When Ruth Woldemichael arrived at DSST: Cole in 2012, she was becoming part of something brand new. As a member of Cole's founding class, she joined DSST when the network was just three 6-12 schools, "or really 2.5," as she puts it, since Cole was still being built around her class.
After graduating in 2018, Woldemichael headed to CU Boulder, where she earned degrees in International Affairs and Ethnic Studies with a minor in Spanish.
“My interdisciplinary education took me from economics and international politics to language and social movements,” she said. “...Between academics, studying abroad (in Ecuador), and student organizing with the Black Student Alliance, I was introduced to storytelling, advocacy and communications before I even understood they could become my career.”
After college, she returned to DSST, this time as a staff member. Working alongside educators she once called Mr. and Ms. gave her an entirely new lens on the community that shaped her.
"Coming back to DSST was a full-circle experience," Woldemichael said. "It gave me an entirely new appreciation for the work happening behind the scenes to create opportunities for students. I'm so grateful to the DSST team for giving me the chance to pour back into the community that poured so much into me."
Her time at DSST also deepened her understanding of what communications could actually do. She had always loved storytelling (just ask any of her former teachers from her spoken word days). But what drew her toward it as a career was realizing that stories could do more than inform, spread awareness or generate likes and views.
"They could shift perspectives, build community and drive meaningful change," she said. "I originally envisioned a career in law but discovered that communications offered another way to combine my passions for creativity and social impact."
That conviction now drives her work at the Sachs Foundation, where she works as the Director of Communications & Alumni Engagement. Now her work centers around some big questions: How do we tell our story? Who are we reaching, and who are we missing? How do we turn our mission into meaningful engagement and impact?
"I enjoy building," she said, "whether developing something from the ground up or reimagining what's already in motion. I love having a hand in the entire process, from big-picture strategy to creative execution."
For current DSST students and recent alumni still figuring out what comes next, Woldemichael's advice is less a roadmap and more an invitation.
"Have fun! Laugh. Explore. Travel. Take an unexpected, unrequired class. Join a club. Pursue opportunities outside your comfort zone. Apply for that job!" she said. "Some of my most formative experiences were ones I never planned for or even took seriously. Don't feel pressured to have everything figured out. The truth is, none of us really do. Build friendships that grow with you. Find mentors who become trusted friends, and be that person for someone else. Invest in yourself. Enjoy your now. Trust that the rest will fall into place as it's meant to."