Image: by Jewel Caruso Lori Tiller (PhD 2022) was quoted in Inside Higher Ed discussing statewide student outreach programs.. Tiller is the co-director of Embark Georgia, an initiative housed in the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development. The article, “Helping Former Foster Students Succeed” by Jessica Blake, explores the effect that experiencing foster care has on adolescent aspirations and access to higher education. The article presents national averages showing only 3% of young people who experienced foster care graduate with a bachelor’s degree by age 26. This falls far below the findings for the general population, which is around 40%. The Embark Georgia program aims to support youth who have experienced foster care or homelessness as they enter higher education institutions seek to attain their post-secondary goals. In the article, Tiller highlights the challenge of retaining qualified staff and ensuring a high level of continuity in these outreach programs through turn-over. She strives for deepening institutional support for the program. While trust and relationship between staff and the students they support are important,Tiller tells Inside Higher Ed that she continues to build sustainability into the work, “When that amazingly supportive person that’s running the program leaves for wonderful opportunities, it will continue without them.” Recently, the Embark Georgia program also received $1.5M to expand. In addition to administering Embark Georgia, Tiller is a faculty member at the Fanning Institute with a focus on nonprofit organization, college access for underrepresented populations, and skills in program evaluation and group facilitation. Her dissertation at the McBee Institute reflects these themes. Type of News/Audience: Alumni
