Capital IDEA Blog

Graduate Spotlight: This Is My Opportunity To Step Up

By Jeff Sanchez | APRIL 29, 2020 “If I have the skills, what am I doing sitting back?” There is a sense of purpose and conviction in Irene’s voice as she expresses that sentiment from her hotel room in New Jersey. Irene Reyna, Capital IDEA alumnae, just spent the day settling into what will be […]

Graduate Spotlight: If You Want to Be a Nurse — This Is the Time!

By Jeff Sanchez | APRIL 3, 2020 While many of us are sheltering-in-place at home, Ytzayana Macias puts on her scrubs and goes to work. She is a Medical Surgical Nurse at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. “Feels a bit eerie. There are no visitors allowed in the hospital. We have been very intensely […]

We accept applications and documents online.

How to Apply Online

Online Application Process: 4 Steps To Apply Hello & Welcome! Follow the steps below to apply for Capital IDEA’s Career Expressway program. If you don’t have reliable internet access, you can request a paper packet. Requests and questions are answered through our HELPLINE: 512-485-9350 or info@capitalidea.org Step 1. Get to Know Us — CareerUp Info […]

Partner Spotlight: Gray & Becker, P.C.

By Jeff Sanchez | MARCH 13, 2020 Nonprofits do great work that can benefit an entire community. In doing so, they sometimes face unique situations and challenges for which trusted legal counsel becomes indispensable. When you think of a nonprofit, their need for legal guidance may not immediately come to mind. Still, it is vital […]

Graduate Spotlight: Alondra Rodriguez, Aurora Alworth Spirit Award

MARCH 13, 2020 This year’s Aurora Alworth Spirit award was given to Alondra Rodriguez. Although Alondra couldn’t be there in person to accept the award on March 5, 2020, she prepared and shared her story ahead of our event. About the Aurora Alworth Award: skip to Alondra’s story The Aurora Alworth Spirit Award was […]

Graduate Spotlight: Aida Nacro, Mark Melliar-Smith Leadership Award

MARCH 11, 2020 This spotlight is a transcript of the acceptance speech given by Aida Nacro at the Capital IDEA Celebration of Achievements luncheon on March 5, 2020. Aida received the Mark Melliar-Smith Leadership Award, presented by Alyssia Palacio-Woods. AWARD PRESENTATION skip to Aida’s speech Hello, My name is Alyssia Palacio-Woods. I am President & […]

Graduate Spotlight: Hard Work Pays Off

MARCH 11, 2020 This spotlight is a transcript of the keynote speech Jaime Martinez gave on March 5, 2020 at Capital IDEA’s Celebration of Achievements luncheon. When you look back at your life, who are the people that believed in you the most? My name is Jaime Martinez, and I have been fortunate enough to […]

Graduate Spotlight: Representing in Every Field

By Jeff Sanchez | FEBRUARY 19, 2020 Caprice Boxton is an Austinite through and through. Her family has lived here for generations, dating back to the late 1800s. Caprice says she “grew up in Austin living a normal life.” She graduated from LBJ High School, and like a lot of people, she struggled to figure […]

Graduate Spotlight: They Found A Better Way

By Jeff Sanchez | JANUARY 17, 2020 Student loan debt is a real problem. According to a 2019 article in Forbes magazine, student loan debt in America has hit 1.5 trillion dollars.[1] Saddling new graduates with debt can have serious consequences for their futures. New graduates often have to settle for lower-paying jobs so they […]

Graduate Spotlight: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

By Jeff Sanchez | DECEMBER 18, 2019 It was a long road for Lud Guerrero to get where she is now. In a society that values instant results, such as free 2-day shipping, and drive-thru windows, it takes a special kind of courage to keep fighting when things take longer than expected. Lud never expected […]

Partner Spotlight: St. David’s Foundation

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 6, 2019 If you live in the Austin area, but haven’t heard of the St. David’s Foundation, there’s a good chance you’ve seen their funding at work. Perhaps you’ve taken a stroll on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail over Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin, […]

Graduate Spotlight: Just Keep Showing Up

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2, 2019 Amber Bothne’s journey through nursing school was anything but easy. “I felt like I was challenged every step of the way.” Her experiences during nursing school would have kept most people from finishing. Yet, while the obstacles kept piling on, Amber believed that if she just kept […]

Partner Spotlight: Hindu Charities for America

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 Education is a powerful thing. It can open doors that were once thought to be non-existent, and it can change the trajectory of a person’s life. The people at Hindu Charities for America (HC4A) know this and believe it wholeheartedly because they lived it. “Most of us […]

Graduate Spotlight: Giving Up Is Not An Option

By Jeff Sanchez | PUBLISHED AUGUST 21, 2019 “You can’t give up.” Jessica Jaimes holds this motto close to her heart and strives to live it out on a daily basis. It would have been easy for her to give up, and after enduring what she described as a “horrible and abusive” relationship, and the […]

Graduate Spotlight: I’m Not Going Down Those Old Roads

PUBLISHED APRIL 15, 2019 GRADUATE SPEAKER Jeremy spoke at Captial IDEA’s Celebration of Achievements in February 2019 and was featured in Capital IDEA’s 2018 Annual Report. Good afternoon, my name is Jeremy Acosta and I’m honored to be here as a Capital IDEA alumn and one of the first graduates to come from the IT […]