Student Dispatch: East St. Louis Center’s Building Futures Program Guides Isabella Robinson Through SIUE Journey

Student Dispatch: East St. Louis Center's Building Futures Program Guides Isabella Robinson Through SIUE Journey

Isabella Robinson is a first-year student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She joined the SIUE East St. Louis Center's Building Futures (BF) Program while in foster care. She looks forward to graduating and a career in healthcare.

Why did you or your family choose the Building Futures Program?

I was recommended to the Building Futures Program by my caseworker. There's lots of benefits for many different people, like aid in job search and resume work, academic guidance, and so much more.

How did Building Futures help you as a student?

Jay Sullivan, Building Futures counselor, has been a great support in my journey through freshman year at SIUE. He is always a positive influence and just overall a great person to be around. Working with him towards my success has been a great motivator for me and I couldn't ask for better.

What are some successes that you had as a student that you would like to mention?

When I first started looking into college, I was very overwhelmed. It was a lot to take in, especially alone. When I joined the program, Jay was a great support through it all. He has helped me get signed up for classes, made sure I submitted everything I needed to be able to attend as a student, and answered all of my questions to the best of his ability or provided resources that would.

What plans do you have for the future?

One of my main plans for the future is pursuing my lifelong dream of working in healthcare. I aim to become a labor and delivery nurse after graduation.

How do you plan to achieve them?

My plan to achieve this goal is put my studies first and give it my all.

Building Futures has had a positive impact on many youth who need additional support and encouragement to pursue their career paths. Through the help of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and foster care managers, the benefits of this program serve as an additional resource to increase the likelihood of the young person having a positive transition out of the foster care system. We continue to work with youth ages 15-20, even after their transition from foster care. 

The goal is to equip young people with the ability to care for themselves without being dependent upon others. In addition, Building Futures assists youth and young adults with identifying career interests, developing a career path in a high-demand field, and improving their overall wellbeing. Building Futures serves 20-30 youths per year. 

PHOTO: Isabella Robinson