Strengthening Connections and Amplifying Purpose

November 4, 2025

This November, The Attainment Network team is showing up in spaces that reflect our mission as we seek to strengthen connections and amplify our mission to evolve school-to-career systems across Colorado and beyond. Whether it’s supporting rural partners in the San Luis Valley, engaging with students and employers at a career fair, or presenting on systems transformation at a national convening, we’re excited to keep learning and leading alongside our partners and collaborators. 


Here’s where you can find us this November: 


🗓️ November 3–5 
🔹
Purpose Jam – Denver
Katherine and Michelle will attend this multi-day gathering hosted by The Purpose Commons, bringing together young people, educators, funders, and researchers around one big idea: that every young person deserves a life filled with purpose and possibility. 


🗓️ November 4 
🔹
MSU Denver 60th Anniversary Presidential Luncheon – Denver
Rana will join University leaders, alumni, faculty, and friends to celebrate six decades of innovation and inclusion at MSU Denver and its enduring impact on higher education in Colorado. 


🗓️ November 10 
🔹
SLV All-Partner Meeting – Alamosa
Ashley will connect with regional leaders to share updates and coordinate efforts across education, workforce, and healthcare initiatives in the San Luis Valley. 


🗓️ November 12 
🔹
SLV Career Fair – Alamosa
Ashley is working with our partners in the Valley to connect high school and college learners with local employers, training providers, and work-based learning opportunities in high-demand fields. 

🔹 CDE Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) Regional Training – Denver
Michelle will attend this training to support districts and schools in navigating recent PWR updates resulting from the 2025 legislative session – including new funding, changes to school and district accountability, and tools aligned with “The Big Three.” 

🔹 Colorado CTE Data Summit – Denver
Stefan will join CTE leaders and data professionals for two days of insights, skill-building, and updates on statewide data initiatives, including the Colorado Longitudinal Data System. 

🔹 ECMC Foundation Rural Impact Initiative Reception – Denver  
Stefan and Rana will attend this reception at the
Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Annual Conference. The event will bring together leaders, researchers, and practitioners committed to strengthening postsecondary access and success in rural communities. 


🗓️ November 17–19 
🔹
Next: The 2025 Complete College America Annual Convening  – Baltimore
Katherine and Michelle will present on how to use design thinking and cross-sector collaboration protocols to drive consensus and action in career-connected learning systems. They’ll join leaders from across the country to share strategies that position higher education as a force for transformation. 

We hope to see you at one of these events or hear from you if you're working on similar efforts. As always, we’re eager to connect, collaborate, and amplify what’s working. 

RECENT ARTICLES

May 19, 2026
Our recent L/Earner Voice Symposium offered a powerful reminder that systems are stronger when they are shaped by the people they are meant to serve. The learners and earners who presented Ted Talk-style reflections have worked with education and workforce organizations that value the expertise and lived experiences of learners and earners. They shared honest reflections about the difference between simply inviting young people into conversations and creating environments where their insights and ideas genuinely shape decisions, opportunities, and outcomes. Throughout the discussion, several themes emerged consistently: the importance of authentic engagement, the need for empowering environments where young people feel safe sharing ideas, and the role relationships and mentorship play in building confidence and opportunity. Speakers emphasized that learners are not only participants in education-to-workforce systems — they are experts in the challenges those systems are trying to solve. Panelists also spoke candidly about the barriers many young people face, including financial limitations, self-doubt, and the need for spaces that support both personal growth and guidance. “Young people deserve to get paid for their work,” said Gabriela Chavez, urging organizations to avoid situations where only young people who can afford to participate are the ones who get heard. Our learner and earner speakers also shared inspiring stories about moments when their voices influenced real change — from improving programs and products to advocating for education funding and mentoring others. Anyshya Hemphill had a moment when she learned that her insights and leadership led to 400 young people engaging with the networking guidance provided by the DeBruce Foundation. “That was the moment I was like, okay — wait, what I said actually made a difference.” Thank you to all of our learners and earners who shared their experience.
May 13, 2026
Lasting systems change doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when schools, colleges, employers, and communities work together toward shared goals — and someone helps connect the pieces into a coherent system that drives results. That’s the role of intermediaries. In this short video, learn how intermediaries like The Attainment Network help bridge silos, build trust, align partners, and support implementation that leads to lasting impact. Hear how this approach is helping communities like the San Luis Valley strengthen education-to-workforce pathways and meet critical workforce needs. Watch the video to see why intermediaries are essential to turning collaboration into action.
May 12, 2026
Melanie D’Evelyn on cross-sector collaboration for economic mobility