Welcome to MTSU

About Us

Established in 2008, MTSU along with the Department of Children Services, and the Tennessee Youth Advisory Council, created the Next Step program. This program was created in part to assist in the transition of those aging out of foster care and transitioning into adulthood. However, these resources were also identified as areas of need for students experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and for unaccompanied minors. It is believed that by giving these students the tools they need to succeed it would give them a better chance of succeeding in college and life after graduation. Our research has proven this time and time again!

The Next Step program at MTSU aims to address the needs of this population by working to assist with their core needs as well as address the basics of navigating higher education at MTSU.

It is our belief that when working to assist anyone, it is important to make sure their most basic needs (food, shelter, health, etc.) are met first. Therefore, we work to assist students in this population to connect them with appropriate on-campus and community resources to address those needs in addition to getting them on track for their degree programs at MTSU.

Mission

The mission of Next Step is to encourage and empower former foster, homeless, and independent youth (unaccompanied minors) as they strive to attain higher education while enabling them to sustain and succeed in beyond their college career at MTSU.

What We Do?

We connect students in this population with on-campus and community resources to best suit their needs. Our Outreach Coordinator works one-on-one with you through the entire process- from application to graduation! We help to connect students with appropriate contacts in various offices and departments across campus that they may have not been aware of before, along with encouraging students to connect with others to make their time here at MTSU as successful as possible. 

Who We Help?

We work with students that have aged out of foster care, experienced or at-risk of homelessness, and unaccompanied minors. These are students that although they experience the same struggles of adapting to college life, they may have the added stress of supporting themselves without the support and guidance of parents or family. 

What Sets Us Apart?

We have a single point of contact dedicated specifically to the assistance of students coming from foster care and those at-risk or experiencing homelessness, as well as unaccompanied minors. At MTSU, we have made sure that we put the needs of the students first by addressing their basic needs to help in their journey to obtaining a post-secondary degree.

We are glad to have you as a part of the MTSU family and look forward to meeting you!