CU Denver Partnership Earns National Award for Transforming Teacher Preparation
Julia Cummings | School of Education and Human Development Dec 11, 2025
The University of Colorado Denver, in collaboration with St. Vrain Valley School District, Red Rocks Community College, and Northeastern Junior College, has received the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP) Exemplary Partnership Award for 2025–2026. This national honor recognizes partnerships that create innovative, accessible pathways for future educators.
The award will be presented during the NACCTEP Pre-Conference at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Annual Meeting on Feb. 19, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together educator preparation leaders from across the country to celebrate transformative work in the field.
“We are thrilled to receive this national recognition,” said Marvin Lynn, PhD, dean of CU Denver’s School of Education & Human Development. “This award affirms the power of collaboration in addressing Colorado’s teacher shortage and creating pathways that are inclusive, affordable, and deeply connected to community needs.”
The award recognizes the innovative examples of 2+2+2 pathway models CU Denver has developed with districts and community colleges across the state that remove barriers for aspiring teachers, support students from diverse backgrounds, and strengthen Colorado's educator pipeline. Partnership pathways recognized include the St. Vrain Valley School District and CU Denver's P-TEACH apprenticeship program, long-standing transfer pathways with Red Rocks Community College that have helped influence and shape customized and statewide education articulation agreements for students, and Northeastern Junior College representing CU Denver’s Partnership for Rural Educator Preparation (T-PREP) program.
During the award ceremony, AACTE will recognize the following partners for their leadership and commitment to building sustainable teacher preparation pathways: Marvin Lynn, PhD, Cindy Gutierrez, PhD, and Margarita Bianco, EdD, from CU Denver; Jenning Prevatte from Red Rocks Community College; Celeste Delgado-Pelton from Northeastern Junior College; and David Baker, EdD, and Dana Curton from St. Vrain Valley School District.
As part of the award, all key partners will receive a complimentary one-year NACCTEP institutional membership, providing access to national resources, professional development, and networking opportunities.
Learn more about the NACCTEP Pre-Conference and the AACTE Annual Meeting at NACCTEP.org or AACTE.org.