Denver Scholarship Foundation’s 2022 Annual Homecoming Gala, on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, will honor 15 years of accomplishments of Denver Public Schools high school students, DSF Scholars and DSF Alumni.
At this year’s homecoming-themed Gala, DSF and its supporters will celebrate DSF’s 15-year anniversary and highlight stories of impact since its inception in 2006. Guests will have the opportunity to connect with the DSF community, learn more about DSF’s nationally recognized programs, and hear stories of persistence and inspiration directly from past and current students.
This year’s 2022 Annual Homecoming Gala will be emceed by Denver7 Anchor Anne Trujillo and will feature current DSF Scholars and Alumni who are making an impact on the community.
Angelo “DjLo” Fajardo will be the official DJ for the event. Fajardo is a DSF Alum and graduate of John F. Kennedy High School and University of Colorado Denver. Since earning his degree in 2012, Fajardo continues to support DSF and give back to his community and to Denver students who had similar experiences in high school and college.
DSF Alum Jackelyn Nguyen will provide inspirational remarks on her journey to and through college as a first-generation American. She graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 2008 and received the DSF scholarship during her time at the University of Denver, earning her BSBA in marketing in 2012. Nguyen currently serves as an account manager for Zoom Video Communications.
DSF will also feature current DSF Scholar Sydnee Scadden, a graduate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College and a current student at Colorado State University. Scadden is studying business and marketing, and thanks DSF for supporting her in high school and throughout college. She plans to graduate this upcoming December and hopes to explore the US as she builds her career in marketing. In high school, Scadden’s DSF College Advisor was Derrek Sandoval, a DSF Alumnus, Denver native and graduate of John F. Kennedy High School. Sandoval currently serves as the DSF assistant director of TRIO Talent Search, a federal program supporting 9th – 10th graders in realizing their college goals. Sandoval’s passion for supporting current high school students stems from his own experiences navigating the college process as the first traditional college student in his family.
DSF was founded in November 2006 based on a wide recognition that Denver Public Schools students face multiple barriers to completing a post-secondary degree. Denver philanthropists Tim and Bernadette Marquez wanted to make a major gift to increase the level of college attainment in Denver. They pledged $50 million in the form of a challenge grant. As a Lincoln High School graduate, Tim felt called to make a long-lasting impact on DPS students for generations to come. This challenge catalyzed the process of putting into place a comprehensive program to support DPS students in completing high school and obtaining a higher education degree.
DSF now serves more than 7,500 students each year across the entire DPS district. Since its founding, DSF has awarded more than $52 million in scholarships to 8,272 DPS graduates, and 82% of DSF Scholars in the most recent 6-year cohort are enrolled in college or have already graduated with a degree or certificate.
Denver7 is a proud partner of the Denver Scholarship Foundation and this event.
The 2022 DSF Annual Homecoming Gala starts at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel.
Learn more about the 2022 DSF Annual Homecoming Gala at denverscholarship.org/gala.