By Jeff Sanchez | MARCH 2, 2022 Walking into the Capital IDEA office for the first time in 4 years was a blast from the past for Shahida Ferdous. The memories of sitting on the couch in the reception area, walking down the hall into the testing room where she took her vocational assessment, and […]
View MoreBy Jeff Sanchez | JANUARY 11, 2023 Partnerships are crucial to Capital IDEA’s success. From donors to employers to education providers, our success and the success of our students depends on the quality of our partnerships. One key partnership that has been in place since Capital IDEA’s founding is with Central Texas’s largest education and […]
View MoreBy Jeff Sanchez | DECEMBER 7, 2022 “Without my degree, I would not have been able to do any of this.” Growing up in Cuba, Yasmin Sosa was taught that earning a degree was the best way to ensure a good financial future for herself. From an early age, her grandfather, Juvier, saw that Yasmin […]
View MorePosted: December 1, 2022 Overview Capital IDEA seeks proposals from qualified consultants/firms to assist in the development of a new strategic plan to guide the organization over the next five years (2023-2028). The goal is to anticipate the challenges and opportunities Capital IDEA will face and build a forward-looking, actionable plan that will drive key […]
View MoreBy Jeff Sanchez | OCTOBER 26, 2022 “I did this for my daughters. I started this journey to take care of them.” When Dr. Debra Utpadel was asked what she was most proud of, she did not hesitate to mention her daughters, “The best thing to come out of all this is that I have […]
View MoreUPDATED: September 19, 2022 BIG NEWS — Extension approved! In January 2022, we announced we had expanded the list of career opportunities available to applicants from Hays and Bastrop counties. This expansion was set to expire at the end of September 2022, but has now been extended a full year! The new expiration is September […]
View MoreThis is a transcript of the speech given by Alicia at the 2022 Whitlow Ice Cream Social Event | SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Alicia Rodriguez. A few years ago, I was one of the featured families in the Austin American Statesman’s Season for Caring campaign. At the time, they called […]
View MoreBy Jeff Sanchez | AUGUST 29, 2022 When Rebecca Meneses’ life got off track, her road back was anything but easy. “Being a single mom without any formal education was so challenging.” She was lost and needed to find her way back, if not for herself, to provide for her son and the big family […]
View MoreBy Jeff Sanchez | AUGUST 5, 2022 When the Topfer family set out to start a foundation, they had two goals in mind—to help their neighbors and leave a legacy of giving for their family. “The family has a heart for people, and they genuinely care about the health and well-being of Austin,” said Melanie […]
View MoreTo Our Retiring Executive Director : Thank you, Steve Jackobs, for more than 23 years! Dear Friends, Since its founding, the road to opportunity and success has been paved by the vision and dedication of Capital IDEA’s founding Executive Director, Steve Jackobs. Some of the organization’s most proud accomplishments during his tenure were Steve’s successful […]
View MorePictured Top left: Michael with daughters, Andrea and Sofia and grandson Dakota Lee; top right: Michael with son Kevin; bottom left: Michael accepting check on behalf of Dream Come True Foundation; bottom right: Michael at work By Jeff Sanchez | JULY 8, 2022 Michael Rayos has made many choices in his life, both big and […]
View MoreJULY 8, 2022 TEAMWORK & STUDENT SUCCESS | We’re hiring! Capital IDEA has an opening for an experienced case manager (18+ months of day-to-day case management experience working with adults receiving direct services and/or high school students transitioning into college). The Career Navigator provides case management for about 100 adult students and guides them through […]
View MoreBy Jeff Sanchez | JUNE 1, 2022 You never know what you’re capable of until your back is against the wall. That’s what it took for Stephanie Berman to realize her full potential. In her thirties, Stephanie fled an abusive marriage with her life and her three children. Thrust into the role of sole provider, […]
View MorePictured left: Estrella Saldana; top right: Estrella and her parents; bottom right: Estrella and her Career Navigator, Tonia Gooden By Jeff Sanchez | MAY 19, 2022 One of Estrella Saldana’s earliest memories is of bringing in groceries from the car. Her mom would place one small item in a grocery bag and let her drag […]
View MoreAPRIL 8, 2022 Below is a transcript of Gabrielle’s Aurora Alworth Award acceptance speech at the 2022 Celebration of Achievements held virtually on March 1, 2022. Watch the slide presentation and listen to her speech here: YouTube Event Recording » Good afternoon, friends: My name is Gabrielle Michelle Shepherd, and I am a Registered Nurse […]
View MoreFrom Left: Alyssia Palacios-Woods, Eva Rios-Lleverino, and Steve Jackobs. MARCH 30, 2022 Contact: Amy Silvey, Director of Development and Communications 512-485-9353, asilvey@capitalidea.org Upcoming Transitions at Capital IDEA Capital IDEA announces Alyssia Palacios-Woods as its new Executive Director, effective July 1. Founding Executive Director, Steve Jackobs, is stepping down on March 31 to devote himself to […]
View MoreHammurabi (left) sits down with Capital IDEA alum Heriberto Gonzales (right). By Jeff Sanchez | MARCH 15, 2022 Hammurabi Bueno doesn’t like sitting still. Landing a desk job was never a dream of his. “I’m a person that likes to be hands-on and build things.” Of the many careers sponsored by Capital IDEA, power technology […]
View MoreFEBRUARY 21, 2022 BIG NEWS — Residents of Travis County and/or City of Austin have until September 2022 to qualify under our NEW income guidelines and secure their seats in our Career Expressway program. The Career Expressway offers full tuition assistance, textbooks, and more. Residents who apply and get accepted during this temporary extension period […]
View MoreJANUARY 13, 2022 Contact: Amy Silvey, Director of Development and Communications 512-485-9353, asilvey@capitalidea.org Capital IDEA announces the retirement of founding Executive Director, Steve Jackobs AUSTIN, TEXAS – JANUARY 13, 2022 – After serving as Capital IDEA’s Executive Director since 1998, Steve Jackobs announced his plan to retire in August of this year. “After more than […]
View More“Capital IDEA makes individuals stronger so that they can do the work that makes our community stronger.” – Stephanie Mbulu By Jeff Sanchez | DECEMBER 7, 2021 From early on, Stephanie Mbulu had the heart to help others. “My mother would joke that I came out of the womb wanting to help people,” but it wasn’t until […]
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