As the Liaison for the Emerging Mavericks Program, I want you to know that you belong here at the University of Texas at Arlington, and we are deeply committed to your success on the path to graduation. Our program is specifically designed to support students with lived experience in foster care or homelessness by providing personalized guidance, a wide range of resources, and a strong, caring community. College is a journey, and you won’t walk it alone. We’re here to support you every step of the way, helping you overcome challenges and celebrate every achievement. As an Emerging Maverick, success isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable.
Be well,
Dr. Michelle Kelly
AVP Health and Wellbeing
The Emerging Mavericks program is structured around three focused groups.
Our program aids these students as they transition out of foster care and navigate their subsequent life stages:
This summer, UTA will offer a FREE 3-day camp called C.O.R.E. Camp (Connecting Opportunities and Resources in Education)!
For details, including the registration link, visit our Summer Program webpage here.
Open to high school students entering the 10th, 11th, or 12th grades this fall, this camp is designed to help you explore college options and consider next steps after you graduate high school. Resources, education, and community building are our priorities.
Eligible students include those who have lived experiences in foster care or McKinney-Vento youth. Transportation assistance will also be available if needed.
The essential needs of transfer students revolve around academic progression, financial assistance, work opportunities, and housing. Our programming supports partner school students by designing focused academic and financial navigation programs that simplify and clarify their needs. Acting as the key liaison for two- and four-year partners, our program manager understands the essential processes of transferring into UTA and knows how and where to access internal resources to ensure a smooth transition for student success. Before students transfer and receive departmental advisement, we position ourselves as a "Foster First Stop" for general information on admissions, advising, and degree planning.
Our program establishes strong alliances with university departments to promptly address the needs of our target students and continues to build strong connections to financial, counseling and career trainings to expand our team’s knowledge and understanding. This support structure helps maintain a continuous pipeline of future students from two or four-year schools to UTA and provides a direct line of communication to partner advisors and advocates with a long term mindset of connecting to Emerging Mavericks as the first stop to all student concerns.
Our university cohort is dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of first-time college students to ensure their success. Our campus-based program prioritizes specialized wrap-around services, backed by various university departments. These services are tailored to address both immediate and long-term student needs at UT Arlington.
Through a relationship-centered, trauma-informed approach and a deep understanding of learning development tiers, we strive to offer enhanced support services. Our goal is to deliver comprehensive assistance across all facets of the student journey, encompassing academic support, financial aid, mental health services, and access to resources for housing and basic needs.