Emily Griffith Foundation

From graduating high school two years early to launching her own home care business, Nina Marie Crihfield’s journey in healthcare has always been driven by purpose.

Now a Practical Nursing student at Emily Griffith Technical College, Nina balances the heavy demands of nursing school with homeownership and family caregiving. When the financial and emotional challenges of managing daily life expenses and caring for her father piled up, institutional and donor-supported financial aid stepped in to help her maintain her momentum.

"Emily Griffith stepped in during moments when I truly needed support the most," Nina shares. "Because of the generosity and opportunities I have received, I have been able to stay focused on my education, continue working toward becoming a nurse, and keep building a future that I have worked so hard for."

With graduation on the horizon in December 2026, Nina is ready to continue providing deeply compassionate care to those who need it most. 💙

👉 Read Nina’s full, inspiring story and learn how donor support changes lives on our website: https://www.egfoundation.org/nina-marie-crihfield

Money is available!🤑💸

For help with FAFSA or any other financial aid and scholarship questions, please call 720-423-4700 or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment.

Scholarships at Emily Griffith Technical College: https://www.emilygriffith.edu/scholarships-opportunities/

We are so excited that Emily Griffith Technical College is launching an Entrepreneurship Studies program this fall! So many of our incredible students and alumni have dreams of launching their own businesses, and this program is built specifically to turn those goals into reality.

The future of workforce education is here! Last month Emily Griffith Technical College officially launched its brand-new Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program specifically designed for apprentices.

This game-changing pathway allows students to earn a college degree, increase their earning potential, and advance their careers, all while continuing their vital, hands-on work in the trades.

An innovation of this scale doesn't happen without dedicated community backing. Emily Griffith Foundation has been hard at work fundraising to support the development and rollout of this groundbreaking program. Thank you to our amazing donors and partners for supporting student success and strengthening the Colorado workforce!

👇 Watch the recent CBS Colorado segment to learn how this program is changing lives:

https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/video/emily-griffith-technical-college-gets-ready-to-graduate-its-first-students-with-associate-degrees/

Emily Griffith Technical College gets ready to graduate its first students with associate degrees Emily Griffith Technical College is changing the landscape of higher education across Colorado.

We are thrilled to celebrate the success of the Project HairCare pilot, made possible by a generous grant from UCHealth!

Barbers and stylists provide a sacred space where clients often share life’s heaviest challenges. Project HairCare, a program developed through the collaboration between the Colorado Black Health Collaborative and the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine, trains barbers and stylists in the Black Community of Denver and Aurora in skills, tools and resources to help their clients who share their mental health challenges. Many of the barbers and stylists who completed the program wished they had learned these skills earlier in their career.

Based on this idea, Project HairCare and Emily Griffith Technical College partnered to build this idea into a reality. Emily Griffith faculty worked with community barbers from Project HairCare to refine and scaffold the Project HairCare curriculum, making it easier for our barbering and cosmetology students to learn, practice, and apply mental health support skills.

The result? A student-friendly program that empowers future stylists to help clients navigate anxiety, depression, and stress with real tools and resources.

Our pilot cohort wrapped in March with incredible feedback and success. A huge thank you to UCHealth for helping us turn the barber chair into a seat for community healing!

Honoring the Trades That Sustain Our Community 💧

This week marks a unique overlap: National Drinking Water Week and National Skilled Trades Day. At Emily Griffith Foundation, we’re taking a moment to recognize the students and industry partners within the Water Quality Management program at Emily Griffith Technical College.

As a significant portion of Colorado’s water workforce nears retirement, the need for new, highly-trained professionals has never been more critical. Our role at the Foundation is to ensure that the next generation of water quality experts has the resources they need to complete their training and enter this essential field.

By investing in these students, our donors are helping to:
-Remove Financial Barriers: Providing scholarships and support so students can focus on mastering this complex, technical trade.
-Protect Public Health: Supporting a program that trains the frontline defenders of our local water supply.
-Support Local Infrastructure: Helping our employer partners find the skilled talent they need to keep Colorado’s taps running.

Thank you to the donors and partners who make this vital education accessible.

Our hearts (and stomachs!) are full after an incredible "Women at Work" celebration!

On Wednesday, the Emily Griffith community gathered at Infinity Park Event Center to honor the women redefining what’s possible in trades and technical careers. From the inspiring stories shared by our student and alumni panel to the delicious cuisine from local restaurants, it was a day to remember.

A huge thank you to the hardworking staff at Emily Griffith Technical College for helping bring this vision to life, and to our partners who believe in the power of technical education.

Thank you to our sponsors:
▪Presenting Sponsor: KeyBank
▪Media Sponsor: CBS Colorado
▪Trades Showcase Sponsor: HCA HealthONE
▪Impact Sponsors: Encore Electric & Southwest Airlines
▪Corporate Sponsors: 1stBank (now a part of PNC), Montgomery Electric, Mortenson, Olive & Finch, RK Foundation, Sky Blue Builders, Trane, Workplace Resource

📸 Visit our event page for the full gallery and to support the next generation of women in trades: https://www.egfoundation.org/women-at-work-2026

2 DAYS TO GO! We’re officially SOLD OUT for Wednesday’s big event, Women at Work: Celebrating Women in Trades & Technical Careers.

We can’t wait for you to meet our students! They’ll be showcasing skills from:
💧 Water Quality
🏥 Health Sciences
🚗 Auto Collision
💈 Barbering
💆 Massage Therapy
❄️ HVAC
🛠️ Apprenticeships

Get your questions ready—our students have the answers!