BY MELANIE ULLE
In Colorado, we often talk about the “Colorado Paradox”: we have one of the most educated workforces in the country, yet many of those degree-holders move here from out of state. Meanwhile, right in our own backyard, brilliant, high-potential students from low-income households face challenges that make a college degree feel like a fantasy.
And this is precisely why Susie Hayes and Yuri Shane started Access Opportunity (AO). Based here in the metro area, AO is a six-year journey that moves students from potential to success.
What I think makes Access Opportunity particularly special is their “high-touch, long-term” approach. Many programs provide a one-time grant or a single summer of coaching. AO commits to their scholars for six years, beginning in the spring of their sophomore year of high school and sticking with them until they launch their careers.
The program focuses on three main pillars: College Access, College Persistence and Career Launch. Students are supported through phases until their careers are launched.
They provide the “insider knowledge” that students from wealthier backgrounds often take for granted. This includes intensive SAT/ACT prep, one-on-one help with the daunting FAFSA forms, and personalized counseling to find a “best-fit” college.
Getting in is half the battle. AO provides transition support, peer mentorship, and emergency funding to make sure that a flat tire or a broken laptop doesn’t derail a student’s entire semester.
As students move through college, the focus shifts to professional development. Through workshops, students learn about networking, internships, and the soft skills needed to thrive in a professional environment.
AO believes that success is deeply tied to social-emotional wellness. They work with dedicated counselors to help students navigate the stress and imposter syndrome that often come with being a first-generation college student.
They have successfully built a tight-knit community, which allows students who might feel isolated in their academic pursuits to realize they are part of a cohort of trailblazers. As one student put it: “It felt like the doors to my future had opened up, and a clear path to college had been set.”
The results speak for themselves. While nationally only about 1 in 10 low-income students graduate college by age 25, Access Opportunity scholars are defying those odds. They’re graduating and becoming the next generation of Colorado’s engineers, educators, and community leaders. By investing in these kids, we are ensuring that the Colorado Dream is accessible to those who were born and raised right here.
After finishing their undergraduate programs, 44% of AO alums are employed in full-time positions and 56% are enrolled in post-graduate programs. The median starting salary for AO alums is $72,500 compared to the median income for Access Opportunity families, which is $44,600.
The impact speaks for itself. This program works. I was speaking to an alum the other day who shared that the program team was like a family, ceaselessly committed to his success.
As a parent of a senior who just invested in a college consultant, I am especially aware that the application process is tricky, time-consuming and completely biased toward those with the funds to outsource the work to outside help. Throughout our college journey I was thinking about how hard it must be for a parent who is working multiple jobs, (like so many Coloradans today) trying to support their children through this process. That was when I was introduced to AO and realized that an option does exist for those families, but bigger, better and with a longer commitment to the kids.
If you’re looking for a way to support this work firsthand, mark your calendars for their signature annual event, Raise a Class, coming up on March 5th. Cue the eyeroll… No! This is actually fun!
I promise this isn’t a typical long, boring, content-heavy fundraiser. It’s an actual celebration which highlights the scholars’ resilience and great work. Local chefs representing several restaurants bring an exceptional culinary experience and the event is right downtown.
Their goal is to raise the funds necessary to admit an entire new “class” of sophomore students into the program. Attending Raise a Class gives folks the chance to hear directly from these fantastic students whose lives are being transformed and to join a network of Coloradans who believe that a student’s zip code shouldn’t determine their destiny.
Check it out: https://www.raiseaclass.com/