Future Ready: Creating a Coherent Career Advising Strategy at The Denver Scholarship Foundation

Abstract

Higher education in the United States is at a crossroads. College enrollment rates have declined for the past 15 years, and many question whether a four-year degree is worth the time, money, and sacrifice it takes to persist to graduation. Most students cite securing a good job as their primary reason for pursuing higher education, illustrating an evolving education landscape where career conversations and programming must be increasingly prevalent to meet individual student and broader economic needs. Colorado has a unique education paradox, as it leads the nation in post-secondary education attainment. However, Colorado’s high school graduation and college matriculation rates are below national averages, as a significant portion of its highly educated professional workforce is imported from other states. Post-secondary credentials are required to earn a living wage in Denver, making it crucial to strengthen the state’s education-to-career pipeline to fill available jobs. The context above informed my residency at The Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF), which was created in 2006 to help make college possible for Denver Public School (DPS) students. My capstone illustrates my effort to develop a coherent career advising strategy that prepares high school and college students for professional success. By creating psychological safety, focusing on organizational learning, and employing a facilitative leadership approach, I strived to create the conditions for future career advising success at DSF. During my residency, I analyzed the nonprofit career advising landscape. I also conducted background research on theories and best practices for career advising, including career theory, mentorship and social capital formation, career exposure and experiences for high school students, the role of college internships in helping students avoid underemployment, and career metrics. In addition, I evaluated DSF’s existing career programming and reported on stakeholder insights to inform future program design. I conclude with recommendations for DSF to clearly define career advising, build staff capacity, create more work-based learning and mentorship opportunities, and implement career metrics. I also share relevant sector-wide implications, such as embracing holistic advising and college student success coaching, strategically collecting and using student career data, facilitating transformational partnerships, and providing affordable pathways through postsecondary education.