PHOENIX — "I'm moving into GCU. It's my second year. It's really exciting,” April Ciarametaro laughed.
She says she’s, “A little nervous. I haven't met my roommates yet.”
The nursing major is moving in a week ahead of schedule with a handful of peers.
She's one of the first of 11 Fostering Futures Scholarship Recipients. "Because of that, I get pretty much a full ride to GCU which is awesome,” said Ciarametaro.
Another perk of the scholarship: Year-round room and board.
"It really does feel like a home to me,” Ciarametaro added.
It’s a welcome, new beginning for her. "I went into foster care when I was 16. So, it was the beginning of my senior year.”
Ciarametaro was in a group home with ten others for three months and was eventually placed with her fiancé’s foster family.
"Once I turned 18, I signed a voluntary to stay in foster care and they, I still meet with my caseworker, they still helped me with like, everything I need help with like especially like moving into GCU scholarships, things like that,” said Ciarametaro.
This first-of-its-kind scholarship is in partnership with Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, The Department of Child Safety, and several Arizona foster organizations.
Mike Faust, director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety said, “The scholarship program is almost $40,000 a year and these kids get free tuition. They get tutoring and adult relationships, and they get potential for on-campus employment. They get a place to live year-round. And that to me, that's the biggest challenge is kids have. You don't have a safe place to lay your head. What are you going to do? And so, for these kids, it's you know, it's fantastic.”
Ciarametaro’s message to other children in foster or group homes is, "A lot of people were just telling me that I wasn't going to be able to do it. Because I wouldn't have the resources and they wouldn't have the money and things like that. But honestly, Arizona has a lot of really good programs to help foster care students go to college.”
Ciarametaro encourages, "You can do it. I didn't think that I would be able to but here I am my second year halfway through my second year at GCU. And I haven't paid a dime.”
To learn more about the eligibility and programs, which can begin with tutoring before graduating from high school, email fosteringfutures@gcu.edu
