Centaurus senior Addisu: Future affordable housing engineer

The Earl and Barbara Bolton Scholarship recipient will attend University of Colorado at Boulder next year.

Addisu McCormick is thinking big. This fall, he’ll begin studying architectural engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder in hopes of eventually using his degree to design affordable housing.

“I want to create solutions that give people a better shot at stability and at building generational wealth,” he said.

Addisu’s long-term goals are deeply personal. Born in Ethiopia, he was adopted to the United States after his birth mother died and religious conflict made it unsafe for him to stay. He’s seen firsthand how opportunity is unequally distributed and how much it matters.

“If you look back at history, you see how homeownership was out of reach for many communities, especially Black families. That affected our ability to build wealth and pass it on,” he said. “I want to help change that, so families don’t just survive but get a real chance to grow and thrive.”

“I want to create solutions that give people a better shot at stability and at building generational wealth.”

A scholarship’s impact

Receiving the Earl and Barbara Bolton Scholarship through Impact on Education has brought that future closer. 

“When I saw the email, I thought it was another interview,” Addisu recalled. “Then I saw the word ‘Congratulations,’ and my mind just blew up. I rushed home to tell my mom and said, ‘I got a scholarship!’ Even my dog was jumping up and down. It was a moment I’ll never forget.”

For Addisu, the financial support matters, but so does the vote of confidence.

“Receiving this scholarship means other people believe in me. That’s the biggest part,” he said. “It reassures me that I’m on the right path.”

The Earl and Barbara Bolton Scholarship is one of several awards Impact on Education grants each year to Boulder Valley School District graduates. The Boltons — a Boulder-born couple who shared a love for education, aviation, and service — left a bequest to Impact on Education that now supports students like Addisu. The $5,000 scholarship is renewable for up to four years, for a total of $20,000.

“Receiving this scholarship means other people believe in me. That’s the biggest part… It reassures me that I’m on the right path.”

Ready for a fresh start

Addisu is most excited about starting college life and meeting new people. “When I was younger, it was hard for me socially,” he said. “I didn’t speak the language when I first got here, and there was no one to translate. By the end of 8th grade, I caught up thanks to the support from my parents and teachers. At college, no one will know my background. I’m looking forward to the fresh start.”

That mix of resilience and optimism is part of what makes Addisu’s journey so compelling. Whether he’s researching 3D-printed concrete homes or thinking deeply about the importance of staying close to his family, he brings both heart and purpose to his goals. Being able to attend CU Boulder lets him do both: pursue an innovative career in architectural engineering and remain near the people who raised him.

“I want to stay close to my parents. But I also want to grow and give back,” he said. “This scholarship is helping me do both.”

BEFORE YOU GO

Impact on Education is an independent non-profit supporting the Boulder Valley School District. We depend on the generosity of our community to put our mission into action.

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