Stand Up. Stand Out.

A Message from Executive Board President Sara Taketatsu

Dear COSLI Community,

In 2015, our beloved organization became a state-codified program in the Colorado State Capitol. To get to that point, many stewards rallied support for a fledgling summer residential program that would eventually bring together hundreds of high school students committed to their education and to the future of the state they called home. I was fortunate to be a member of the first Student Advisory Board, created to ensure student perspectives helped shape the program from the outset. As a group, we discussed the importance of gaining familiarity with a college campus, developing leadership skills, building community with our peers, and connecting with leaders across Colorado.
Since then, COSLI has upheld the tradition of the Governor’s Schools by providing high-quality, multidisciplinary education to students from across the state.
I am humbled to be back, now serving as a leader on the COSLI Board as the organization begins a bright new chapter. As COSLI transitions from a state-codified program to an independent nonprofit, we remain committed to supporting students who want to tackle the toughest issues facing society today. COSLI helps develop leaders who can think across disciplines, engage seriously with differing perspectives, and work together through disagreement. We are thrilled to welcome the COSLI Class of 2027 to an on-campus experience that builds on the program’s last decade of success and helps students thrive as citizens, thinkers, and leaders.
More than a decade ago, COSLI trusted a group of high school students to help imagine what this program could become. As we begin this next chapter, I know we will continue that tradition by treating students as respected voices in shaping their communities and the future around them.
With gratitude,
Sara Taketatsu