Arapahoe Community College’s Sturm Collaboration Campus

Program Description:  

The Sturm Collaboration Campus brings together educational, business, and community needs to enable innovative delivery of industry-aligned education. The campus is a joint venture between Arapahoe Community College, Town of Castle Rock, Castle Rock Economic Development Council, Colorado State University (CSU), and Douglas County School District. Pillared by partnership, innovation, pathways, and sustainability, the campus offers degrees and certificates within business, health, math, science, and technology. The campus is built on the idea that high school, college, and career shouldn’t be separate systems — but one connected pathway. Learners in the Castle Rock region can use high school classes and community college credits to build a seamless pathway toward associate and bachelor’s degrees. Wraparound supports, a small business development center, and local workforce development resources are co-located to support learner success. 

The campus offers Associate degree programs in Accounting, Biology, Business, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Health & Exercise Science, Physical Therapist Assistant, Pre-Nursing, Psychology, Public Health, Math, and Secure Software Development. Bachelor’s degree programs include Accounting and Computer Information Systems with a Cybersecurity emphasis, offered via an on-site partnership with Colorado State University Pluebo. 

Impact: 

The Sturm Collaboration Campus is a cross-sector partnership aimed at creating a seamless experience for learners as they move through the education and workforce systems. The campus has been recognized nationally as a leading real-world example of the “Big Blur” (a term coined by Jobs for the Future), where the traditional lines between K-12, community college, university, and workforce dissolve into a single, navigable experience. This collaboration allows learners to earn college credits and industry credentials while still in high school and at little to no cost. These credentials equip learners with the skills needed to enter the workforce and meet industry demands. 

The focus on creating clear transfer pathways has increased enrollments for Arapahoe Community College and CSU in high-demand fields such as accounting and cybersecurity. The partnership has increased the number of new apprenticeship opportunities and workforce partnerships offered. The learner-centered schedule is built to be compatible with work, apprenticeships, and internships, allowing learners to take full advantage of these opportunities. Concurrent Enrollment also lowers the overall cost of college for participating high school students.  

The campus has many talent pipeline partnerships, including a deep partnership with AdventHealth, which helps design programs, so students graduate with the skills local industry needs — education built with industry, not just for it. There is also an emerging partnership with the Colorado Space Institute, expanding aerospace and space-related programming.  

Population Served: 

High school students via Concurrent Enrollment, traditional and returning college students, career changes and adult learners earning industry credentials, employers seeking a local talent pipeline or workforce training partner, educators, nonprofits, and local government. 

Learn more here.

Page last updated in August 2026