CA Pathways Inspires Exploration

For today’s high school students, the pressure to define a future starts to ramp up even before they’ve had the chance to explore it. They are asked—on college applications, in interviews, and increasingly even before Senior year—to articulate not just what they enjoy and where they excel, but who they intend to become. Declaring a major at the beginning of the first year of college now feels like the rule, not the exception; even collegiate clubs and student organizations have begun to require resumes and interviews with potential members, only a select few of whom will “get in.” During and after college, the time and space available for being curious and changing one’s mind seem to be shrinking.

At Colorado Academy, the new CA Pathways program—developed through a partnership between College Counseling and Alumni Relations Departments—meets Upper School students at that exact moment of uncertainty and possibility, offering connection, exploration, and inspiration grounded in the CA community.

As Director of College Counseling Sonia Arora ’01 has observed year after year, CA students are curious, ambitious, and eager to learn beyond the classroom—but not all have a clear sense of where their interests might lead. “Students have big ideas,” she explains, “and they want to be outside of the classroom, exploring their interests.” But while some students discover an academic passion early, others do not. That can make the transition to college feel more daunting than it needs to be.

CA Pathways grew out of the desire to make the stakes feel a little lower, at least momentarily. Drawing on models Arora helped build at previous schools, the idea was to connect students with alumni and parents who could offer real-world perspectives. But how would such a program live authentically at CA, and who would help bring it to life?

Arora partnered with Alumni Relations Director Emma Harrington Kane ’07 to survey students, revealing overwhelming interest in a program to help them explore passions, industries, academic paths, and life after CA. At the same time, conversations with young alumni revealed a shared frustration: They were being asked to define their futures without having had enough exposure to what different paths actually look like. “They didn’t have the connecting information,” Kane says. “They didn’t know what academic avenues could lead to career-wise.”

From there, CA Pathways took shape through research, collaboration, and iteration. Arora and Kane studied programs at peer schools, and they tailored the concept to fit CA’s culture. The result is a flexible, student-driven program designed to meet Upper Schoolers where they are, helping them learn just as much from what doesn’t fit as from what does.

Exploring possibilities

CA Pathways provides three big “buckets” of support, according to Kane: clubs, academic courses, and individual career exploration. 

For example, CA’s Upper School Sustainability Club was able to connect with an alumnus who’s part of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency, who spoke with students about how an interest in environmental advocacy or science could translate into actions they could take on campus and a real-world job track.

Similarly, Kane notes, CA faculty have collaborated with alumni and parents on integrating career insights into the study of everything from literature to politics. In the English class The Literature of Work, CA parent Erin Kuhn, formerly a U.S. Foreign Affairs Officer at the United Nations and the current British Consul for Colorado, spoke to a CA Junior, Olivia Nelsen, about crisis communications.

According to Kuhn, “We talked a lot about the types of skills you need to be a good diplomat, using my work negotiating a UN Security Council Resolution on Iraq as a case study. Key themes we touched on were the importance of listening, building emotional intelligence, reading body language, gaining trust, and finding compromise. The practice of diplomacy is a complex discipline, with people skills and teamwork at its core—and I believe that was a key takeaway for her from our conversation.”

Agrees Nelsen, “I learned that there is so much more to the job than just negotiation. Mrs. Kuhn informed me that it isn’t just one person; it’s a whole team helping to make the best decision. I find this so valuable, not only because it’s an element to this job that not many people think of, but also I can see how it applies to life in general.”

Lastly, Arora and Kane have begun building a database of alumni, parents, and parents of alumni willing to connect with Seniors and recent graduates about career fields. The current roster of about 70 volunteers who have “raised their hand” to help, says Kane, includes strong representation in hubs like San Francisco, Boston, New York, and, of course, Denver.

Elaborates parent and CA Pathways Advisor Liz Buckingham Oertel ’93, “CA alumni and our parent community thrive in a remarkable range of fields, including education, healthcare, technology, design, government, finance, sustainability, and entrepreneurship,” offering students an invaluable window into careers they may never have considered.

What sets CA Pathways apart from similar programs—including many of those at colleges and universities focused on specific career paths—is its emphasis on exploration, notes Arora. The goal isn’t to funnel students toward a single outcome, but to help them test ideas, challenge assumptions, and refine their sense of direction. Sometimes that means discovering that a dream career isn’t quite what they imagined. “If a student talks with a mentor and realizes it’s not right for them,” Arora explains, “that’s still a success. It helps them figure out their lane.”

With two CA graduates now in college, Oertel has seen firsthand how valuable it can be to arrive on campus with a sense of academic direction. “It’s a huge benefit if you have some idea of what you want to explore,” she says. “But how do you know unless you’ve been exposed to what’s out there?” CA Pathways, she says, helps “open their eyes to the possibilities” before students ever set foot in a college classroom.

An extraordinary network

CA Pathways is just getting started, explains Kane. This spring, an Upper School Interim will offer students curated off-campus experiences alongside college visits and conversations with career counselors. Over four days, they’ll develop an inventory of their strengths and values, join current college students for a panel discussion, and shadow professionals at local companies. And in March, Juniors will be able to apply for short, immersive career experiences—designed intentionally as low-stakes “glimpses,” rather than formal internships—to allow students to experiment, reflect, and ask better questions about where they are headed.

“It’s exciting to know we’ll be able to track our students’ choices and see how this translates into their Senior year experiences and college transition,” says Arora.

The program holds benefits for CA alumni, as well, Kane adds. “It is so gratifying for those volunteers to have the opportunity to learn from a younger generation about what they’re interested in, and how they want to study and work.”

Indeed, Kuhn says of her CA Pathways experience, “Speaking with Olivia was really fun and valuable for me. It allowed me to reflect on my career and the skills I’ve needed to hone over the years. As the parent of a CA Sixth Grader, it filled me with excitement for the types of coursework, projects, and career exposure that my daughter can have once she’s in the Upper School.”

Underscores Oertel, “CA has an extraordinary network of alumni and parents of alumni. It’s amazing to be able to bring these individuals together with our students. We’re a family not just on campus, but beyond it.”

The end goal isn’t to replicate an internship program, insists Kane. “‘Internship’ is a big word; it implies a multi-week commitment from both hosts and students. We’re emphasizing flexible experiences of a day or two—even a coffee conversation. It allows both our students and our alumni that freedom to ‘dabble,’ which is almost impossible any other way.”

As college and the job market continue to change, CA Pathways offers inspiration, one connection at a time. By opening doors early—and reminding students they don’t need all the answers yet—CA Pathways ensures that exploration itself remains core to a CA education and a lifetime of learning.

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