Celebrated author Beth Macy brings her new story to a Roanoke audience for a powerful and inspiring night in support of Virginia Western’s Great Expectations program, which serves former foster youth.
Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation is hosting the event Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Roanoke City Market Building’s Charter Hall, 32 Market Square SE, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person and include a signed copy of Macy’s newest book, ”Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America,” set to release on Oct. 7. The event will include a panel discussion on “Roanoke’s Foster Care Crisis,” an author Q and A session and hors d’oeuvres by Center Stage Catering.
In “Paper Girl,” Macy documents what happened to her Ohio hometown in the 40 years since she left. Raised in poverty but with her education fueled by a Pell Grant, Macy went on to a successful career as award-winning Roanoke Times journalist, Virginia Western Community College instructor and best-selling author (Hulu’s ”Dopesick,” ”Factory Man” and ”Truevine”).
“I love how Virginia Western so fully supports first-generation college students and am honored to participate in an event that shines a light on the amazing students who will be strengthening our workforce and our families alike,” Macy said. “As I recount in ‘Paper Girl,’ becoming a first-gen student saved my life, and I’m so happy to be participating again in this life-changing work. I’m also thrilled to be in conversation again with my readers in Roanoke, whom I’ve been in conversation with now for 36 years.”
Great Expectations is offered at all schools in the Virginia Community College System to help current or former foster youth successfully complete a degree or certificate program. The program aims to provide resources, information and coaching to ensure each student meets their educational goals.
Any Virginia Western student who is currently in foster care or who has experienced foster care after the age of 13, as well as those who were adopted from foster care as part of a special needs adoption, are eligible for these supports.
Research from the University of Chicago has revealed that of people aged 17-25 who experienced foster care as a teenager, 54% of former foster youth experience homelessness by the age of 21; 60% face incarceration; 58% earned a high school diploma by age 25; and less than 8% earned a college degree or certificate. Throughout the Virginia Community College System, students enrolled in Great Expectations graduate at three times the national rate for foster youth.
Great Expectations Success Coach JW Taylor has connected with over 70 students since the program began at Virginia Western in 2023, with 35 students enrolled this fall. Initially, he helps students with College and financial aid applications, then once they’re enrolled, he links them with academic resources such as tutoring. “I serve as a connection point to help them navigate the campus environment and launch more successfully,” Taylor said.
Beyond academic needs, Taylor serves as a consistent person Great Expectations students can turn to when they don’t have family support for life challenges. Emergency funds exist for one-time needs such as urgent car repairs that would sideline their ability to attend class. Taylor also arranges group activities to help meet social-emotional needs and develop life skills in areas such as finances.
“Great Expectations is more than a program — it is a lifeline,” said Bernadette “Bern” Battle, Virginia Western Vice President of Student Affairs. “It surrounds students with educational pathways at Virginia Western Community College, care, coaching and encouragement when they need it most, helping them believe in themselves and build a future they never thought possible.”
Limited tickets are still available here. For questions, call (540) 857-7312 or email events@virginiawestern.edu.
