Lisa Jackson, an Assistant Teaching Professor and Doctoral Candidate at Florida State University, focuses on researching and supporting marginalized college student populations, including those with a history of foster care, homelessness, relative care, or ward of the state status. Her project examines how leadership roles on the student advisory board of the Unconquered Scholars Program impact graduates' sense of mattering and persistence in postsecondary education.

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The YouthFinX webinar presentation discussed a project focused on leveraging machine learning technology to support youth transitioning out of foster care. Sunshine Best, who transitioned from a career in tech to pursue a Doctorate in Public Health, aims to address the challenges faced by this population through a Transition Support Platform. The platform utilizes personalized profiles and AI-driven recommendations to provide tailored resources for housing, health, mentorship, education, and financial aid. The primary goal is to empower these youth for a successful transition into adulthood by improving health outcomes, access to resources, and confidence. Sunshine emphasizes the importance of using existing technology and cultural competency to fill gaps in support rather than reinventing the wheel.