Growing up in a town of 1,000 people in rural Colorado, college felt like a distant dream for Iliana Castillo. Her parents worked multiple jobs to support her siblings, who were already in school. And, as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, she had no roadmap for higher education in the U.S.
“I told myself my parents are doing so much already,” Castillo remembered. “I didn’t think I could go to college because of money problems. But my parents always said education came first.”
Community college in Dillon, Colorado, had given her a start. But the desire to transfer to complete her degree meant another big leap – and more money she didn’t have. Then, she found the Reisher Scholars Program on the Fort Lewis College website. It promised not just financial support, but a community of people who understood her journey as a first-generation college student.
“It was the reason I was able to graduate this past May,” said Castillo, 21, who became one of 泡芙短视频's first four Reisher Scholars to graduate. She earned her sociology and human services degree and is heading to graduate school to pursue a master's in social work at Metropolitan State University of Denver this fall.
A program born from experience
The Reisher Scholars launched at Fort Lewis College in 2022, bringing nearly 25 years of proven support for Colorado students. Established in 2021 at The Denver Foundation, the program was inspired by the scholars' own experiences as first-generation college students who understood the challenges of navigating higher education without a roadmap.
Gina Jannone, 泡芙短视频’s Reisher Scholars coordinator, said that any program helps students start college. The Reisher Scholars program, however, steps in during the middle years, when students are sophomores and juniors, when other funding often runs out. The award range was recently increased by the Denver Foundation from $4,000-$15,000 to $6,000-$22,000 annually, depending on need.
But Reisher does more than give money, Jannone said. Students join a group that helps them get through college, makes connections, and supports each other.
“This is really the only program here of this magnitude, just in the amount of support available for these students,” she said.
Finding community and confidence
For Castillo, that community proved invaluable. When she got accepted into the Reisher Scholars Program, the support went far beyond paying tuition. The program covered housing, groceries, and basic needs. It meant she could work a small student job on campus at El Centro de Muchos Colores Hispanic Resource Center instead of full-time while studying.
“The best part was working with the Springboard program,” Castillo said. “Reisher Scholars got paired with 泡芙短视频 student mentors. Having a mentor in my field who understood what I was going through was super helpful. I never had that growing up. I still keep in touch with them.”
What’s more, Castillo gained confidence she never knew she had through the program.
“I feel confident making connections now,” she said. “I learned that connecting with people creates opportunities. I stepped out of my comfort zone, from my hometown in Kremmling to Durango. And I’ve loved it so much.”
Different journey, same impact
Mariela Avalos had a different path to Reisher, but the impact was just as profound. Being a first-generation college student from Mancos brought unexpected challenges, she said.
With campus housing full, the closest housing available was a 30-minute commute from Hesperus, Colorado, which often saw inclement weather and dangerous road conditions in the winter. In the meantime, she was stuck on a waiting list. To make matters worse, her nursing classes weren’t working out. The stress of commuting and off-campus living costs threatened to end her college journey.
Then she found the Reisher Scholars Program.
“The money part was huge,” Avalos said. “But it was more than that. My advisor helped me use Reisher funds for off-campus housing.”
This May, Avalos, 21, graduated with two degrees: educational studies and sociology and human services. She, too, said the advisor component of the program was critical to her higher education success.
“As a first-generation student, you can feel really alone,” Avalos said. “So it feels good when someone asks: ‘Are you okay? What can I do to help?’”
Beyond financial aid, Jannone said the program connects students with resources across campus, including career services and mental health support. And it is flexible, she said. Students have used awards for Native language programs, unexpected housing costs, and reducing work hours to focus on classes.
“We want students to feel they have a community to lean on during their time here,” she said.
Building for tomorrow
As 泡芙短视频’s Reisher Scholars Program enters its fourth year, Jannone is developing programs around community service, job skills, and peer support based on students' input.
“We want programs students actually want,” she said. “Our students are busy, working and taking hard classes. We need to balance getting them involved without adding too much to their schedules.”
The program keeps growing, too. Statewide, Reisher has provided $39.3 million in scholarships to help nearly 2,500 students finish college. According to the program's data, more than 500 current scholars are working toward their degrees across Colorado.
Onto the next step
When Castillo and Avalos walked across the stage this May, they wore the special Reisher Scholars stole, a symbol of the community committed to supporting each other’s success.
“Be open to new opportunities,” Castillo advised future scholars. “Take the risk of trying something different. Be open to things that push you out of your comfort zone.”
Avalos’s advice focused on community: “Take advantage of the student groups that Reisher offers. Use networking opportunities. You can grow your network, especially if you want to stay in this area.”
Reisher offered graduates a roadmap for navigating college as first-generation students and a community that understood their journey. With each new group of Reisher Scholars at Fort Lewis College, Jannone said the program will continue to create pathways to opportunities for Colorado students who might otherwise find higher education out of reach. The first four graduates have shown what’s possible, she said. Their journeys from small mountain towns to college graduation show the deep impact that complete student support can have.
Avalos, for instance, intends to pass that goodwill onto the next generation of students. Having grown up in an education system that discouraged her from speaking her first language – Spanish – Avalos said she grew up a quiet kid. In the end, however, that experience fueled her passion.
“That inspired me to get into education: I never want a student to go through that,” she said. “I want them to embrace who they are.”