For Alexis Rodriguez, attending Howard University was more than just an academic goal — it was the culmination of a lifelong journey from foster care to higher education.
But now, the 20-year-old from Daly City, California, is scrambling to cover tuition and housing after learning that the federal grant she relied on has been eliminated.
Rodriguez, who spent her entire childhood in foster care, found stability and inspiration through her high school history teacher, Lauren Croum, who later became her adoptive mother. Under Croum’s mentorship, Rodriguez set her sights on attending Howard University, following in her mother’s academic footsteps.
After dedicating nine weeks this summer to helping create federal policies for foster and adoptive youth, Rodriguez returned home to devastating news.
A White House budget proposal under the Trump administration included $64 million in cuts to Howard University — the nation’s only federally chartered Historically Black College and University (HBCU) — as part of a broader effort to reduce funding for certain higher education institutions and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Among the cuts was Rodriguez’s $15,000 federal grant, awarded in recognition of her studies in Zulu, a language spoken in South Africa. The grant had been a lifeline, covering a substantial portion of her tuition and housing.
“Those cuts immediately after I finished my time on the Hill were swept right under my feet and started impacting me directly,” Rodriguez told ABC 7 News Bay Area.
Now back in Washington, D.C., she is working to raise the necessary funds herself, joining countless other low-income, first-generation, and foster youth students caught in the crosshairs of shifting federal budget priorities.
Despite the financial setback, Rodriguez remains determined to make her mark on public policy.
“It is so important to center lived experiences into policy,” she said. “There are too many decisions being made on behalf of people who aren’t in the room.”
Her story is a stark reminder of how the current Trump administration’s decisions are creating a ripple down to impact individual lives and futures.
