The Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) hosted an unforgettable evening on November 1 at the 2024 DSF Annual Homecoming Gala, creating cherished memories and celebrating the achievements of DSF Scholars, Alumni, and the community.
DSF Alumni shared their journeys to and through college, starting with DSF Alum Lucienne Ndoutou, a graduate of South High School and Metropolitan State University of Denver. She grew up in Cameroon, West Africa, and moved to Denver with her mother and siblings. She shared her powerful perception of education, from where college was often discouraged to believing that “college IS possible.”
From left to right Denisse Villalba and Lucienne Ndoutou on stage at DSF Gala 2024
Lucienne shared the stage with DSF Campus Advisor Denisse Villalba, who works alongside Lucienne about discussing important career options, working through financial aid, or simply having someone to talk to, they always found a way to find resources and be there. “Having someone like Ms. Denisse in my corner gave me the strength to keep going, not only helping me with academics, but she also believed in me and saw me as a college graduate and future social worker.” Lucienne is now pursuing an Advanced master’s degree in social work, and her dream is to travel back to Africa to help change policies for children and families.
Thaw Sue, also a DSF Alum and first-generation college graduate, earned her bachelor’s degree in Aviation and Aerospace Science from Metropolitan State University of Denver and graduated from George Washington High School. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, her family moved to the United States seeking greater opportunities. Throughout her academic journey, Thaw balanced her studies with industry internships while actively contributing to the DSF Leadership Advisory Board and the DSF Mentorship Program. “From 9th grade all the way to when I walked across the stage to receive my college degree – from Emily, my DSF College Advisor at George Washington to Liz, my DSF Campus Advisor at MSU – for almost a decade, DSF has been by my side!” Recently, accepted into the Federal Aviation Administration program, where she is now on the path to becoming an Air Traffic Control Specialist.
DSF 2024 Partners of the Year
DSF also honored and thanks it’s 2024 Partners of the Year, whose invaluable contributions elevate our work. Their brilliant contributions enhance every aspect of our work. Nominated and voted on by DSF staff, these four partners have distinguished themselves in contributing to the success of DSF and the Denver community.
DSF College Partner of the Year – Arapahoe Community College
Arapahoe Community College, founded in 1965 as Arapahoe Junior College, was the first 2-year college in the greater Denver metro area. The college grew out of a grassroots effort by Littleton residents who wanted to provide post-high school education in the area. In addition to the Littleton Campus, ACC provides programs at the Sturm Collaboration Campus at Castle Rock, a partnership with Douglas County School District and CSU. Arapahoe Community College has coordinated multiple field trips for Denver Public Schools students attending DSF Future Centers, offering them valuable engagement and exploratory opportunities to make well-informed decisions about their educational paths.
DSF District Partner of the Year – Abraham Lincoln High School
Lincoln High School, which opened its doors in 1960, is located within an urban working-class neighborhood in southwest Denver, six miles from downtown. Many of their students’ parents were born in other countries and many students will be the first in their families to graduate high school. Lincoln serves a primarily Latino student body, as well as students from Sudan, Somalia, and Southeast Asia, to name a few. They take pride in challenging the stereotype by empowering their newcomer and first-generation students to achieve success. The continued rise in Abraham Lincoln High School’s college enrollment rate, now reaching 43%, is a testament to the strong collaboration between Lincoln High School and DSF. This sustained success reflects Lincoln’s dedication to fostering a college-going culture and creating an environment where every student can thrive.
DSF Corporate Partner of the Year – Leprino Foods
Leprino Foods has exemplified the partnership with DSF in every sense of the word. Since 2020, they have invested in scholarships for 188 DSF Scholars, actively participating in DSF Scholar Summit speed mentoring, contributing volunteers to several virtual insights and in-person panels, and engaging one volunteer in the mentorship program and two in the Career Success Coaching program. Leprino Foods is a family-owned global leader in mozzarella and nutrition products, whose roots have been here in North Denver for 75 years. They are passionately committed to quality products, service at a competitive price and doing the right thing. They invest deeply into 15 communities around the world where they have a presence. Their culture is driven by their people who share ownership mentality to be the best at what they do, act with urgency, adaptability, and a sense of purpose.
DSF Community Partner of the Year – Denver7
As a proud supporter of DSF and one of the longest-established media sponsors of the DSF Annual Homecoming Gala, Denver7 has spotlighted numerous DPS students served within DSF Future Centers, celebrated DSF Alumni, and showcased DSF’s overall impact on the city of Denver. Their unwavering support has been instrumental in raising awareness and helping make college a reality for Denver students. At Denver7, they see it as their responsibility to make Colorado an even better place to live. They are honest, transparent, and unbiased, providing depth, perspective, and context to impactful news stories with their 360 reporting, allowing viewers to form their own opinions. They strive to do the right thing, shining a light on positive stories and the people making a difference in our community. They also go beyond their role as journalists, lending a helping hand to their neighbors in times of need, through Denver7 Gives and their community partnerships.
DSF Annual Homecoming Gala 2024 Silent Disco
The night concluded with community members, DSF Scholars and Alumni celebrating with silent disco, 360 photo-booths and delicious snacks, dancing the night away!
This year’s Annual Homecoming Gala raised over $1 million dollars! If you missed the event, we invite you to continue supporting Denver students. Every dollar you give will go directly to scholarships and will be matched dollar for dollar by the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI). Your gift will be additionally multiplied to serve even more students, thanks to the Prosperity Denver Fund.
DSF extends heartfelt gratitude to our 2024 Annual Homecoming Gala sponsors and devoted event committee led by Melanie and Blake Fulenwider, DSF Board of Directors, led by board chair Luella Chavez D’Angelo, DSF Associate Board, led by associate board chair David Brewster, and wonderful Mistress of Ceremonies Anne Trujillo.
DSF Alumni
On behalf of all of us at DSF, thank you for your invaluable partnership in helping to increase access and completion of post-high school learning and a life of opportunity of choice. We are excited to come together once again to celebrate Denver students at the DSF Annual Homecoming in September of 2025!
