Sophia Marks serves as CCA’s Alumni Relations Coordinator
Photo of Sophia Marks
Photo Credit: CCA Dept. of Strategic Communications
On May 6th Sophia Marks spoke in front of thousands at the Community College of Aurora’s (CCA) 39th Commencement Ceremony. One month later, Sophia became CCA’s inaugural Alumni Relations Coordinator.
After receiving a four-year degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, Sophia worked in sales before deciding her passion was helping others. She then moved to Colorado in February 2022, where she worked for a non-profit. Eventually she would advance her passion by attending CCA to work towards her Paralegal Certificate.
The community within CCA was unlike anything Sophia had experienced before. “I felt seen, people felt I had something to offer,” she said. “A lot of staff and faculty members encouraged me to begin speaking up and telling my truth.” Tools that have proved to be important for her when pursuing the position, she currently holds at the College.
As the Alumni Relations Coordinator, Sophia is committed to creating a strong relationship between former students and CCA. She is also charged with connecting alumni to opportunities that will help them in their careers.
“In order to assist our alumni, we have to understand who they are and what they need,” Marks said. Recently she disaggregated data for the 2022-2023 graduates to better understand who it is the College is serving. In partnership with several different college wide divisions, she is also working to create CCA’s first institutional magazine, which in part will tell the larger story of those who have since moved on from the college. “The magazine will be really great in terms of creating career development partnerships.”
“I realized that my purpose in life is to serve something that’s greater and more impactful than myself, and I recognize that we are doing that here at the Community College of Aurora,” Marks said.
Sophia is passionate about volunteering and is active in the Denver chapter of Food Not Bombs. Food Not Bombs is a free community meal program that advocates for food sovereignty and the right to access food in a just and equitable manner.
In her role, Sophia hopes to ensure alumni at CCA are achieving similar success that she is having post-graduation, and she has been equipped with the right tools to do so. Prospective students can enroll today at the Community College of Aurora.