Honors College junior Alexandria Davis channels her foster care background into a drive for achievement – and support for others
By William Lineberry
University College & Honors College
Alexandria Davis’ path to Virginia Commonwealth University was far from linear. Growing up in the foster care system on the other side of the country, she bounced around, navigating multiple moves as well as personal and financial challenges.
With grit and perseverance, Davis has charted a course that is steady as well as busy – she carries a full course load, works part time and even runs her own small business. Now a junior in VCU’s Honors College and a marketing major in the School of Business, Davis can more fully reflect on her journey into higher education, her ambitious goals and her commitment to giving back.
“When you turn 18, the foster system kind of, in a way, gives you the boot,” Davis said. “I didn’t really have any idea how to do adult things like budgeting, how to get an apartment, things like that.”
After a cross-country move to Virginia, Davis realized that education was a path toward stability and independence. She enrolled at Brightpoint Community College and earned her associate degree with support from the Great Expectations program, which the Virginia Community College System implemented to assist foster youth to pursue post-secondary credits.
Davis then enrolled at VCU, where advisors and campus-based resources offered support and a sense of security.
“VCU offered me a lot of aid to come here, but there was also the basic needs program,” Davis said, referring to the Division of Student Affairs Student Emergency Fund. “I’m just all for these types of programs because they help everyone from single parents to orphans – people who are in really unfortunate situations. It’s beyond education. It’s survival, and if you can survive and have your basic life needs covered, you can better pursue your education.”
With stability beyond the classroom, Davis also welcomed the impact of the small size of Honors classes, as well as attentive instructors and courses that focus on the Richmond community.
“Honors has been great for registration and scholarships and things like that, but it has also been great to take classes like Humans of RVA and VCU,” Davis said. “Knowing that I am going to settle down here in Richmond, this class has really given me a base for better understanding where I live.”
Honors has been great for registration and scholarships and things like that, but it has also been great to take classes like Humans of RVA and VCU. Knowing that I am going to settle down here in Richmond, this class has really given me a base for better understanding where I live.
Davis channels that spirit into her commitment to serving as mentor and resource for former foster youth. She hosts financial literacy workshops on Brightpoint’s campus, seeing some of herself in younger students who face challenges familiar to her.
“A lot of people from traditional families don’t know what they have,” Davis said. “They have parents to teach them basic things you learn at home. I’m happy to help give these students any guidance and insight they need into how to be an adult. Without having parental guidance, these kids are at somewhat of a disadvantage.”
After graduating next year, Davis hopes to pursue an MBA and a career in the corporate world. For now, she plans to keep running her small business, Tiny Vines Baking Co., where she specializes in making French and Portuguese pastries. Davis plans to continue volunteering her time to UMFS, a Virginia nonprofit that specializes in helping children, teens and parents involved in the foster care system. She also plans to continue her work in helping support the Great Expectations program by hosting workshops.
No matter how busy she is, though, she said will make time to help and mentor students and young adults who, like her, have navigated the foster care system.
“It’s been quite the journey,” Davis said. “I just feel a huge obligation to try and give back to these kids in any way I can.”