This Friday, the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) is celebrating the organization’s 20th anniversary and is highlighting some of the DSF alumni who have found success with help from the foundation.
“I'm not just celebrating as someone from the outside. You know, I'm a proud alum, and I've personally been impacted by the organization. And their guidance, and being able to help me through my journey through college and after college as well,” said Angelo “DjLo” Fajardo, a Denver Scholarship Foundation alum and CEO of Nativo Entertainment.
Watch Micah Smith's report in the video player below:
Fajardo said while growing up, he became interested in starting a career in music.
“I grew up in a musical family, so we had a family band when I was little, and then in high school — became interested in DJing,” Fajardo said.
When Fajardo was preparing to graduate from John F. Kennedy High School in Denver, he knew he wanted to DJ professionally and wanted to go to college to learn more about the business side of the industry.
But Fajardo said the college application and financial aid process felt intimidating.
“Challenges were just being a first-generation college student, being the first in my family to do that,” Fajardo said. “Financial challenges, and just decisions on what I would want to do with my career and my life.”
An academic advisor knew just the resource: the Denver Scholarship Foundation.
“In (high) school, DSF, they had a college advisor, and I would meet with her frequently, and we'd go over, of course, the requirements for the scholarship, but just other ways to navigate the paths that I might be interested,” Fajardo said.
This year, Fajardo is taking part in the Denver Scholarship Foundation’s 20th anniversary celebration, serving as co-emcee of the annual gala alongside Denver7 Anchor Micah Smith.
“This is amazing for DSF to ask me to be part of this and emcee the events with (Micah) and you know, showcase me and my story, and hopefully that'll impact, you know, even just one student; to give them a little motivation that they can, you know, be successful in their career and college careers as well,” Fajardo said.
The Denver Scholarship Foundation will hold its 2026 annual gala Friday, Oct. 16, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown.
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