Accessible Education
Increasing access to education for learners of all ages by leveraging the assets of the Colorado State University System to fulfill our land-grant mission.
Northeast Region
We partner with community organizations, schools, and community colleges to ensure higher education opportunities are within everyone’s reach. We offer engaging youth development workshops, bilingual financial aid and scholarship nights, CSU-specialized tours, and more!
Southeast/Southern Region
In the southern region, we focus on high school students and how to help them advance their education. This is mostly done by connecting with students through different avenues. First, we visit as many high schools in the region as possible. In the fall, the focus is meeting with seniors to help them with their planning in life after high school. In the spring, the focus shifts to the younger students to help them evaluate their skills and passions and how they can utilize those in their future career. Other ways we are connecting are through 4-H and FFA events by meeting them where they are, whether that’s at local county fairs or regional/state conferences or meetings.
Western Region
Greg’s AE work focuses on developing collaborative partnerships with higher education institutions for workforce development needs in rural western Colorado. In addition, Greg is engaging with traditionally underserved audiences to promote educational access through CSU-Extension. He looks to expand his work with Tribal and Hispanic/Latinx communities to provide First Generation college access to people he serves.
Mountain Region
The mountain region spends a lot of time conducting educational workshops and series. Previous series’ include information on applying to CSU, choosing a major, and discovering financial aid opportunities. One series that is currently running is the CSU College Connection webinar series which aims to share information about majors/minors, scholarships, student organizations, and undergraduate research opportunities. Our goal is to provide accurate information about CSU to high school students statewide. We hope to continue to build and strengthen relationships with communities and schools in the mountain region and to provide resources for students to help build success.
Meet our Accessible Education Specialists
Eastern Region
Brenda Valdez
Service Areas:
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- Student leadership
- Student success
- Navigating higher education
- Creating community
Eastern Region
Sofia Guardado
Service Areas:
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- Promoting higher education
- Navigating the college application process
- Accessibility of higher education
Key Partners:
- Improved Health Team (Eastern Region, CO)
- Vibrant Communities and Thriving Economies (Eastern Region, CO)
- College of Ag Sciences (CSU, Fort Collins, CO)
- The Institute 4 Entrepreneurship (Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO)
- Maria Delgado (Nancy Richardson Design Faculty, CSU Fort Collins, CO)
- Avenir Museum (CSU, Fort Collins, CO)
- Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative COSI (NJC, Sterling, CO)
- El Sabor de la Vida (Sterling, CO)
- Es Tiempo de Crear (Sterling, CO)
- Northeast Junior College (Sterling, CO)
- Sterling High School (Sterling, CO)
- Sterling Family Resource Center (Sterling, CO)
- College Access Navigators (Fort Morgan, CO)
- Fort Morgan High School (Fort Morgan, CO)
- Migrant Education Program (CBOCES, Fort Morgan, CO)
- Morgan County 4-H (Fort Morgan, CO)
- One Morgan County (Fort Morgan, CO)
- Trusted Connections ( Northeast Health Department, Fort Morgan, CO)
- Idalia High School (Idalia, CO)
- Extended Studies, (CSU Pueblo, Pueblo, CO)
- Rural Community Resource Center (Yuma, CO)
- Yuma High School (Yuma, CO)
Southern Region
Sydney Wilkinson
Service Areas:
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- Promoting higher education
- Navigating the college application process
- Accessibility of higher education
- Education opportunities for adults
Western Region
Greg Felsen
Service Areas:
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- SW Colorado Collaborative Campus
- Community development and outreach
- Extending higher education resources
Key Partners
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- Pueblo Community College SW Campus
- Kwiyagat Community Academy
- Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Higher Learning Center
- San Juan Basin Extension
- Montezuma – Cortez High School
- CSU-Extension Western Region
Mountain Region
Ruben Flores
Service Areas:
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- Extending higher education
- Youth development
- Community Outreach
Key Partners
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- Summit High School
- Canon City High School
- Florence High School
- Custer County
- Gilpin County
- Gilpin County Recreation Department
Strategic Partners
- Colorado 4H
- Community Colleges (In progress)
- High Schools (In progress)
- Community Groups (In progress)
- Commissioners (In progress)
