LSU Scholarship Fund for Former Foster Youth Tops $7 Million

The endowment will support LSU students who experienced foster care through Trump’s Fostering the Future program. MMR Group, an electrical contractor based in Baton Rouge, pledged $5 million, while LSU Foundation donors contributed more than $2 million, the White House said. LSU President Wade Rousse joined Trump at the announcement in Baton Rouge.

Trump said the scholarships could offer young people stability and a path to higher education. Rousse said LSU aims to expand access, arguing that students who have been in foster care should not have circumstances outside their control prevent them from pursuing a degree. Fourteen students at LSU and nine at the University of Alabama are currently receiving support through the program, Trump said. The wider initiative supports 100 students at 26 schools this semester.

The partnership was highlighted around LSU’s campus and at Tiger Stadium before the university’s football game against Alabama, which also participates in the initiative. Fostering the Future grew out of Trump’s Be Best campaign and provides resources that include scholarships. She has also urged Congress to expand services for young people in foster care; legislation passed by the House is awaiting Senate action. A separate executive order signed last November brought federal agencies, colleges, businesses and charities together to support education and employment opportunities for people who have been in foster care.