Guardian Scholars Program

The Guardian Scholars Program (GSP) supports UCSF students who have had prior involvement in foster care. GSP provides individual case management, community events, and variety of resources that support the holistic success of graduate and professional students who identify as former foster youth.

MISSION

UCSF Guardian Scholars Program works to create a supportive, caring, and understanding community that empowers graduate and professional students with resources for their academic, professional, and personal success. UCSF GSP understands that every student’s lived experience is different, and every student should feel supported in reaching their goals. 

 

ELIGIBILITY 

  • Identify as a former foster youth or ward of the court*
  • Current UCSF student
  • Submit Guardian Scholars Registration Form

*We understand that an individual may have had a variety of dependency statuses and placements. Former foster youth are eligible to participate regardless of the length of time they spent in care or their age at entrance into or exit from care. Placements can include, but are not limited to: foster home, group home or other institutional care setting, legal guardianship, kinship care, or transitional living arrangement (for example, THP-M, THPP, THP+FC, or THP+).

 

SERVICES

 

 

STUDENT AMBASSADORS

 

Kuanie Julin

Kuanie Julin
School of Nursing

"I am a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, and currently enrolled in the AGACNP program here at UCSF. My goals are to continue working on a cardiology or cardiac surgery service once I complete the program. Being a student ambassador for the GSP community at UCSF is important to me, because I want to raise awareness and support for former foster youth, while enhancing their educational experience and building a community. Based on personal experience, I understand the challenges of sharing such a stigmatized background, while successfully navigating higher education and professional endeavors. People often tend to think of diversity in terms of ethnicity. However, I think it is important to enhance awareness of and support for former foster youths’ transition to higher education while dismantling societal perspectives of this traditionally under-represented community."