As a student who spent time in foster care, Maggie Wilson, ’26, felt overwhelmed and isolated as she tried to navigate college on her own.
“There was no one to tell me where to get help, or how/when I should be getting research experience, which left me feeling frustrated and alone,” she explained.
Thanks to the support of annual donors, the FAME program was there when Maggie needed it most—offering a community of peers who understood her challenges. FAME (Fostering Academic Mentoring Excellence) supports students with lived experience in foster care, homelessness, kinship care, or those who are first-generation or otherwise independent.
For Maggie, FAME was life-changing. It provided mentoring, coaching and essential items that many students without family support can’t afford.
Wanting to share her journey, Maggie joined the FAME Speaker’s Bureau, which empowers students to tell their stories safely and effectively.
Maggie learned she was able to powerfully express herself in front of donors and alumni. “There were no tears or anything like that,” she said, adding that it has also allowed her to feel comfortable speaking in front of large audiences, “which is a skill that I will use in my career field and throughout my lifetime.”
The FAME Program has supported Maggie’s growth in many ways since her freshman year, even leading her to find her best friend. “Never have I met someone who got me so quickly,” she said. “It was them who convinced me to actually get involved with FAME and its student activity board.”
Thanks to donor support, the FAME Program also financially compensates students for completing the training, and for their public speaking engagements.
“I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that this program truly changed the trajectory of my college experience,” Maggie said, “without it, I don’t know who or where I would be.”
Read about recent graduate Ellery Lemisco, ’26, who says FAME gave her a much-appreciated support system of friends and mentors.
LEARN MORE about support for the FAME program by contacting Senior Director of Development Rachel Schmidt at rschmidt@msu.edu or calling (517) 432-7047 or visit MSU Crowdpower.
A version of this story originally appeared in the Spring 2025 MSU FAME Program for Alumni & Friends newsletter.