Creating Meaningful, Individualized Employment Experiences at New Altitude
Written by Jenn Strehlow, New Altitude Director of Operations
Our partnership with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) has been one of the most meaningful and energizing aspects of life at New Altitude. From the beginning, our goal has never been to simply offer internships, but to intentionally create paid, meaningful employment experiences where individuals can learn, contribute, and be recognized for what they do best. Through this partnership, we’ve seen how powerful it is when employment is shaped around strengths, interests, and thoughtful support—and how much our organization benefits as a result.
Each of our UCCS interns works one paid shift per week, and even within that limited time, the growth has been remarkable. We’ve been intentional about asking the interns what would make their experience meaningful to them and then building opportunities around those answers.
Meet the Interns
Evie’s creativity shines at New Altitude. Her favorite class at UCCS is creative writing, and her favorite thing to write is poetry. In addition to writing, she enjoys painting of all types, but especially abstract artwork. To engage her love of writing, she is leading New Altitude’s internal newsletter, giving her a real outlet to practice her craft while contributing something of real value to our community. As part of that work, she has helped update the contact list, checked email, and created designs in Canva, though the writing portion was her favorite part.
Be sure to subscribe to New Altitude’s newsletter to read Evie’s contribution in the May!
Isaiah’s extroverted and friendly nature makes him an asset at New Altitude, where he is able to meet lots of new people. He says “It’s hard to chose a favorite part,” because he enjoys his work so much. One skill he has improved on since starting his internship is customer service through answering the phone. The first time he took a call he was nervous, but with the practice he’s had he is feeling more confident. He hopes to meet even more people before the semester ends!
Caden is a visual arts major, and he has been able to apply his artistic eye to a variety of design projects at New Altitude. He learned digital art last semester and brought that new knowledge to creating designs in Canva like a calendar with everyone’s schedules and a poster for an event. Caden also has been creating paper plate awards that bring creativity, connection, and joy into how we recognize one another at work. His confidence in himself as an employee has grown since starting at New Altitude. When he began it was a little tough at first since it was his first time working at a front desk, but he got the hang of it because he wants to help people.
Connor is a senior at UCCS majoring in tv production and photography and has put his knowledge into practice by helping produce a video for New Altitude, which you can watch here. In addition to enjoying production, he loves getting to know people and being in a good community, which is at the heart of New Altitude. His organization skills have also come in handy for completing task lists during his shifts. Connor is also one of the sharpest dressed interns, coming into his shifts with a blazer and a tie, carrying a confident professionalism in his demeanor.
Skill development happens in both structured and organic ways. Role‑playing has become a favorite learning tool, helping interns practice workplace interactions in a supportive, low‑pressure environment. Watching job coaches work alongside students during these moments—coaching, encouraging, and celebrating progress—has been a highlight for our entire team. New Altitude has become a place where interns don’t just learn tasks, but experience what it feels like to belong, to be trusted, and to shine.
This commitment to meaningful employment extends beyond our current UCCS interns. Ryan, a valued member of the New Altitude team, works four days a week and is a graduate of the same UCCS program our interns come from. With Ryan, our focus has been on real‑world communication and independence skills that are often assumed rather than taught. Together, we’ve worked on understanding workplace boundaries, appropriate timing for communication, and expanding how he connects with others. One of the most impactful milestones has been Ryan learning to text—an everyday skill for many, but one that has significantly changed how others are able to interact with him. That single skill has opened doors to connection, inclusion, and stronger workplace relationships.
At New Altitude, we believe meaningful employment is not one‑size‑fits‑all. Whether someone is working one paid shift a week or four days a week, the goal is the same: to create an environment where people are supported, challenged, and valued for their contributions. This work matters deeply to the individuals involved—but it also matters to us. When our interns and team members succeed, our organization succeeds. We gain creativity, perspective, reliability, and a stronger sense of community. We are better because of the people who work here, and we’re proud to be a place where growth is intentional, strengths are elevated, and success is shared.
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