College of San Mateo has received funding to establish enhanced services to support foster youth and former foster youth by adding the NextUp Program, a new program within EOPS/CARE. Funding will continue annually based on apportionment and comes to CSM as part of the State Chancellor’s NextUp Program expansion.

The NextUp Program seeks to provide a combination of support services and direct aid to ensure that current and former foster youth are successful in their academic, career, and personal pursuits. The new funds will help to increase the recruitment and retention of former foster youth by enrolling them in EOPS, which provides a student-centered approach to serving students by easing the process of navigating the college application, enrollment, and completion. Another critical goal is to create a greater sense of belonging for current and former foster youth at CSM.

CSM is honored to receive the new funds and commits to reducing the persistent equity gaps for former and current foster youth in enrollment, persistence, and completion outcomes. CSM will use the funds to operate a NextUp Program and deliver services to students in ways that reduce and eliminate student burdens. Moreover, by being under the EOPS umbrella of programs, CSM will leverage current intercampus collaborations and create additional opportunities between the newly established NextUp Program and existing student support programs. The result will be ecosystems that improve an unconditional sense of belonging and educational outcomes for former and current foster youth on campus.