CHSAA Partners with ASCSU to Provide Fellowship Opportunities

When high school students talk about leadership, the conversation usually centers on their school campus – student council meetings, community service projects, or spirit week planning. But what happens when student leaders step onto a college campus and into the halls where real policy decisions are made? For 25 high school juniors and seniors across Colorado, that’s exactly what the Quentin Fellowship delivers.

A joint initiative of the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) and the Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU), the Quentin Fellowship is more than a conference or workshop. It is a two-day immersive experience designed to bridge high school and collegiate leadership, offering students an inside look at what it means to lead at the next level.
 

A Partnership Rooted in Purpose

The Quentin Fellowship reflects the missions of both organizations. CHSAA champions education-based participation, emphasizing teamwork, integrity, and inclusion. ASCSU promotes advocacy, service, and student voice. Together, they built a program to inspire, mentor, and equip young leaders with skills that will serve them well beyond high school.

For Eaglecrest High School graduate, ASCSU President, and program founder Jakye Nunley, the idea for the fellowship grew from a moment of connection.

“After attending the CHSAA All-In Leadership Conference, as a guest speaker, I held a conversation with one of the attendees who prompted the idea of ‘shadowing’ collegiate student government leaders,” Nunley explained. “That gave me space to recognize that a program like this didn’t exist, but it could provide immense value to the next set of prospective Rams who are invested in becoming great leaders. Colorado State University should be the first to implement such a program, keeping us ahead in every regard and truly elevating our brand and value.”
 

Immersion in Leadership

The fellowship begins the moment students step off the bus at CSU. Over two days, Fellows experience a carefully curated agenda: shadowing ASCSU departments, observing live cabinet and senate meetings, joining a mock decision-making simulation, and networking with campus leaders.

Day one highlights include observing the executive cabinet and attending a live senate meeting. Students don’t just watch – they are paired with mentors who explain the process and invite questions in real time. Day two offers reflection, campus exploration, and opportunities to translate their experiences into personal growth.

Nunley emphasizes that this design is intentional: “It’s imperative that students have applied learning moments during this program that inform their leadership philosophy. At ASCSU we pride ourselves on holding true to leadership through mentorship and building strong communities. It was a no-brainer for us to shape the program around those ideals. These elements complement each other in every way, because a good leadership philosophy is informed by both.”
 

The Pillars of the Program

The Quentin Fellowship is built on five key pillars:

1. Leadership Development – Fellows practice leading with integrity and purpose, learning how diverse voices can unite toward common goals.
2. Mentorship – Each student is paired with collegiate mentors who share insights, encouragement, and feedback.
3. Exposure to Higher Education – By experiencing CSU’s campus and culture, Fellows envision what leadership can look like after high school graduation.
4. Cultural Preservation – Students explore how traditions and values sustain institutions and create legacies.
5. Community Impact – Fellows leave with a “Leadership in Action” plan, designed to bring lessons back to their home schools and communities.

For Nunley, that last pillar is central.

“Fostering the ‘next’ of anything is an act of mentorship and leadership that is critical to ensuring the rich history and cultural customs of a lineage, culture, or organization are preserved,” he said. “It is important that CSU leaders pour into the next generation of great leaders and successors. This also permits students great exposure to the land-grant institution that so many of us know and love, and supports our efforts in student retention.”
 

Building Soft Skills for Life

The fellowship emphasizes CHSAA’s model of education-based participation and belonging –  reminding students that leadership is as much about who you are becoming as what you accomplish.

“Communication expectations look different in a professional setting, as do resilience and empathy,” Nunley said. “These are things our students will need if they continue on a leadership trajectory at the universities they plan to attend. Soft skills versus hard skills is an ongoing debate, but having applied knowledge of best practices when demonstrating soft skills can also better inform your approach to attaining hard skills.”

By engaging in reflection sessions, mentoring conversations, and collaborative workshops, students practice those very skills – preparing themselves to thrive in both college and community life.
 

Beyond the Event

Perhaps the most important part of the program is what happens afterward. Fellows are challenged to take their experiences home – creating service projects, mentoring younger students, and modeling the values they saw in action.

“Simple,” Nunley said. “I hope that students care enough to leave the door open a little longer for someone else to get through. I didn’t necessarily have anyone holding the door open for me, though I had excellent navigators. I hope the Fellows develop the desire to create good experiences for others that will help them be successful and do things ‘best, not better.’ What good are the doors you open, if you close them behind you?”
 

Why It Matters

The Quentin Fellowship underscores what education-based participation can achieve. By combining CHSAA’s statewide reach with ASCSU’s collegiate platform, the program strengthens the pipeline of young leaders who understand that leadership is more than being elected to a position. It is listening, learning, and serving.

For students, the impact is personal and profound. Many describe the experience as their first real glimpse into higher education leadership – and a moment that reshaped their view of what’s possible.

For schools and communities, the impact is collective. Fellows return with new strategies, stronger networks, and renewed motivation to invest in their peers.
 

Looking Ahead

As the Quentin Fellowship prepares for its upcoming session, Nunley is energized by the possibilities.

“I am excited to welcome the Fellows in October to campus,” he said. “We have an exciting stay planned for all the students who are ready to elevate and take the next step in their leadership journey.”

Like any program, sustaining momentum is both the challenge and the opportunity. The vision is to expand participation in future years, build stronger alumni networks, and deepen collaboration with other universities.

“Programs like this remind us that leadership isn’t an abstract skill,” Nunley reflected. “It’s lived. It’s practiced. And it can be taught when we give students meaningful opportunities to step into it.”

The Quentin Fellowship is a reminder of what happens when organizations invest in young leaders with intentionality. By bridging high school and college leadership, CHSAA and ASCSU are preparing students not just to serve on councils or in classrooms, but to shape the future of their communities with courage and purpose.

For the Fellows, it’s more than an event. It’s a beginning.
 

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If you would like to learn more about the program or attend the event, contact CHSAA Assistant Commissioner Rashaan Davis (rashaan@chsaa.org).