FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
06.01.2023

CONTACT: 
Kimberley Villegas
720.333.5808
Kvillegas@denverscholarship.org 

Denver Nonprofit Created Recipe to Increase College Enrollment & Completion

Denver, CO – Today, Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF), a nonprofit offering resources to and through college graduation, scholarships, and college access support within Denver Public Schools (DPS) high schools, announced that a record number of 2,077 scholarships were awarded to DPS graduates this year. This is the highest number of awards since the organization’s founding in 2006 and is projected to continue to rise.

This means while high school graduation and college enrollment numbers have been volatile since the pandemic, the number of Denver students who pursue post-secondary education and receive the DSF scholarship along with accompanying student support is steady and on the rise.

Of those Denver students who receive support from DSF, 80% are still enrolled or have graduated from college, a rate that is much higher than the national average.

“We attribute these growing numbers, our impact, and the success of DSF Scholars to their hard work and tenacity, coupled with our nationally recognized evidence-based three-part program that starts with one-on-one personal relationships with on-site DSF College Advisors at DPS high schools,” says Lorii Rabinowitz, chief executive officer of DSF. “The wraparound services we provide Denver graduates, create a recipe for success spanning up to 8-10 years of the student’s educational journey, and a model for other school districts across the country.”

The organization’s recipe for increasing college enrollment and completion includes: 

• Giving more than just money (DSF offers wraparound support and resources to make sure students enroll AND graduate). 
• Exposing students to the possibility of college at a younger age (DSF college access support begins in 9th grade). 
• Having a dedicated space within the high schools to build personal one-on-one relationships with students (there are 15 DSF Future Centers inside DPS high schools). 
• Partnering with in-state colleges and universities to provide additional funding and continue the support through to graduation (DSF works directly with 31 higher ed institutions in Colorado). 

The impact of the DSF three-part model goes beyond graduation and into early career. DSF Scholars become Alumni who give back to the local economy and prove that the community’s investment in Denver students is an investment into Denver’s social and economic mobility and to the future vitality of our city.

“The support from DSF doesn’t end after we walk across the stage and receive our degrees,” said Bintou Diallo, DSF Alum who recently graduated from University of Colorado Boulder. “I emigrated to the U.S. from Guinea-Conakry and DSF became like family. You can be an immigrant, speak another language, be of any ethnicity, wear a hijab – DSF will take you as you are, support you, and challenge you to be a leader for today and tomorrow.”

While the DSF Scholarship, consisting of $6 million annually, is awarded to DPS graduates who attend a community college, university, or technical college in Colorado, DSF college access supports help students apply for, enroll in, and find scholarships for any institution in-state or out-of-state.

“Going to college shows my community that it is possible for them as well,” says Jose Avalos, a graduate of Denver‘s George Washington High School now attending Harvard University. “College is important because it will connect me to opportunities for a better life, opportunities that otherwise I would not get to experience without a college degree.”

Just last year, the Colorado 2022 Talent Pipeline Report released a “clear indication that postsecondary educational attainment expands career opportunities and bolsters lifetime earnings”. The report states that 91.4% of jobs in the state offering a family living wage require some sort of credential beyond high school. Additionally, job postings requiring at least a bachelor’s degree increased 22% in the last year.

These jarring statistics make the adoption of DSF’s model even more critical for school districts across the U.S.

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About the Denver Scholarship Foundation

Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is a nonprofit helping to make college possible and building the educational and economic future of Denver by collaborating with Denver Public Schools (DPS) high school students, families, and partners statewide to increase access and completion of post-high school learning, while also expanding generational exposure to career and entrepreneurial opportunities.  

DSF accomplishes this through its nationally recognized evidence-based three-part program consisting of a support system, actionable tools, and scholarships to help guide students to lifelong success.  

Recognizing the challenges DPS graduates continue to face in enrolling in college, and those added on once enrolled, DSF’s full-time College Advisors have worked proactively with all DPS 9th-12th graders at our DSF Future Centers located inside DPS high schools. DSF has built a comprehensive platform of continual student support, beginning in DPS high schools through educational pathways that lead to a life of freedom and choice.  

Since its inception in 2006, DSF has awarded $57.6 million in need-based scholarships and comprehensive support services to 8,941 DPS graduates. 87% of DSF Scholars were first-generation college students, and 91% identified as students of color. For more information, visit us at www.denverscholarship.org or connect with us on Facebook or LinkedIn.