Community College of Aurora president gets his steps in to raise money for students

Community College of Aurora (CCA) President Mordecai Brownlee completed a grueling 71-mile hike along the High Line Canal from Monday to Wednesday this week as part of a fundraising effort to support his students. The ambitious trek, which amounted to roughly a marathon each day, aimed to raise at least $40,000 for the college's emergency aid program.

Brownlee's initiative is part of a broader strategy to fill the financial gap left by the expiration of federal pandemic relief funds, which had previously allowed the institution to expand its emergency aid budget from a couple of thousand dollars in 2019-20 to approximately $1 million during the pandemic.

The walk is an innovative approach to raising awareness and funds, as demonstrated by other campus leaders who have undertaken similar fundraising efforts. Brownlee initially organized the High Line Canal hike last year and plans to continue the event for at least a couple of more years, despite joining Colorado State University next semester.

At CCA, about 13,900 students are enrolled, and 43% qualify for free federal need-based Pell grants. Roughly half of the students are the first in their family to attend college, and recent surveys reveal that 64% of students face food insecurity, while about 20% missed classes due to lack of transportation. With federal budget cuts resulting in reduced overall government assistance, Brownlee and CCA Vice President of Student Success Reyna Anaya noted that students are increasingly struggling with higher costs for housing, food, and gas.

The college's emergency aid program has grown significantly since 2019-20. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, the school's foundation allocated $55,000 to support the fund, up from $8,000 the previous year. The college has also secured additional funding sources, including a $10,000 grant awarded to CCA last year for student affairs administrators.

Last year, the emergency grants enabled 141 students to receive financial assistance for housing, transportation, childcare, utilities, and other expenses. Importantly, every student who received the aid continued their studies, according to Brownlee. Brownlee is motivated to continue the hike despite experiencing discomfort in his legs, as he firmly believes that ensuring students' financial stability should not impede their pursuit of education and dreams.