DENVER’S CAMPOS FOUNDATION EXTENDS ITS GENEROSITY TO RJ  

The two RJ Campos Scholars join 7,000 other students a year who are impacted in some way by the Campos Foundation, which is dedicated to creating opportunities for marginalized students who are interested in pursuing education and future work in STEM fields. Their focused generosity results in scores of graduates every year pursuing STEM degrees at universities across Colorado. 

Campos is setting a powerful example. By the time he was 30, he had amassed enough capital and connections to start his empire of energy infrastructure companies, now under the umbrella of Campos Companies. Because of his humble upbringing in West Denver by a single mother, and the opportunities he received through bridge programs and scholarships, he dedicates one percent of his profits every year to the Campos Foundation, which is led by his sister Deanna Campos-Miller. Their mother is still alive to see this powerful expression of the values she instilled. 

“Especially if you’ve benefitted from support along the way—but even if you haven’t—it’s important to share your success with others who are less fortunate,” said Marco. “I wish more people, more corporations, felt the same way.” Notable Campos Foundation investments include a $5 million gift to CU Boulder, Marcos’s alma mater, to rename the CU Engineering Center and strengthen its programs; and a new $2.15 million student center at Syracuse University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science, where his son is a student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. 

Upon meeting the two RJ Campos Scholars, Blessing Ngalame ’26 and Isejah Joseph ’26, Deanna said, “We support students who we believe will make a difference in the world, and Blessing and Isejah are shining examples of that expectation. Not only are they underrepresented in STEM, they excel in their studies and set a great example for their peers. By investing in Regis Jesuit’s students, we know we are investing in the future, because the school’s curriculum and values—especially as expressed through the new Science & Innovation Center—are so relevant now and for the future.” 

 

Thanks to investments from the Campos Foundation and other generous donors, Regis Jesuit is able to support one in three students with financial aid. This brings us back to the two Campos Scholars, who eagerly express their gratitude.  

Thanks to her Campos Foundation scholarship, Blessing Ngalame says she loves the hands-on learning she is experiencing in the Science & Innovation Center. She said, “When I joined the Rocket Science class, I was expecting to be listening to lectures and looking at slideshows of rockets. But instead, we were building them! It was such an amazing experience to be able to actually create something and learn about it at the same time. This is what excites me the most when I get to school and what makes me grateful. Very few schools encourage this type of learning as much as RJ does.”  

Isejah Joseph, whose extracurricular activity includes playing on the rugby team, said, “I’m incredibly grateful to the Campos Foundation for their support. The opportunities they’ve made possible in partnership with RJ have fueled my passion for STEM and inspired me to get involved in all facets of the RJ experience. Isaac Asimov once said, ‘To brighten the light of science anywhere is to brighten it everywhere.’ The Campos Foundation has truly committed to that belief—which is something I strive to reflect in my own journey every day.”