When her father was permanently disabled while working on the Colorado Convention Center, Aspin Offerson of Lakewood decided to take it upon herself to find a way to pay for college.
After meeting with her high school counselor, she learned about an opportunity that fit her situation — the Pinnacol Foundation scholarship.
The scholarship was designed to help students whose parents were seriously injured or killed on the job. The foundation awarded $95,000 in college scholarships to Offerson and 31 other Colorado students this year.
But getting there wasn’t easy. Offerson had all A’s and one B in high school, and has since maintained a 3.4 average at CU-Boulder. Still, she had to jump through a few hoops to qualify.
She said the foundation required a lot of paperwork, including letters of recommendation, proof of income and family documentation. Offerson also had to include a personal essay, and has had to reapply for the scholarship every year.
“My parents are extremely grateful,” she said. “Without the scholarships they wouldn’t be able to afford to send me to school.”
Offerson said she received $4,000 each year for three years and this year will receive $5,000.
Pinnacol Foundation Director Margie McCarthy said the foundation was created to help families affected by the type of accidents and injuries their insurance covers.
“The foundation was created to establish support for our families whose lives are changed from workplace injury,” McCarthy said. “Kids suffer emotionally and college dreams are dashed often in these cases, and the scholarships are designed to help kids attain a college education.”
McCarthy said the foundation has sent out information to local high schools about the scholarships each year since its inception in 2000.
“We do some outreach to high school counselors — mailings to them — that is our primary source of getting to (students),” she said. “We are trying to reach out across the state to identify these kids, and developed public service announcements to get the word out.”
McCarthy said the foundation’s primary source of income is a July golf tournament.
Offerson, a summertime caddy, attended the event. She said she enjoyed meeting those involved with helping her go to college.
As for future plans, Offerson said she looks forward to being a teacher, a dream she was inspired to pursue by one of her teachers at Glennon Heights Elementary School.
“She made learning fun, but made students strive to be better and excel,” she said.