Welcome to College Summit

For Colleges

“The partnership is providing a solid return on Denver's investment. We know that College Summit students are dedicated to going to college and that they have the wherewithal to stick with it."
- Cezar Mesquita, former Director for Diversity Enrollment at University of Denver

One of Colorado’s strongest assets is its highly educated workforce. According to the Milken Institute, Colorado also has the highest concentration of high-tech workers in the country, and it is ranked second nationally in recent degrees in science or engineering as a percent of the civilian workforce. This strength has driven economic expansion over the past decade and given Colorado a competitive advantage over other states.

But these encouraging statistics mask an interesting dilemma for Colorado. It is widely understood that its dominance in the number of adults with college degrees has resulted from in-migration. As Tom Mortenson of the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education explains, “Colorado has produced relatively few of its college graduates—they have moved here from other states and brought with them the prosperity they have generated.” To date, Colorado and other states in the West have managed to “net export” high school dropouts while they “net import” individuals with college degrees. This is commonly referred to as the “Colorado Paradox.”

Colorado’s economy is projected to grow increasingly sophisticated in the coming years, in turn offering a host of well-paying job opportunities and increasing the demand for well-educated employees. Moreover:

• Colorado is one of five states that derive more than half their revenue from taxes on personal income, making its economy highly sensitive to changes in individual income – meaning that populations without an education and well-paying jobs endanger the economic stability of the state.^[1]
• Professions in the healthcare business (e.g., pharmacists, physicians’ assistants) is expected to grow by more than 50%.
• Over 22,000 teachers will need to be hired.
• More than 17,000 new jobs will be available in technology-related professions – again, a growth of over 50%.^[2]

There is a compelling rationale to support Colorado’s youth in pursuing a postsecondary education given the opportunities that will be available in the coming years and the need to fill these positions in order to drive the imminent growth and advancement of Colorado’s economy.

[1] Governing Magazine, February 2003.
[2] Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Workforce Brief: Colorado, February 2005. Download PDF

2007 College Partners

• Auraria Higher Education Center (Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State College of Denver and University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center)
• Regis University
• University of Denver 

College Spotlight

Regis University

One of the key components of College Summit’s model are Summer Workshops held on the campuses of our university partners. Since 1996, Regis University has partnered with College Summit and has hosted 11 Summer Workshops. Through these Workshops hundreds of low-income youth have had the opportunity to experience a college campus while receiving guidance and support in the college application process. Not only has Regis been a strong college partner, staff from Regis University have served as Writing Coaches, participated in admissions and financial aid sessions for students and led parent presentations during Workshops.

This summer, Regis University demonstrated their incredible commitment to young people and to our community by hosting two College Summit Workshops. Thank you Regis University for your leadership and investment in helping more low-income youth pursue a college education.