White House announces $5m LSU scholarship fund for students with foster care experience

Melania Trump and Louisiana State University (LSU) have secured $5 million to establish a permanent scholarship endowment for students who have experienced foster care, the White House said on 4 November.

The announcement did not identify who provided the money or set out further eligibility criteria for the scholarships, which are part of the first lady’s Fostering the Future initiative.

Trump plans to travel to Baton Rouge and attend LSU’s American football match against Alabama at Tiger Stadium, where the White House says a campaign for the initiative will take place across the campus and on the field. LSU’s schedule lists the game for 7 November.

Trump launched Fostering the Future in 2021. In April, she said LSU was already educating students from the initiative. That month, she also urged Congress to expand services for young people in foster care, according to the Associated Press.