National Conference for Hidden Student Populations
The National Conference for Hidden Populations (NCHP) held its inaugural conference
in February 2020 in Washington D.C. with a specific focus on college students with
experience in foster care. Today, the conference maintains its focus on 
students with foster care experience and has expanded to include college-going students
who are members of one or more identified hidden populations. Annually, the conference
brings together researchers and practitioners from multidisciplinary fields, and with
diverse training, to collaborate on the important issues and problems facing higher
education in its quest to support students of diverse backgrounds.
Our Mission
NCHP creates a translational research space to identify and address critical issues impacting students with foster care experiences and other social journeys that often lead to being hidden in the system of higher education.
The NCHP creates a networking space, provides opportunities for presentations about emerging research and practices, and seats teams to conduct research and/or practice projects for 18-24 months following each conference.
In our Conference space, we value:
- Diversity of perspectives represented by different voices, approaches, disciplines and experiences.
- Multidisciplinary collaboration that creates new knowledge, relationships and teamwork.
- Innovative approaches in the translation of research to practice.
- Experiential knowledge through honoring those with lived experience.
- Commitment to just policies and practices for college students.
Current hidden college populations on which we focus:
- Have histories in foster or other out-of-home care at age 13 or older
- Are survivors of sexual violence and/or sex trafficking, or have sexual violence as part of their origin story
- Are/have been sex workers
- Are/have been involved with the justice system (self or caregivers)
- Are recovering from substance addiction
- Do not have the resources to meet basic need of shelter
- Sought/seeking abortion care in a state where deemed illegal
- Have undergone or are in the process of gender reassignment
More information about hidden college populations
2026 Conference
The National Conference for Hidden Student Populations (NCHP) will be held in February 2026 at the University of Georgia.
Learn more about Past Conferences
Teams' Foci
The NCHP creates spaces for researchers and practitioners to collaboratively work on different research projects related to the higher education system and hidden college student populations.
Team 1 - The incidence of ACEs, trauma and hidden population.
Team 2 - Systematic review of foster youth college attainment literature
Team 3 - Racial, ethnic, and cultural identity development of former foster youth in post-secondary education
Team 4- Georgia ETV data, Georgia ILP-eligible baseline data, state-wide public campus resource inventory, and summer pre-collegiate programs
Team 5 - Engagement with a campus-based support program for former foster care students.
NCHP Fellows
United through their emerging expertise, commitment to better understanding the diverse lived experiences of students on college campuses, dedication to inclusivity, and commitment to establishing multidisciplinary collaborative space, the NCHP Fellows work toward informing and equipping the higher education system to support college-going students with foster care experience and other intersecting lived journeys. Members of the NCHP Fellows group, who serve by invitation, champion and guide the work of NCHP and are committed to providing a foundation of support for its future.
Learn more about NCHP Fellows and teams
