Stephanie López, MSW, is no stranger to working for what she believes in. A Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) Alumna, Stephanie grew up attending various Denver Public Schools. From a young age her parents instilled in her the value of hard work. Now, all that work has led her to become the newest college success program manager at DSF. Although the … Read More
For DSF Alumna, Mentorship Matters
Impostor syndrome can make or break a first-generation college student’s experience. Like many students who are the first in their family to attend college, Diana Casillas tackled self-doubt in her freshman year at Colorado State University (CSU). In the transition to a new environment, Diana discovered that connections and community can make the difference between surviving—or thriving—in college. “Being away from family was new,” remembers Diana. “My first year … Read More
From Program Requirements to Personal Connections
Thuyvi Vo is well on her way to completing her master’s degree in public health and social work. To fulfill her internship requirement, Thuyvi supports students in the DSF Future Center at Abraham Lincoln High School as a volunteer. For Thuyvi, volunteering in the DSF Future Center is more than just a program requirement—it’s personal. Following in her footsteps Born and raised in Denver, Thuyvi attended John F. Kennedy High … Read More
“Take It”: Guest Blog from DSF Alumna JWells
By JWells, M.A. DSF Alumna Ph.D. Candidate, Rhetoric & Writing Assistant Director of Lower Division Writing, Department of Rhetoric & Writing University of Texas at Austin “This is not a diversity hire,” my white, male professor assured me after explaining that the R1 institution I applied to wanted to offer me, and another person of color, two tenure-track assistant professor positions. The laughter erupted from my ... Read More
DSF Alumna Builds Leaders at MSU Denver
When DSF Alumna Jasmine Villalobos-Valles speaks to students at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) about the challenges of college, she speaks from a place of experience— and very recent experience at that. A 2014 graduate of Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College and a 2019 graduate of MSU Denver, Jasmine now supports DSF Scholars like herself. Continuing a … Read More
DSF works to Ensure Success of its First-generation Scholars
By Lorii Rabinowitz, Chief Executive Officer, Denver Scholarship Foundation In November, each year, as a community, we celebrate the triumphs of our first-generation college students in concert with the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act. What’s been clear since that signing in 1965, and our Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) founding in 2006, is that the partnerships created … Read More
DSF Scholar, Alumni mentorship pairs share success
After a summer of planning and preparation, the Alumni Advisory Committee (AAC) of Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is gearing up to kick off its Mentorship Program this fall. Now in its second year, the program empowers DSF Scholars and Alumni to grow professionally while inspiring them to contribute to the Denver community through individualized mentorship. Mentor and mentee pairs enjoy … Read More
DSF Mentorship Program Changes Lives by Connecting Alumni, Scholars
After a summer of planning and preparation, the Alumni Advisory Committee (AAC) of Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is gearing up to kick off its Mentorship Program this fall. Now in its second year, the program empowers DSF Scholars and Alumni to grow professionally while inspiring them to contribute to the Denver community through individualized mentorship. Mentor and mentee pairs enjoy … Read More
Celebrating our Graduates
A reason to celebrate Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) had a blast celebrating our Scholars at the DSF Graduation Celebration on Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at City Park Pavilion. This annual event gives us the chance to congratulate our graduating Scholars on their achievements. Similarly, it allows us to welcome our newest class of incoming scholarship recipients and their families into … Read More
DSF Alumnus Takes Leadership Skills All the Way to London
In school and at work, DSF Alumnus Bryant Burciaga challenges himself to become a better leader. After graduating from CEC Middle College of Denver in 2011, Bryant matriculated to the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance, management, and marketing in 2015. Recently, his sense of adventure … Read More