Denver Scholarship Foundation is celebrating its 2025 Annual Homecoming Gala, on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. The event will honor and celebrate the economic impact and accomplishments of Denver Public Schools high school students, DSF scholars and alumni.
At this year’s homecoming gala, the Denver community and DSF supporters will experience stories of impact through the lens of DPS graduates in college and their careers. Guests will have the opportunity to connect with the DSF community, learn more about DSF’s nationally recognized programs and be greatly inspired by past and current students.
Denver7 is a proud partner of Denver Scholarship Foundation and the Homecoming Gala.
The Gala will feature DSF Alum and graduate of the University of Colorado Denver, Diego Burciaga. He will share his educational journey from North High School to the University of Colorado Denver, and now his career in Criminal Lab, with aspirations to go to medical school and his inspiring story as a first-generation college student graduating from University of Colorado Denver with a bachelor's degree in biology. Guests will hear directly from Diego and his DSF College and campus advisors on the impact DSF has made on their family.
Returning this year is the DSF Homecoming Gala After Party that will take place directly after the program and include a silent disco, 360 photo booth, late-night snacks and drinks. Angelo “DjLo” Fajardo, DSF’s official DJ and DSF Alum, will help give attendees the opportunity to continue the conversation with DSF Scholars and kick off the weekend by celebrating Denver students' success.
DSF was founded in 2006 based on a wide recognition that Denver Public Schools students face multiple barriers to completing a post-secondary degree. Denver philanthropists Tim and Bernadette Marquez wanted to make a major gift to increase the level of college attainment in Denver. They pledged $50 million in the form of a challenge grant. They were then joined by former Mayor John Hickenlooper and former DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet to help make access to higher education possible for all DPS students today and for generations to come.
The most current stats below show the reach of DSF as an organization and the long-lasting impact on the Denver community:
- Over 10,690 DPS graduates make up the DSF alumni network representing 30 technical colleges, community college and universities in Colorado
- DSF College Advisors have worked proactively with over 12,000 DPS students and their families
- This school year, a new record of over 2,190 scholarships were given to DPS graduates
- Since its founding in 2006, DSF has awarded over $72 million in need-based scholarships to Denver graduates
- 88 percent of DSF Scholars are first-generation college students and 92 percent identify as students of color
- 80 percent of DSF Scholars are persisting or have graduated from college
- DSF expanded support beyond 12th grade by serving over 8,660 9th-11th grade DPS students at all 15 DSF Future Centers located inside DPS high schools
Every dollar donated in support of this year’s DSF Homecoming Gala will be matched as available by the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative, a program administered by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, and magnified through the Prosperity Denver Fund.
Learn more about the 2025 DSF Annual Homecoming Gala here: https://denverscholarship.org/gala
This article was paid for through an in-kind partnership.
