Robert Alexander

Robert graduated from Kent State University in 2022 with a bachelor’s in Human Development, Family Studies, and a minor in Case Management. His college experience was non-traditional. He started in 2011, took time off to work and learn how to live independently.  He had several difficult jobs that sharpened him, and he came back to school for a year in 2021, newly motivated. He made the dean’s list twice and graduated. He got connected at Kent State, which is something he didn’t do the first time around, and his passion for youth with Foster Care impacts was born through an internship with First Star Kent State.

Position

His role has grown over the years from intern, to advocate, and now a Resource Specialist for our Fostering Pathways Initiative. This work focuses on credit completion and post-secondary access for justice-involved youth or those with foster care experiences. Our goals are to be a supportive network for these individuals to minimize barriers to achieving their goals by creating pro-social connections both on campus and in their communities.

Experience

His work experience is largely based in support and advocacy for youth impacted by the foster care system. He provided case management, family planning, and engagement for youth and their caregivers.  Our main goals in this work were successful completion of a high school degree, post-secondary planning for college, military, or job placement, and finally permanency in the home. This role has since expanded to include justice-involved youth who have experienced similar impacts, but also violence in their community has put them at risk and restricted their access to resources.

Direct Reports