Melania Trump and LSU are set to announce a scholarship program for students who were in foster care

Melania Trump was headed to Louisiana on Saturday to announce a partnership between Louisiana State University and her “Fostering the Future” program to provide scholarships for LSU students who came through the foster care system.

The first lady also planned to attend the LSU-Alabama football game in the afternoon.

The foster care program will be featured across the LSU campus in Baton Rouge as well as on the field at Tiger Stadium just before kickoff, the White House said.

Trump and LSU secured $5 million to create an endowment fund for the scholarships, the White House said. It provided no details on the source of the money.

The first lady started working on foster care issues after President Donald Trump’s first term ended in 2021, and created “Fostering the Future” to provide resources and support, including scholarships. LSU is among more than 20 colleges and universities nationwide that participate in the program.

Earlier this year, Melania Trump was on Capitol Hill to push Congress to pass a legislative package that would broaden access to services for young people in foster care by updating a decades-old program. The measures cleared the House and are pending in the Senate.

During the appearance, she told members of the House Ways and Means Committee that young people in foster care face barriers to housing, transportation and other challenges outside of the classroom that affect their performance in school along with their future financial independence.

“We can close this gap,” she said in April. “New legislation for the foster care community is a moral imperative.”

Last November, the first lady spearheaded an executive order signed by the Republican president linking the federal government, colleges and universities, the private sector and charitable groups to create educational and employment opportunities for those in foster care.

She also created “Fostering the Future Together,” a global version of the program with more than 45 participating countries.

Alabama and LSU, meanwhile, are historical regional rivals and both teams entered the week in contention for a College Football Playoff berth.

Donald Trump has attended two prior LSU games as president: one at Alabama in 2019 and one in New Orleans in January 2020, when LSU defeated Clemson for the national championship. Melania Trump accompanied him to the second game.

The president was not scheduled to attend Saturday's game.

___

AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in Baton Rouge, La., contributed to this report.