Great Expectations

Coach Mickey has been working with the Great Expectations program since it launched in 2008. He works as a single point of contact and support for former foster youth on his campus to help those students achieve success.

Coach Mickey

Central Virginia Community College

For Students:

Great Expectations

If you’ve experienced foster care, then you know that a major part of your adolescence is the search for someone who is willing to invest in your future. Here in Virginia, your search can end in success thanks to Great Expectations.

Today, the mean annual earnings projection for foster youth is only $13,989. Compare that to the $32,212 projected annual earnings for members of your peer group and it’s easy to see why Great Expectations aims to bridge this gap and help you prepare for lifelong career success.

The Great Expectations program began in 2008 with a generous challenge grant from the Fried family. The program, which began by serving students in five colleges, now reaches the lives of foster youth in 21 of Virginia’s community colleges. As of 2018, the Great Expectations program has served over 3,000 foster youth and now celebrates the graduation of more than 100 program participants per year.

"We want to see all Virginians moving forward. Investing in people who want to work, who want to be productive, is the right thing to do."

Michael Smith, Vice President of Valley Proteins

"Great Expectations expands educational opportunities and offers hope for a brighter future to an important group of deserving and disadvantaged young Virginians: youth transitioning out of the foster care system."

Anne Holton, Former Great Expectations Program Director and Former First Lady of Virginia

"Knowing that you have help means a great deal to someone like me who can see the future, but is not able to afford the path to get there."

Lisa Mullins, Davenport Fellow

"We want to give people who may not have thought they had a future in higher education an opportunity to earn family-sustaining wages."

Karen Barrs, EquipVA

"The biggest thing young people need is some kind of support. Somebody who can say, 'I believe in you, and I can help.'"

Barbara Fried, Great Expectations Program Founder

"Scholarships are a powerful vote of confidence that can spur talented students to unimagined heights—especially those young people who do not have a family history of attending college."

Gaye Montgomery, VFCCE Board Member

"We've all had days when a kind word or an unexpected smile from a stranger makes our day. I like to think that VFCCE scholarships go one step farther to 'make the day' for our students by making their dreams of attending college possible."

Karen Petersen, Former VCCS Executive Vice Chancellor

"Most people don’t realize how little it takes to change a student’s life."

Eleanor Saslaw, Virginia State Board for Community Colleges

"A gift to the Foundation empowers and changes lives."

Dorcas Helfant-Browning, Former VFCCE Board Chair

Program Strategy

One of the ways Great Expectations helps to position you for success is with the personal support of campus coaches. Having a single point of contact and guidance is the most critical link in helping you to achieve your educational goals.

Great Expectations campus coaches will work with you to:

Provide mentoring and support to help you navigate higher education
Assist you with admissions and financial aid applications
Help you explore career choices and opportunities
Counsel you on course selection and program progression
Help connect you to college resources
Assist you with life skills training, including managing finances
Provide access to an emergency fund
Help you overcome barriers to success, including housing, transportation, and childcare
Provide opportunities to participate in group activities

2.6 Million

estimated middle-skilled jobs in Virginia that will need to be filled by 2026

85%

of graduates feel they have greater job stability post-credential

75%

of community college students in Virginia who transferred to a 4 year institution subsequently graduated

Program Impact

The most important impact of Great Expectations is on the lives of former foster youth who went from feeling broken, abandoned, and hopeless to feeling confident, accomplished, and hopeful. With a caring, supportive coach, these vulnerable youth have achieved success in higher education and the opportunity for a bright future.

Meet one of the students who reached their goals with the help of the VFCCE and the Great Expectations program:

Placed in foster care at age eleven, Thomas went through ten homes and nineteen schools in only two years. When he enrolled at John Tyler Community College, he was paired with Great Expectations Coach Vicky. Thanks to her support, Thomas graduated with a degree in Business Administration and quickly found stable employment.

Thomas

Graduate, John Tyler Community College