BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Melania Trump announced Saturday a multimillion-dollar partnership between Louisiana State University and its “Fostering the Future” program to provide scholarships to LSU students who have gone through the foster care system.
“This achievement will give youth in foster care an anchor of stability, a solid educational foundation and a chance to build a wonderful life,” she said at an event with LSU President Wade Rousse.
Trump and LSU secured more than $7 million in private donations to create an endowment fund for scholarships, the White House said. MMR Group Inc., a Baton Rouge-based electrical company, committed $5 million, and additional donors from the LSU Foundation provided more than $2 million, the White House said.
The first lady then planned to attend the football game between LSU and Alabama, which is also participating in the initiative.
“As adults, we have a moral obligation to our children, especially those in foster care. But, as you know, we must act to truly make a difference. The foster care community doesn’t need words,” she added, before concluding her brief speech by saying, “Now let’s go enjoy the game.”
There are 14 fellows in the program at LSU and nine at Alabama, she said, part of a group of 100 students supported at 26 schools this semester.
The foster care program was showcased across campus as well as on the field at Tiger Stadium just before kickoff, the White House said.
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Rousse gave him an LSU helmet with the “Be Best” logo and an LSU jersey with the “Be Best” patch that he said each player would wear during the game. The broader “Fostering the Future” initiative is an offshoot of the “Be Best” campaign that was its signature theme during President Donald Trump’s first term.
“At LSU, we believe talent is everywhere, but we understand there are no opportunities,” Rousse said. “That’s why access is one of our highest priorities. Students who have benefited from foster care have already demonstrated resilience, determination and potential. Our responsibility, our responsibility, is to ensure that circumstances beyond their control do not stand in the way of a life-changing higher education experience.”
The first lady began working on foster care issues after the Republican president’s first term ended in 2021 and created “Fostering the Future” to provide resources and support, including scholarships. LSU is among more than 20 colleges and universities nationwide participating in the program.
Earlier this year, Melania Trump was on Capitol Hill to push Congress to pass a legislative package that would expand access to services for youth in foster care by updating a decades-old program. The measures have been approved by the House and are pending in the Senate.
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During her appearance, she told members of the House Ways and Means Committee that youth in foster care face barriers in housing, transportation and other challenges outside the classroom that affect their academic performance as well as their future financial independence.
“We can close this gap,” she said in April. “New legislation for the foster care community is a moral imperative.”
Last November, the first lady spearheaded an executive order signed by the president linking the federal government, colleges and universities, the private sector and charitable groups to create education and employment opportunities for people in foster care.
She also created “Fostering the Future Together,” a global version of the program with more than 45 countries participating.
Alabama and LSU, meanwhile, are historic regional rivals and both teams entered the week vying for a College Football Playoff berth. Thousands of people, many before the game, filmed the first lady’s motorcade as it passed through campus.
Donald Trump has already attended two LSU games as president: one in Alabama in 2019 and one in New Orleans in January 2020, when LSU beat Clemson for the national championship. Melania Trump accompanied him to the second game.
The president was not expected to attend Saturday’s match.
AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.
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