The Class of 2009 Guardian Scholars was honored in May at El Dorado Ranch, home of Cal State Fullerton President Milton A. Gordon. Standing with the students, back row, from left are: Denis Lesenne, Allen Boerner, Ron Davis, Gordon, Andre Dhont and Vikki Vargas. Graduating Guardian Scholars, from left, are: Sean Guthrie, Martha Torres, Michelle Cadwell, Tarae Graves, Karen Mays, Joy Tehero and Elizabeth Long; and front row: Adam Bateham. Photo by Kelly Lacefield

Foster Youth Find Fortune in Higher Ed

Guardian Scholars Overcome Life's Challenges to Earn College Degrees

May 20, 2009 :: No. 201

Eight graduating seniors taking part in Cal State Fullerton’s commencement ceremonies this weekend have overcome great obstacles to attain a college degree.

They are former foster youth whose academic success has been made possible through the university’s Guardian Scholars program. It is the first program of its kind in the country, founded to support the academic aspirations of youth leaving the foster-care system as they become adults.

“The Guardian Scholars program has been highly successful with our students,” said Cal State Fullerton President Milton A. Gordon. “It is widely viewed as the premier model for other universities and community colleges wishing to implement a comprehensive support program.”

Guardian Scholars started on campus in 1998, and since its inception, 50 scholars have earned university degrees. The Class of 2009 graduates will push up that total to 58.

“The college degree is the first accomplishment,” said Ron Davis, retired chairman of the Perrier Group of America and a CSUF ’69 graduate who helped launch the program. “Their true success is when they become parents and break the cycle of neglect and abuse, and instead, provide loving homes for their children.”

Guardian Scholars assists former foster youth with a wide range of services and support, including scholarships that help to cover college costs — such as university fees, books, supplies, living expenses — as well as career and academic counseling.

At a Washington, D.C., awards event this spring, the Child Welfare League of America honored the Guardian Scholars program for its commitment to help former foster youth attend and graduate from college. The program is the first recipient of the league’s National Fostering Educational Success Award.

“It takes a tremendous amount of collaboration to make a program like this work — from the internal campus teamwork, as well as our affiliations with external partners in the community, one being the Orangewood Children’s Foundation,” said Grace Johnson, Guardian Scholars director. “We’re able to provide the opportunity for foster children to not only go to college, but also give them the resources they need to successfully complete their postsecondary education.”

A recognition banquet was held May 6 to honor the graduating scholars and also welcome the incoming class of 13 scholars.

Two scholars were awarded the Dr. Robert Palmer Fellowship, which financially assists those students pursuing master’s degrees. Recipients of this award, named after the vice president for student affairs, receive $10,000 per school year for two years to help with their graduate education.

The 2009 awardees are Tarae Graves, a graduating senior, and Sarah Abedzadeh, a 2007 Guardian Scholar alumna. Both are pursuing master’s degrees in social work and will return to Cal State Fullerton in the fall to start classes. Graves also is the recipient of the EOP William Hernandez Scholarship and the Outstanding Senior Award from the CSUF African American Faculty and Staff Association.

As a salute to the eight 2009 graduating scholars, each received a $1,000 cash award from Robert Zimmer, Cal State Fullerton emeritus professor of marketing, and his wife, Wanda, who have cared for more than 50 foster children over the last 20 years. The award was created by the Zimmers to help support graduating seniors as they begin the next phase of their lives. Criteria on the selection process will be established for future awardees.

Additionally at the banquet, the graduating scholars each were presented with a quilt, handmade for them by a local group of women who support foster children by creating “Forever Blankies.” The blankets are a symbol of comfort and stability for the foster youth. The group also donated quilts to each incoming scholar.
As the 2009 scholars get ready to graduate, Davis applauded them for their perseverance and strength to overcome life’s challenges and fulfill their academic dreams.

“Our Guardian Scholars’ staff, fellow students and donors can be proud of each student’s accomplishment, determination and hard work in achieving their degree, and more importantly, in achieving an important step towards their life dreams,” he said.

Davis told the scholars to “never stop dreaming and to remember to always serve others and strive to make your world, and the world of those you touch, a better place.”

The Class of 2009 Guardian Scholars, listed with cities of residence, are:
Adam Bateham, Fullerton
Bateham’s career goals are to earn a doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in legal psychology. He is graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. A member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology and the Golden Key Honor Society, Bateham also is a peer mentor and outreach coordinator at Orangewood Children’s Foundation. He has been accepted into the master’s program in psychology at Cal State Fullerton and will begin those classes in the fall.

Michelle Caldwell Michelle Cadwell, Riverside
Cadwell is earning a bachelor’s degree in history and will pursue a master’s degree in education. She plans to become a history teacher and work with inner-city youth. Her next academic goal is to obtain a doctorate by the time she is 30. Cadwell has served as a docent at the Fullerton Arboretum and recently represented Guardian Scholars by being part of In-N-Out Burger’s child abuse prevention month campaign. Cadwell started at Cal State Fullerton as a freshman and reached her goal of earning an undergraduate degree in four years.

Tarae Graves, Fullerton
Graves, who is graduating cum laude, is the only Guardian Scholar in the Class of 2009 with dual majors — human services and criminal justice. Graves’ passion for issues surrounding foster care and juveniles has led her to chart a future course toward child advocacy. She has worked at the CSUF Children’s Center and University Police, as well as with young girls on probation. She also participated on the track team. Graves has been accepted into the master’s program in social work at Cal State Fullerton and was awarded the Dr. Robert Palmer Fellowship.

Sean Guthrie, Long Beach
Guthrie is earning a B.A. in psychology and already has begun his professional career. He works for the Community Services Program, a nonprofit agency serving Orange County youth who are involved, or are at risk of involvement, with the justice system. Guthrie plans to obtain a master’s degree in social work with the ultimate goal of becoming a university professor. He has served as a member of the Guardian Scholars Student Advisory Committee and made numerous presentations on behalf of the program. Guthrie also has been a peer mentor for the Orangewood Children’s Foundation and currently serves as the Orange County chapter chair for the California Youth Connection, a foster youth advocacy organization led by current and former foster youth.

Elizabeth Long, Long Beach
Long has a true passion for theater, graduating with a B.A. in theatre arts with an emphasis in design/technical production. On campus, she has participated in several productions, including “Mother Courage,” “The American Clock” and “Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean.” She is pursuing internship opportunities this summer to perform in live theater. Her goals are to become a director and to manage her own production company.

Karen Mays, Fullerton
Mays has a passion for helping others and will earn a B.S. in health science. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in nursing so she can continue to help others in need. Mays is a peer mentor with the Orangewood Children’s Foundation and serves on the California Community College Chancellor’s Office foster youth panel, representing the Guardian Scholars program. She is a member of Eta Sigma Gama, the honor society for the Health Sciences Department, and the student-run Peer Health University Network on campus.

Joy Tehero, Brea
Tehero will graduate with a B.A. in psychology, and her goals include performing research and obtaining a doctorate so she can use her expertise to serve the community. Her fields of interest are evolutionary psychology, biological psychology and pharmaceuticals. Tehero has been involved with the Orangewood Children’s Foundation as a peer mentor to foster youth and participated in a Guardian Scholars workshop in 2005, designed to help foster youth with emotional and psychological healing through the creation of digital stories about their lives.

Martha Torres, Garden Grove
Torres’ career goal is to become a children’s librarian. She will receive a bachelor’s degree in human services and has been admitted to the master’s program in library science at San José State University this fall. Torres has been involved with the Orangewood Children’s Foundation as a peer mentor to foster youth. In 2008, she was a presenter at the “It’s My Life Conference,” which focused on youth transitioning out of foster care, and represented the Guardian Scholars program. Torres is a volunteer for the reading program at Santa Ana Library and tutors disadvantaged youth from low-income families. Torres believes literacy is the key to success.

From left: Joy Tehero, Adam Bateham and Sean Guthrie. Photo by Kelly Lacefield

Commencement 2009 ceremonies
Cal State Fullerton’s commencement ceremonies begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, on the sports fields north of Titan Gym. The main ceremonies are followed at approximately 9:45 a.m. by college and department exercises and celebrations at various venues on campus.

Media Contacts:
Grace Johnson, Guardian Scholars, 657-278-5493 or gjohnson@fullerton.edu
Debra Cano Ramos, Public Affairs, 657-278-4027; 657-278-2414 or dcanoramos@fullerton.edu

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