May 8, 2026
Aurora, Colo. – Last week, the Community College of Aurora Foundation (CCAF) raised a record-breaking $312,000 for student scholarships and support programs during its 2026 College Beyond Walls Luncheon, presented by SM Energy. Marking one of the most successful luncheons in its history, the annual event brought together hundreds of community leaders, corporate partners, government representatives, and supporters committed to advancing student success at the Community College of Aurora (CCA). With contributions from the luncheon and throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, the Foundation is on track to award a record $1.3 million in scholarships in the next academic year.
Partners donated a record-breaking $312,000 at the 2026 College Beyond Walls Luncheon.
I am humbled to be the Board Chair for the CCA Foundation and help support this success, but the real appreciation goes to our partners and supporters,
said Kara Jorgensen. Partnership is the cornerstone of the work we are able to complete at the CCA Foundation. The growing generosity among our community is creating a growing number of scholarships.
The annual event brought together the largest group of sponsors in its nine-year history. Funds raised support students directly through scholarships and essential services. The Foundation expects to offer scholarships to over 500 CCA students in the upcoming academic year. Sponsor Philip Morris International played a key role in reaching the milestone by matching the first $65,000 raised during the luncheon’s paddle raise in support of adult students over the age of 21.
2025 Presidential Scholar Charlotte Atiiru speaks about
her experience as a student working with a mentor.
Title sponsor, SM Energy, also supports CCA’s Presidential Scholars Program, which pairs students, like Atiiru, with professional mentors. Beyond financial contributions, community partners also help drive student success by providing internships, mentorship opportunities, and career connections that extend learning beyond the classroom.
Because of the generosity of our donors, our students stay enrolled, and they have support systems,
said CCA President Dr. Mordecai Brownlee. These are various wraparound services that include the Wellness Den, expanded food access across all three of our campuses, emergency financial assistance, transportation access through RTD, and programs that support students and their families. This week alone, thousands of dollars in food support will reach our students, and this is not being done out of charity. This is a retention strategy and how we help students realize their various futures. Students don’t drop out because they’re not capable, they drop out because life has a way of getting in the way. Student success is where investment becomes transformation.
The luncheon also marked the Foundation’s 40th anniversary and the last event for CCAF Executive Director John Wolfkill, who is moving into a new role after a decade leading the Foundation. In his honor, the Foundation awarded the new $1,000 John Wolfkill Legacy Scholarship to CCA student Carlo Aguilar.
It has been an incredible honor for 10 years to be part of stewarding this mission,
said Wolfkill. Our role as leaders is to steward. We steward people that we are blessed to serve with, opportunities for others, and the missions of our organizations. So I want to say a huge thank you for the opportunity to be a steward of this mission at the CCA Foundation. We offer hope and opportunity for vision and dreams to become a reality.
The Foundation is making those dreams possible after an academic year of financial achievements. The college surpassed the $18 million capital campaign goal for the Center for Applied Sciences and Technology (CAST), saw a record number of individual donations on Colorado Gives Day, and completed multiple new fundraising campaigns that raised over $100,000.
Together, these efforts reflect a growing community commitment to expanding opportunity, strengthening workforce pathways, and advancing social and economic mobility for CCA students. The College Beyond Walls Luncheon will return in 2027. Supporters can contribute to CCA students through year-round giving opportunities.
About the Community College of Aurora
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora, Centennial, and Denver, Colorado. With a vision to aspire to be a college where every student succeeds, CCA is the most diverse college in the State of Colorado. Focused on creating social and economic mobility for its students, the college offers courses on three campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
About the Community College of Aurora Foundation
The Community College of Aurora Foundation (CCAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing student success and high-quality education at CCA. The Foundation raises philanthropic resources, forges community and industry partnerships, and cultivates donor engagement. CCAF is committed to stewarding contributions with integrity and transparency, guided by the vision to support CCA in being the college where every student succeeds. For more information, visit https://auroragives.org.
Contact
Courtney Butler
ExecutiveDirector of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]