On Thursday, September 20, 2018, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives will be holding a joint hearing of the Human Services and Children and Youth Committees at Manor College centered around the topic of foster students attending college.  The hearing will take place in the library building of Manor College.  Early in the year, Manor College was selected for the second cohort of the Foster Care to College Program through The Field Center.  This program assists in making the process of transitioning to college life as seamless as possible for students who are aging out of the foster care system.

“We have decidedly focused our efforts on the whole student and creating an environment where students from all backgrounds and experiences have an opportunity for robust learning,” said Manor College’s President, Jonathan Peri, “On our campus, people don’t ask: what’s our part in the world?  We know that directing our efforts towards enabling foster students to achieve the college dream helps foster children becoming adults to thrive, and helps us to fulfill our Mission. We are excited about this event and we’re grateful to Rep. Murt for his initiative being aligned with ours.”

Connie Ianetta will be presenting testimony as a former foster child.  She is the founder of the Pennsylvania chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America, a nationwide group advocating for the needs of those who are transitioning out of the system.  Ianetta and her husband are now raising their family of children who came to them through the foster care system.

“Becoming an adult is an exciting time of life, but it offers special challenges to those who have emancipated from the foster care system,” Representative Tom Murt said.  “As legislators, we want to explore ways the state can make this transition easier.”