“I have never felt so welcome.” That’s what one single parent said after spending three days at the GlobalMindED conference in Denver, surrounded by CEOs, policymakers, and tech innovators—leaders who wanted to invest in her success.
This summer, five single parents in the Strengthen and Actualize stage of our program traveled to Denver for the 11th annual GlobalMindED conference, guided by Communications and Outreach Coordinator Mistie Trefry, who previously served as a Program Advisor. For Mistie, the experience was deeply personal. She first attended GlobalMindED as a graduate student and later served as Student Liaison to the Board of Directors from 2015 to 2017. This year, she returned not only as a mentor to our participants, but as a panelist for the session “From Learning to Earning… GlobalMindED Graduates on How Education, Experience, and Economic Mobility Launch Careers and Livelihoods.”
“The session hit close to home—especially as someone deeply committed to access,” Mistie shared. “When we expand access to education and economic opportunity, we also move the needle on reducing poverty for generations to come.”
GlobalMindED brings together first-generation students and industry leaders. Last year, over 800 industry leaders and 300+ students from 55+ colleges created career-shaping connections. Attendees gain access to CEOs, policymakers, tech innovators, and foundation leaders through high-impact sessions, mentorship opportunities, and networking events designed to build confidence and professional skills.
For our single parents, the impact was immediate and profound. One attendee connected with the Mayor of Arvada and exchanged business cards. Another walked away with a mentor in the K-12 education sector. What struck the attendees most was the genuine interest from leaders who wanted to invest in their success.
We’re deeply grateful to GlobalMindED for providing scholarships that made it possible for these five single parents to attend this year’s conference. Without their support, these life-changing connections wouldn’t have happened.
Project Self-Sufficiency attendees, representing Colorado State University, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and University of Northern Colorado, were among 300+ students from 55+ colleges who made career-shaping connections at the conference.
This is what our work is all about.
When single parents enter our program, they’re often focused on survival—getting through the semester, managing childcare, making ends meet. But our advisors see beyond those immediate needs. We’re devoted to their professional and personal development, creating pathways to networks and opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach.
“As someone who didn’t grow up with access to these spaces myself, watching our participants walk into rooms full of CEOs and policymakers and see themselves as equals—that’s everything,” Mistie reflected. “You can see the shift happen in real time. Their confidence grows. And they start to see the potential that we’ve seen in them all along.”
These are the moments that change trajectories—not just for one generation, but for those that follow.
