Brenda Valdez

Accessible Education Specialist: Eastern Colorado Region

Brenda’s expertise lies in direct student support with career exploration, college application, and financial aid, among other services. Brenda is looking forward to continuing current relationships in the northeast corner of Colorado, as well as forming new ones to better serve rural area students and continually create more access to higher education through new programming and expansion of existing partnerships.

Having grown up in a small, rural town, Brenda understands the difficulties of navigating higher education, whether it’s financial gaps, language barriers for parents, or fully understanding the long-term benefits of post-secondary education. After high school, Brenda attended Morgan Community College and transferred to Colorado State University, where she studied studio art, majored in Apparel Design, and minored in Japanese language studies. She plans to pursue her M.B.A. next fall at CSU.

Before joining CSU’s Office of Engagement and Extension, Brenda created student leadership programming in the office of Student Life at Morgan Community College and was a COSI (Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative) Student Success Coach, serving high school seniors across five area high schools in the northeast plains region. She also taught visual art to grades 6, 7, and 8 at the Fort Morgan Middle School using design thinking focused curriculum and recycling/upcycling practices. Before entering education, Brenda was a freelance multidisciplinary artist and designer based out of NYC, Denver, and San Francisco.

Brenda travels across ten counties in the northeast and is based out of the CSU OEE Office in downtown Sterling. She is excited to be part of the Rural Initiative.

Education and credentials:

• A.A., Morgan Community College
• B.S. Apparel Design and Merchandising, Colorado State University

A few of Brenda’s favorite things:

• Lord of the Rings
• Final Fantasy VII
• “Stuff You Should Know” Podcast
• Sewing
• Pomeranians
• Reading