HOPE Emancipation Project | Livingstone College
Source: https://livingstone.edu/h-o-p-e
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:16
HOPE Emancipation Project | Livingstone College
H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project
Nailah McDowell
H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project & LC Connect & Student Recruitment
nmcdowell@livingstone.edu
Home4Me
Livingstone College and Home4Me partner to help aging out foster care teens with college education
May is Foster Care Awareness Month, an observance that is near and dear to the heart of Livingstone College’s 13
th
president.
Livingstone College’s 13
th
President, Dr. Anthony J. Davis, is a survivor of the foster care system, having emancipated himself at the age of 17, joining the United States Air Force.
He was born to a teenage mother, who was only 14 years old. The day he was born, his grandmother – their intended caregiver – died. He and his mother both became wards of the state of Connecticut.
His foster care mother was reluctant to take in another child, but she agreed to keep him for a weekend. As divine intervention would have it, she said God instructed her to keep the child. She raised Davis to be an intellectual rather than cultivate his athleticism, though he jokes that he still has a mean jump shot.
Davis stayed in foster care until 90 days prior to aging out. At the age of 24, he was reunited with his biological mother, who passed away last year.
Davis is an anomaly as it is a statistical reality that less than 1 percent of children in foster care graduate from college and even less – if any other – becomes president of a higher education institution.
He has defied the odds and wants to reach back to address the foster care crisis in America under his administration at Livingstone College.
On Monday, May 1, the first day of Foster Care Awareness Month, Davis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Home4Me, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to be a voice for teens in foster care providing Hope, Opportunities, Mentoring and Education (HOME). Donna Reed is founder and executive director.
“We believe every teen aging out of foster care should have the option to attend the educational training and/or the college of their choice and their tuition should be paid,” reads the Home4Me website. “Statistics say that 70% of teens in foster care desire to attend college yet less than 3% graduate due to lack of support, guidance, finances and housing.”
Livingstone College H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project
Livingstone College's initiative to provide teens aging out of foster care a chance at a college education
Do you know a teenager, or are you a teenager, who is emancipating from the foster care system and is interested in going to college? If so
Contact:
Nailah McDowell
Associate Vice-President
Career Readiness Institute
H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project & LC Connect Student Recruitment
Phone - 704-216-6255
Email -
nmcdowell@livingstone.edu
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H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project
Nailah McDowell
H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project & LC Connect & Student Recruitment
nmcdowell@livingstone.edu
Home4Me
Livingstone College and Home4Me partner to help aging out foster care teens with college education
May is Foster Care Awareness Month, an observance that is near and dear to the heart of Livingstone College’s 13
th
president.
Livingstone College’s 13
th
President, Dr. Anthony J. Davis, is a survivor of the foster care system, having emancipated himself at the age of 17, joining the United States Air Force.
He was born to a teenage mother, who was only 14 years old. The day he was born, his grandmother – their intended caregiver – died. He and his mother both became wards of the state of Connecticut.
His foster care mother was reluctant to take in another child, but she agreed to keep him for a weekend. As divine intervention would have it, she said God instructed her to keep the child. She raised Davis to be an intellectual rather than cultivate his athleticism, though he jokes that he still has a mean jump shot.
Davis stayed in foster care until 90 days prior to aging out. At the age of 24, he was reunited with his biological mother, who passed away last year.
Davis is an anomaly as it is a statistical reality that less than 1 percent of children in foster care graduate from college and even less – if any other – becomes president of a higher education institution.
He has defied the odds and wants to reach back to address the foster care crisis in America under his administration at Livingstone College.
On Monday, May 1, the first day of Foster Care Awareness Month, Davis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Home4Me, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to be a voice for teens in foster care providing Hope, Opportunities, Mentoring and Education (HOME). Donna Reed is founder and executive director.
“We believe every teen aging out of foster care should have the option to attend the educational training and/or the college of their choice and their tuition should be paid,” reads the Home4Me website. “Statistics say that 70% of teens in foster care desire to attend college yet less than 3% graduate due to lack of support, guidance, finances and housing.”
Livingstone College H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project
Livingstone College's initiative to provide teens aging out of foster care a chance at a college education
Do you know a teenager, or are you a teenager, who is emancipating from the foster care system and is interested in going to college? If so
Contact:
Nailah McDowell
Associate Vice-President
Career Readiness Institute
H.O.P.E. Emancipation Project & LC Connect Student Recruitment
Phone - 704-216-6255
Email -
nmcdowell@livingstone.edu
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
ALUMNI & FRIENDS
FACULTY & STAFF
Anthology
Andrew Carnegie Library
EAB Navigate
ADP | INTRANET
School Dudes
BLACKBOARD
JICS
REQUESTS
I.T. DEPARTMENT
WEBMAIL
LC Self-Service
LC Self-Service Instruction
LC Password Change/Reset
Qualtrics.XM
Digital Vaccination Certificate
Pebbles – Newsletter
Students
2025 Summer & Fall Registration Information
Andrew Carnegie Library
Livingstone APPs Portal
BLACKBOARD
Password Reset
JICS
Final Exam Schedule
Final Exam Schedule (2025 December Graduates)
2025 Fall Final Exam Schedule
RESIDENCE LIFE
HOUSING FEE PAYMENT
STUDENT WEBMAIL
Qualtrics.XM
LC Students FAQs
ADMISSIONS & FINANCIAL AID
ACADEMICS
ATHLETICS
CAMPUS LIFE
Success Center
Honors Program
BLACKBOARD
JICS
OFFICES
EMERGENCY
Campus Police
Health Services
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
Office of the President
Office of Academic Affairs
Office of Athletics
Office of Business and Finance
Office of Marketing and Communications
Office of Human Resource
Office of Institutional Advancement
Office of Public Safety & Campus Police
Office of Student Affairs
COLLEGE AND ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS
Division of Business
Division of Education, Psychology & Social Work
Division of Liberal Arts & Humanities
Division of Mathematics and Science
Division of Hospitality Management
INSTITUTIONAL OFFICES
Andrew Carnegie Library
NC LIVE
Evening & Weekend College
Bookstore
Cashier
Counseling Services
Career Readiness Institute
Financial Aid
Computer Information Systems
Mail & Package Services
Residence Life
Registrar
Student Activities
Spiritual Life
MAKE A GIFT
APPLY NOW
Andrew Carnegie Library
SACSCOC
Livingstone College: CIAA Tour Feb. 24
X
X
/* ]]> */