacy work, and mentor new/returning students in FS.  My most memorable moment during my time with Fostering Success has to be during the Summer Camp with high school foster youth.  I had the opportunity to be a Peer Mentor/chaperone during the overnight program and I connected with a few of the campers about their journey and how resilient they’ve become at such a young age. If you have an opportunity to partake, do it! 

My current position is an Account Executive role at a data firm. My advice to any current or upcoming students of the program is to get involved. I always talk about my hesitancy before I joined the program and how amazing it was after I got past that. The opportunities I had with Fostering Success were unlike any other I would have experienced and I get to take a lot of those into my professional career. Feel free to connect with me on Linkedin. linkedin.com/oliviaajohnston

 


Lisa Driver


Graduated with B.S in Human Development and Family Studies, Spring 2021
 

My name is Lisa Driver! I am from Minocqua, Wisconsin.
I have two lovely grandparents, Jon and Carla, who raised me and an amazing sister, Kayla. I enjoy sewing, cooking, baking, dancing, traveling, watching Netflix and spending time with my family.

I attended UW-Stout where I majored in Family and Consumer Sciences Education and minored in Human Development and Family Studies.
During my three years in college, I was involved in a lot.
I was the Vice President of the Stout Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Education, President of the Wisconsin Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Student Unit, Initation Chair of Phi Upsilon Omicron, a member of Aspiring Educators, and Love Your Melon. I graduated May 2021. During my three years of college, I was actively involved in Student Support Services (SSS) and Fostering Sucess (FS). I was part of the first job program in SSS and continued working as a peer mentor. I was very involved in Fostering Success! I went to the bi-weekly family dinners and talked to Governor Evers in March 2020.
After graduating college, I was hired at Sun Prairie High School. I am persuing my dream job as a Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher.


Katie Gordon


Graduated with B.S in Human Development and Family Studies, 2020
 

My name is Katie Gordon! I am from Port Washington, Wisconsin. I enjoy spending time with friends, hanging out at the lake, connecting with people, and traveling.

I attended UW-Stout where I majored in Human Development and Family Studies. During my four years in college, I worked in the helping field in a variety of settings through employment and advocacy work.
I worked at a shelter and treatment facility where I used my lived experience to support and advocate for clients. I advocated for the child welfare system by speaking at national conferences, connecting with individuals like myself to create change, and utilized my voice as often as I could. Additionally, I was a member of the Gamma Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi. I held numerous leadership positions during my time including Director of Sisterhood, and Vice President of Risk Management. At the start of my collegiate career, I was involved in Student Support Services (SSS) and Fostering Success (FS).

In March of 2020 I had the opportunity to speak with Governor Evers about important policy regarding foster youth and higher education. After graduating college in 2020, I moved home to be closer to my brother and decided to open a business! I opened Resilient Nutrition on May 3rd, 2021. It has been an amazing experience that has allowed me to both support myself and support others. I am forever thankful for the amazing individuals I have in my life who have stepped up to support me throughout my 23 years of life

 


Tonisha Hora


Graduated with B.S Human Development and Family Studies, Spring 2018
 

From the moment I walked into UW-Stout’s Fostering Success office, I knew I found the perfect “home”, and the people that would support me throughout my college career. The advisors were engaged and supportive of all the students that crossed their path. While we all have different stories and timelines in life, my fellow students completely understood me, my story, my ambitions, and my fears. This program provided me with life-long friends and a support system, opened new and exciting doors for me, and allowed me to reach for my hopes and dreams.

 

That’s the one thing about Fostering Success and the people who are part of it, it literally makes a difference the outcome in the lives of each student, who we become and how hard we struggle to achieve our dream of a college degree. Since most of the Fostering Success students don’t have the support of a parent or family member, having people in your corner helps to overcome the daily struggles of earning a degree, while earning a living at the same time. Supporting Fostering Success means supporting the future of these foster youth.
 

Greta Munns

Greta Munns graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2011 and returned to serve as Wisconsin's first Foster Youth Liaison with Fostering Success at University of Wisconsin-Stout, a program for current and aspiring UW-Stout students who have experienced foster care and/or homelessness.

As Foster Youth Liaison, Greta used her personal foster care history and youth development background to connect and empower students, advocate for statewide policy changes such as tuition remission, and strengthen safety nets on campus for those without familial supports. Greta has testified before U.S. Congress, advocated on behalf of child welfare system reforms such as the Family First Act, and presented workshops around the nation focused on meaningful youth engagement and youth-adult partnerships. Greta currently serves as a Policy Coordinator within the Bureau of Youth Services at Wisconsin Department of Children and Families in Madison, Wisconsin, working with both runaway homeless youth and independent living programs.

Greta believes in engaging youth whenever decisions impacting their wellbeing are made, and as an alumna of foster care with a “seat at the table”, she will always pull up a chair for those coming after.