Launching The Young Leaders Program For Greenhouse Scholars Alumni!

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Announcing the most significant and exciting new change in the history of Greenhouse Scholars!

Since our inception, we have worked with the highest-performing young leaders from under-resourced communities so they can thrive during college and drive change in their communities after college.
 
We are launching the Young Leaders Program to continue that support with our Scholars as they transition into their professional lives. With this program, we’re taking aim at the uneven playing field that continues after college, and we’re furthering our goal of creating a community of leaders that have real impact within their communities and around the world.

The Young Leaders Program will be available to all alumni under 30 and focus on…

LEARNING
With a comprehensive and personalized system of resources, professional advisors, and personal coaches we’ll help our alumni gain the knowledge they’ll need to maximize their potential as leaders, professionals, community members, and change makers.
 
RELATIONSHIPS
Through a combination of online engagement, events, workshops, and job connectivity initiatives, we’ll help foster relationships that matter for powering ideas, actions, and community change.
 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Using best-in-practice methods, we’ll help alumni create and sharpen business ideas at every stage of development. From ideation to business resources to seed funding, we’re building an ecosystem to develop entrepreneurial mindsets and launch high-potential ideas.

Why now?

For 17 years, Greenhouse Scholars has provided young leaders with resources to elevate their college careers and their ongoing community impact. We have implemented a program that has been wildly successful, and it’s time to formalize and deepen our reach beyond college. We’ve determined that many of our Scholars would benefit from continued professional, personal, and impact growth resources, and we’ve been preparing for this moment by training staff, implementing systems, and honing our programs.

Who will lead the Young Leaders Program?

Our current senior team will be deeply involved, and we’ve made two new hires to help build momentum for this new initiative, Jamie Clay and Greenhouse Scholars alum Michelle Kruk. Jamie and Michelle are exceptional and will be 100 percent focused on building the Young Leaders Program the right way.

You can become a catalyst for change with us by giving today. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and your gift allows us to continue supporting lasting generational change in low-income communities by cultivating leaders from those communities. Initial investors have already committed over $500k. Please join them in fueling our momentum! We are ready for this next step.

Invest in our Young Leaders today!

Want to learn more? Stay connected!

To stay up to date on the Young Leaders Program and how we are providing comprehensive support to alumni in the early stages of their career and post-college life, click here.

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Glass Half Full is on May 13th!

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Denver’s premier philanthropic food and drink event features cocktails, beer, and wine from local purveyors, cuisine from top local restaurants, and not-to-be-missed silent and live auction items. This year’s event, at the beautiful McNichols Center in Denver, CO is a great opportunity to meet Greenhouse Scholars and other community members.– It’s Time to Gather!

Learn More & RSVP Here >

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The Annual Growth Report

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The Growth Report embodies the past year of Greenhouse Scholars’ work. In it, we share our successes, detail our results and impact, illuminate the incredible stories of our Scholars, and thank our community of supporters. This is a great way for people to get to know us better, and we’re excited to share it with you.

The Greenhouse Scholars 2022 Application Cycle is Open!

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With Greenhouse Scholars, you will start a ripple of impact in your communities and in the world.

Greenhouse Scholars offers a unique Whole Person Program including personal, professional, and financial support to students from marginalized backgrounds throughout college. Our program is not just about getting to graduation, it’s about preparing for life after college and working to evolve the communities of the world.

Saturday, August 28th – Come Fly with Us!

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We’re so excited to welcome our CO riding community back for Venus de Miles 2021! We have a new venue (beautiful Bohn Park in downtown Lyons, CO) and three breath-taking rides to choose from (33 miles, 66 miles, or 100 miles). After you work hard, you’ll be rewarded with food trucks, drinks, and great music!

To learn more, visit venusdemiles.com

There’s still time to register and 100% of registration fees and money raised goes to Greenhouse Scholars!

Register Here

Want another way to get involved? We need volunteers to support our riders! Perks include a t-shirt, vendor goodies, a delicious meal, plus post-ride drinks and pampering. Bring a friend and join us for a day of fun and community!

Volunteer

Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor:

Thank you to our Titanium Sponsor:

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Summer Symposium 2021

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Exploring the Value of Relentlessness

At this year’s Summer Symposium we aim to demonstrate the value of relentlessness as a trait that carries enormous multiplying power. When others witness your refusal to quit, they too are inspired, allowing your success to pull others forward and see their goals through to their end. Relentlessness is a dual-edged blade, cutting down barriers while spreading its indomitable spirit to peers. At Greenhouse Scholars we are Relentless Together.
Summer Symposium 2021

What is Summer Symposium? It is a key component of our Greenhouse Scholars program, bringing all of our Scholars together for peer support and learning. An annual, multi-day gathering, Summer Symposium includes workshops, speakers, panel discussions, and group projects that encourage Scholars to explore their core values, expand their thinking, and cultivate their leadership skills.

We’re thrilled to announce that this year’s Summer Symposium will be held at the newly constructed Rustandy Building at CU Boulder.

Preview Our 2021 Symposium Speakers

Secretary Jeh Johnson

Jeh Johnson served as the US Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2017 and was the general counsel of the Department of Defense from 2009 to 2012. Johnson is now a partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, a member of the boards of directors of Lockheed Martin and U.S. Steel, and a trustee of Columbia University.

Cathy Bessant

“The Most Powerful Woman in Banking” 

We’re thrilled to sit down for a virtual “fireside chat” with Cathy Bessant, the chief operations and technology officer at Bank of America. Since 2010, Bessant has led Global Technology and Operations, delivering end-to-end technology and operating services across the company through a team of 95,000 people in over 35 countries.

Jessica Moore

A Greenhouse Scholars alumna, Jessica Moore will be leading an improv session at Summer Symposium this year! Jessica recently earned a joint degree in Neuroscience and English from Harvard University. During college, she served as President of both the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and the Leadership Institute. Jessica is currently working as a Manhattan Court Appointed Special Advocate for children in the foster care system and as a standup comedian at The Grisly Pear in NYC. She plans to begin law school in the fall.

Eric Roza

Eric Roza is the CEO of CrossFit, the world’s leading platform for Health, Happiness, and Performance. CrossFit has millions of participants, 12,000 gyms, and 150,000 credentialed trainers in over 150 countries. Eric serves on the boards of Crestone Capital, Endeavor, Global Colorado, Sondermind, and Spark Grills, and is an Executive-in-Residence with General Catalyst.

Valencia Watson

The daughter of a teen mother, Valencia experienced homelessness as a child and decided early on that academics was the best path toward financial stability. Today, Valencia holds a Masters in Biochemical Engineering, a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering, and is pursuing her PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology. Valencia is an avid community volunteer, mentoring high school and college students, as well as single mothers pursuing GEDs. She aims to increase the number of minority students earning doctorate degrees in science and engineering.

Maria Rey Marston, PhD

Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, Maria’s family instilled in her a deep love for education. She studied Economics in college, pursued a Professional Certification in Science and Technology Project Management, and a master’s degree in International Affairs. Most recently, she ran her own boutique consulting firm, which she sold to Ernst & Young, and then joined Accenture. 

Dan Caruso

Dan Caruso is Executive Chairman and Interim CEO of ColdQuanta, the leader in Cold Atom Quantum Technology. He was Founding Partner and Chairman of Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. and a co-founding executive of Level 3. Dan holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois. Avid supporters of Colorado’s and Chicago’s entrepreneurial community, Dan and his wife Cindy established The Caruso Foundation in 2015 to Celebrate High-Impact Scale-Ups and Inspire Next Generation Entrepreneurial Leaders.

Rico Wint

Motivational speaker, educator, community leader and minister, Rico Wint is motivating young men throughout the Denver metro area. A product of both Denver and Aurora Public Schools, he understands the plight that faces many of our inner-city young men. Rico is passionate about inspiring young men to be their best selves through practical and applicable social/leadership training.

Chris Nelson

With more than 25 years of experience creating opportunities for young people to thrive, Chris became the CEO of TGTHR. Under his leadership, TGTHR has launched a multitude of programs, including a drop-in center and emergency shelter for youth experiencing homelessness; a street outreach program; a transitional living program; and Colorado’s first LIHTC-funded permanent supportive housing building specifically for young adults.

Brittney Oliver

A career and lifestyle freelance writer and content strategist, Brittney built a platform called Lemons 2 Lemonade to help young professionals turn career obstacles around. Her platform is known for its networking mixers which bring professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives together in NYC, Nashville, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta. Brittney was the keynote speaker at LinkedIn’s first women of color conference in 2019 and Forbes recently listed her as one of “Nine Black Women Leaders Dedicated to Empowering Others.”

Tony Wibbeler

CEO and Founder of Bolder Industries, Tony is passionate about protecting the environment, creating innovative products, and enhancing the lives of his employees. Drawing on his past experience in the medical device industry, Tony creates new and better ways to handle waste and recycling inefficiencies. He has led Bolder Industries to numerous business awards including Environmental Leader’s “Top Product of the Year” and “Breakout Company of the Year” (Colorado Cleantech Industries Association). 

Andrew Limouris

Founder, president, and CEO of Medix, an international staffing organization specializing in recruiting skilled personnel in the healthcare, science, and IT fields. Andrew’s business mission is to positively impact lives and he strives to recruit others who live the company’s core values. As a result, Medix has developed into one of the largest and fastest-growing staffing agencies in America. Andrew received his bachelor’s degree in speech communication from Ripon College and now lives in Illinois with his wife and their three children. He believes purpose can lead to satisfied employees, increased revenue and unified teamwork.

 

Ryan Carter

As a frequent contributor to the Denver Post, 5280 Magazine, Rocky Mountain News and a featured agent on HGTV’s “House Hunters,” Ryan is recognized as an industry expert with the local expertise necessary to help buyers, sellers, and investors successfully buy and sell in Denver. For more than 10 years and with over $100 million in real estate sales, his design interest and business acumen have allowed him to guide clients to achieve their goals. As the Team Leader of 8z Central Denver, Ryan mentors new agents to uphold a new standard in real estate.

 

Dulce Anayasaenz

Always passionate about helping others to achieve their dreams, Dulce was first drawn to the world of politics and ultimately into real estate. Whether a client is buying their first home, moving up to something larger, or investing in income-generating assets, she offers support throughout the entire process. Dulce has lived in Colorado for almost 30 years and enjoys spending time with family and traveling to her native country of Mexico.

 

Rob Israel

Rob is founder of WisdomWrks™, an accelerator that guides and grows businesses and opportunities in the Health and Wellness space as well as Real Estate and Franchising. The current CEO and Co-founder of Lazzaro Medical, Rob’s entrepreneurial successes also include founding Doc Popcorn (which sold to Dippin’ Dots in 2014) and Knitwaves (one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of girls’ sweaters and sportswear). Rob is an angel investor and advisor to a Micro VC fund, Kokopelli Capital, and has taught entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of business in Boulder Colorado. He regularly coaches entrepreneurs and start-ups.

 

Ivan Hernandez

Ivan is President and CEO of Banner Signs and Decals, a signage manufacturer in Colorado and a business he leads in collaboration with several members of the Greenhouse Scholars community (Taylor Kirkpatrick, Lane Hornung at 8z Real Estate, and Doug Bonnette). Ivan is a Greenhouse Scholars alumnus who earned his BA and MBA at The University of Denver Daniels College of Business.

 

Kristy Lewis

Founder and CEO of Quinn Foods LLC, Kristy has spent the last 10 years on a mission to revolutionize classic snack foods by making them better for you and the planet, without compromising on flavor. She started by reimagining microwave popcorn-removing the chemicals/plastics and using only real ingredients that can be traced back to the source. As a company, Quinn is re-imagining agriculture, farmers, packaged food, the planet, how they connect, and why it all matters.

 

Phillip Schermer

Founder & CEO of Project Healthy Minds and Vice President & Chief of Staff to the Global Chief Marketing Officer at BlackRock. Before joining BlackRock, Phil worked in the Obama White House as an intern for the National Economic Council, for Warner Brothers Entertainment on the movie set of The Dark Knight Rises, for Summit Entertainment on the movie set of Perks of Being a Wallflower, and for Live Nation on U2’s 360 tour. While in college, Phil founded MUSIC Matters, a student-run non-profit at the University of Michigan that hosts one of the largest social impact lifestyle festivals in the US.

 

Howdy Pierce

A technology executive and software engineer with a background in operating systems, networking, and audio/video protocols, Howdy joined the College of Engineering & Applied Sciences at CU Boulder in 2020. Before that, he founded and served as CEO of Vantum, a venture-funded startup focused on building hardware and software solutions for the use of digital video in enterprise applications. In addition, Howdy co-founded Cardinal Peak, an engineering design services company focusing on developing audio/video and Internet of Things products. Howdy has a B.S. in mathematics and professional writing from Carnegie Mellon.

 

Kat Ling

Formerly the Chief of Staff and then Chief Program Officer, Kathryn (Kat) Ling is now the Interim CEO at Moonshot edVentures, where she develops high-quality programming with a focus on strategy and sustainability. Kat attended Cornell University where she studied English and Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies and conducted an honors thesis on cultural responsiveness in the young adult fiction genre. She has a Masters through the University of Arkansas – Clinton School of Public Service.

 

VJ Brown

VJ Brown joined Moonshot edVentures in 2020 as Program Manager. Previously, he worked for the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, supporting civic leadership programs for rising professionals and college students. He also helped develop and lead the organization’s strategy around diversity, equity, and inclusion. VJ holds a Bachelors of Arts in Africana Studies from Davidson College with a minor in Anthropology. He is a 2018 graduate of the Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado Connect Leadership program and a participant in 2020 Colorado Civic DNA.

 

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The 2020 Growth Report

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The Growth Report embodies the past year of Greenhouse Scholars’ work. In it, we share our successes, detail our results and impact, illuminate the incredible stories of our Scholars, and thank our community of supporters. This is a great way for people to get to know us better, and we’re excited to share it with you.

What you made possible in 2020

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Greenhouse Scholars is at the center of the three major issues facing us all: COVID, economic uncertainty, and racial inequity. We’re proud to report that we ended 2020 in a position of unprecedented strength, both financially and as a community of leaders that is creating opportunity, choice, and belief.

Watch this recap of our top 2020 achievements

Critically, our program is positively impacting thousands of individuals in low-income communities and across our supporters and volunteers:

  • Compared to other students like them, Greenhouse Scholars impact 4x more people through their service and volunteer 50% more hours.
  • Our alumni are also more engaged in their community, they volunteer nearly 5x more than their peers.
  • A majority of our supporters and volunteers report that their participation in Greenhouse Scholars changed their views of the world.
  • Our 300 Scholars have impacted over 60,000 people directly through the Greenhouse Scholars program.

Each of you who stepped up in 2020 to support Greenhouse Scholars made us stronger and better prepared for the future. Thank you. 

View a full list of our 2020 contributors here

Greenhouse Scholars Remembers Founding Board Member Malaika Pettigrew

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On behalf of our boards, staff, and community, we commemorate Malaika Pettigrew, whose remarkable spirit, compassion, presence, and ideas helped to shape the course of Greenhouse Scholars during the organization’s critical early years.

Malaika and her husband Andre were among seven individuals who formed the inaugural governing board of directors when Greenhouse Scholars was first launched in 2005.

Malaika has supported Greenhouse Scholars for fifteen consecutive years. She shared her experience and insights directly with our Scholars as a mentor and a Summer Symposium speaker. She introduced dozens of other individuals and encouraged them to get involved, including some of our first supporters in North Carolina. She and Andre have donated to Greenhouse Scholars every single year.

Please join us in honoring Malaika by reading about her life and her legacy below.

Sincerely,

Peter M. Burridge
President and CEO

From The Pettigrew Family:

It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of the beloved Malaika Pettigrew, 66, on August 3, 2020 at her home in Durham, NC. Malaika was surrounded by her immediate family at home, surrounded by love.

Malaika was born in Saint Louis, Missouri to the late Lawrence Ralph Stanton and Mary Delores Allen Stanton. Malaika is survived by her husband, Andre Pettigrew, her daughters, Maya Pettigrew Foster and husband Donovan, and Naima Nicole Pettigrew, her son, Jason Jamal Pettigrew and partner David Nimmo, her grandchild, Miles Donovan Foster, as well as her brothers, Lawrence Stanton, Eric Stanton, Reginald Stanton, and sisters, Pamela Pittman and husband Walter, Laura Charity, Deborah Stanton, and Janis Stanton.

Malaika, Swahili for Angel, dedicated her life to the service of others no matter where she was. She was multitalented and worked as a Life Coach, Energy Healer and Dance Movement Instructor. Malaika and her husband Andre Pettigrew shared 45 years of loving marriage together. During that time they lived in more than a half-dozen cities throughout the United States. Malaika had the unique gift of creating and uplifting communities wherever they landed. An educator for over 35 years, Malaika led groups, facilitated retreats, teaching leadership skills, counseling, coaching and healing for everyone from children to the elderly.

Malaika earned a degree in Psychology at UCLA and went on to earn a Master’s in Transpersonal Counseling from J.F. Kennedy University in Orinda, California. She taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder and Naropa University for 11 years. Malaika was a founding member of the United Black Women of Boulder Valley, Greenhouse Scholars, and the Institute for African American Leadership. The Institute served countless African American youth throughout the Boulder Valley School District and beyond by providing educational, cultural, and travel exchange opportunities. An archive of her work is stored at the Blair Caldwell Research Library in Denver as well as a few items stored at the Museum of Boulder.

Malaika was committed to uplifting youth and was a firm believer in the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child”. She indeed created a global village for her children and those who knew her. She also served in leadership roles within many nonprofit community organizations, including the Boulder County Safehouse Shelter for battered women and children, Boulder County YWCA, Boulder Community Action Program, Chinook Fund, The Gandhi Brigade, as well as the Elna B. Spaulding Conflict Resolution Center, and The Movement of Youth mentoring program both based in Durham, North Carolina.

Malaika was a devout and dedicated woman, committed to her love and connection with God. She poured herself into several spiritual communities in Colorado, Maryland, and North Carolina. She received certification as a Minister of Spiritual Healing through the Takoma Park Metaphysical Chapel and became a Certified Reiki Master Practitioner in 2012. She’s a member of the Unity Church of the Triangle.

Aside from her family and God, her next true love was Dance. Anyone who knew Malaika, knew nothing brought her more joy than to move her hips, feet and arms to the rhythm of just about any music. She was particularly fond of Jazz, African, Afro Latinx and Afro Brazilian music and dance. Malaika had the honor and privilege of traveling the world throughout her life. She touched nearly every continent North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, and her beloved Africa where she visited Togo, South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.

Malaika was beautiful on the inside and out. Her life and her accomplishments are best remembered in her own words:

“I live each day with an awareness of myself as sacred, compassionate, sensitive and in service to this world. It was the gift of experience, my struggles and successes that now allow me to serve others through wisdom and compassion. It is my commitment to my own spiritual growth and evolution that allows me to know that we all are perfect, whole and complete beings.”

The family will hold a digital service to accommodate all family and friends near and far. A date will be announced soon.