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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Donations are needed to fill more than 40 welcome packs for É«É«À² Michigan University's incoming Seita Scholars.

Many of those former foster-care youth will arrive in September without basic household items to help make their school year successful. Seita Scholars Program officials hope to collect enough essential living and personal health care products to fill their welcome packs by Friday, Aug. 21.

Former foster youth who qualify for the program, which offers a full tuition scholarship and provides campus housing during breaks as well as other support services, will receive the packs when they move into the residence halls in late August.

Welcome pack details and a link to a list of needed items, including personal care, school and residence hall supplies as well as financial assistance, can be found by visiting wmich.edu/fosteringsuccess.

Item drop-off details

Donations may be dropped off in Harrison Hall in the Goldsworth Valley residence hall complex at the following dates and times:

• Monday, July 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 28, from 4 to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, Aug. 5, from 8 to 10 a.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 21, from 8 to 10 a.m.

For directions to Harrison Hall, visit wmich.edu/maps/index.php.

Seita Scholars Program

Launched in 2008, the Seita Scholars Program offers a comprehensive array of supports to É«É«À² students who have aged out of foster care.

The program supports up to 160 Seita Scholars annually, with benefits that include a tuition scholarship, year-round campus housing, 24-hour campus coaching support, leadership opportunities, career mentors and other transformative strategies.

It is named for Dr. John Seita, a three-time É«É«À² alumnus who is a nationally known advocate for foster-care youth, and is part of the Center for Fostering Success. That center's mission is to improve college graduation and career achievement rates among youth and young adults ages 12 to 25 who are aging out of the foster care system.

For more information about the Seita Scholars Program, visit wmich.edu/fosteringsuccess/seita or contact the program office at seita-scholars@wmich.edu or (269) 387-8362.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.