Fostering Hope

Penn State’s Fostering Lions Program was founded in 2018 to improve postsecondary education outcomes for students entering Penn State from the foster care system and for homeless youth involved with Children and Youth Services. The program was recently strengthened by alumni donors and volunteers Alan and Sally Bedrick, whose gift will be channeled to students in the form of financial support, career planning, and logistical assistance related to housing, transportation, childcare, and legal services.

Madison Sohnen ’28 is one of those students. She spent more than a decade cycling through foster placements under the supervision of often exhausted case workers. After enrolling at Penn State, her outlook improved dramatically thanks to life-changing resources from the Fostering Lion’s Program. Now, as Madison enters her final year as a double major in Integrative Science and Criminology, she’s determined to shatter the myth that students like her are doomed to delinquency—and become a changemaker herself.

What was your childhood like?

I’ll be honest: it was tough. My biological father was a military officer who’d be periodically restationed, so as soon as I began developing friendships, we’d get uprooted. Starting at the age of 4, I was also being diverted for long stretches into the foster care system, where I absorbed some of the maladjusted behavior of the kids around me—and frankly, I struggled to figure out who I was and where I fit into the world.

What’s the foster care system like?

The biggest misconception is that it’s full of greedy or sinister people. Actually, almost everyone is well-intentioned, but virtually all case managers are overworked, and many end up jaded. Promises can be inconsistently realized, and that destroys trust. I know this firsthand.

How has the Fostering Lions Program affected your Penn State experience?

The resources it unlocked are truly incredible. Not only has it given me a trusted peer group, but our program coach, Cheri Hillard, connected me to scholarships, internship opportunities, monthly programming, conferences, and career planning services—and hosted fun events, too, like at a trampoline park. We even had a program to learn dinner etiquette, which is actually an important skill many foster kids miss out on learning in childhood.

I’ve been empowered to travel the world. I’ve been to Seattle to feed the homeless, Puerto Rico to help reclaim hurricane-damaged property, Switzerland to study transportation, and the University of Alabama to learn about biological forensics and dissection. The Fostering Lions Program helped me every step of the way. Foster situations unleash so much chaos, but this program was there to provide rock-solid support. I’m truly in awe of the generous donors who make it all possible.

Are there any other highlights from your time at Penn State to share?

Alongside my coursework, I’ve gotten to do so many exciting things. As a Commonwealth campus-based THON™ liaison, I helped to coordinate communications and host golf tournaments and bingo fundraisers. At University Park, I became a Student Auxiliary Officer, which means I got to be the eyes and ears of the University Police. Pitching in and getting involved made me feel like I truly belonged and was valued by the Penn State community.

What plans do you have for your future?

I can see myself as a juvenile probation officer or a guardian ad litem, which is an attorney who investigates foster situations and makes recommendations to the court. I have so much compassion for these kids and familiarity with their needs, and I’ve experienced how powerful it can be to have someone on your side. I can think of no higher calling than to fight on their behalf.