Thank you to the remarkable partners who help make DSF’s impact possible. Through innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to student success, these four partners have made extraordinary contributions to DSF and the broader Denver community. Nominated and selected by DSF staff, they exemplify the transformative power of partnership as we celebrate 20 years of impact and look toward the future.

College Partner
of the Year

The University of Colorado Denver is a place where learning, innovation, and research meet in the heart of a global city. We’re Denver’s anchor research university partner with more than 135 in-demand, top-ranked bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. We partner with diverse learners—at any stage of their life and career—for transformative educational experiences. Across seven schools and colleges, our faculty inspires and works alongside students to address complex challenges through impactful, creative solutions. 

University of Colorado Denver was selected as a DSF College Partner of the Year in recognition of its exceptional commitment to DSF Scholars and deep investment in our partnership. Over the past year, CU Denver increased the number of DSF Scholars it serves by 28% while continuing to achieve increased Scholar persistence outcomes, consistently demonstrating its belief that Scholar success is a shared responsibility. Beyond these results, CU Denver has elevated and celebrated its partnership with DSF through communications, campus-wide initiatives, mentoring, and career-connected learning opportunities.

District Partner
of the Year

The DPS Career Development Team offers one of the nation’s most comprehensive K-12 Work-Based Learning continuum, connecting classroom learning with industry experiences.  Programs offer career exploration, career-focused mentoring, internships, early work-experiences and youth apprenticeships. Career Navigators are school-based staff located at 19 DPS high schools who provide students with opportunities to explore careers through experiential learning that includes opportunities to discover careers during business tours that incorporate hands-on activities and immersive experiences such as internships and apprenticeships. Navigators support career planning and assist students throughout their high school journey in an effort to help them clarify their career goals.

DPS Career Navigators was selected as a DSF District Partner of the Year because they are consistently continuing to work in close partnership with DSF to find creative ways to better serve DPS students to be career ready by exploring career and post-secondary options. Through the enhanced collaboration between DSF College Access Advisors and DPS Career Navigators, career exploration, exposure, and other career connected learning services to students have been strengthened. The exchange of knowledge, expertise, resources, workshops, and career exposure opportunities between DPS Career Navigators and DSF College Access Advisors provides students with more resources to make informed decisions about their future. Collectively, this enables students to better drive their life in the direction of their dreams.

Community PartnerS
of the Year

Colorado Black Health Collaborative is a 501 C3 nonprofit organization that was formed by the people for the people. Our community chose the mission of achieving health equity in Colorado’s Black community. We run several programs that focus on improving the health and wellbeing of as many people as possible. We have focused our mentoring efforts at Montbello High School, exposing our young people to various health careers as well as educating them about the ills of tobacco-nicotine.

The Colorado Black Health Collaborative was selected as a DSF Community Partner of the Year in recognition of its exceptional partnership with the DSF Future Center at Montbello High School. In its first year of partnership, CBHC expanded students’ exposure to healthcare careers through nine career panels featuring professionals across the healthcare field, engaging 174 students. Beyond career exploration, CBHC helped students envision new possibilities for their futures. With six additional visits already planned, CBHC continues to demonstrate its commitment to student engagement and opportunity

The Denver Broncos Foundation is committed to making a positive impact on future generations by creating a “game plan” for life through youth health and wellness initiatives, in-and-out-of-school programming and access to career pathways. This past year, the Foundation strategically partnered with nonprofits, schools and community leaders across the state to remove barriers and expand access to critical resources and opportunities for young people. Building on targeted financial and in-kind investments, the Foundation supported initiatives that strengthen youth mental health coping skills, reduce chronic absenteeism, increase students’ sense of belonging, expand access to career and technical education opportunities and more.

The Denver Broncos Foundation was selected as a DSF Community Partner of the Year for its longstanding partnership with DSF, including multi-year support of both the DSF Future Center at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College and the districtwide Career and Applied Pathways program. Beyond its financial investment, the Foundation has engaged in volunteer efforts through DSF career panels and other career exposure events and has provided opportunities for DSF students, families and team members to attend training camp, games, and other community-building activities.