Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning: Building Thriving Intercultural Communities

Founded in 1979, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to building thriving intercultural communities through learning, language access, and advocacy. Located at 1373 Grant St., the institute envisions a world where all communities embrace the integration of newcomers and are enriched by the cultural diversity of their entire population. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are at the heart of Spring Institute’s mission.

A History of Welcoming and Support

Initially established to provide intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) training for international students, Spring Institute quickly expanded its focus to meet the needs of the emerging refugee resettlement network. Over the past 40+ years, the organization has grown substantially, offering a range of services for linguistically and culturally diverse refugees, immigrants, and low-income families, from early childhood to older adulthood.

Comprehensive Programs and Services

Spring Institute’s programs and services are designed to build pathways to success for individuals - including refugees and immigrants - and the organizations that serve and employ them. These programs encompass various areas, including adult education, early childhood and youth programs, cultural resource navigation, and language access.

Adult Education and Career Pathways

Spring Institute provides a range of literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, helping learners strengthen their digital skills and prepare for life and work in the United States. Free and convenient classes are offered in person, online, and in hybrid formats to help adult students pursue personal and professional goals. In person classes are located in Aurora and East Denver. The Adult Education program offers free ESL Classes for all skill levels with formats varying by class offering (in person, online, and hybrid).

The Career Pathways program offers free career coaching services and employment readiness workshops to help students achieve their career goals. Services include job search support, resume writing, and interview practice. The Career Pathways program also has services geared towards assisting internationally trained healthcare professionals as they reclaim their careers in Colorado.

Allie Needham is the Senior Manager for Adult Education and Career Pathways, overseeing all of Spring Institute’s Adult Education and Career Pathway Services programs. Adult Education classes include English Language Acquisition classes contextualized for employment readiness, older adult life skills, and digital skills for parents. Career Pathway Services include Colorado Welcome Back, a long-standing program of Spring Institute designed to help internationally trained healthcare professionals reclaim their medical careers, the Colorado Works for International Physicians (CO-WIP) partnership with Denver Health, and the Education Career Pathways Coaching Program, which supports immigrants navigating employment in the education sector. Allie oversees a team of instructors and career coaches, who teach classes and guide participants through steps for re-licensure, conduct short and long-term goal planning, navigate resources, and lead workshops centered around job readiness skills. She also actively builds and maintains close partnerships with public schools, libraries, nonprofits, and businesses which host classes; as well as with healthcare providers and education industry professionals throughout Greater Denver and the Front Range.

The "Bridging the Gap" medical interpreter training is one of the courses offered, providing invaluable skills and insights that participants can carry forward in their careers. Completing the Bridging the Gap medical interpreter training through The Interpreter Network is an incredible experience- super efficient and effective training. The Bridging the Gap medical interpreter training is engaging and well-structured, helping participants learn so much and feel much more confident now as a future interpreter.

Pejmon Pourriahi is working with learners of all ages. He first joined Spring Institute as an Adult Education part-time instructor in February 2020, but his class was curtailed due to the onset of the pandemic. He returned in September 2021 and became a Lead Instructor and Career Coach in fall of 2022. Diana Chiriboga-Flor joined Spring Institute as an instructor for the English and Digital Literacy for Parents class at Paris Elementary in February 2022. She soon transitioned to Lead Instructor and Student Navigator and, as of July 2023, serves as Curriculum and Instructional Design Coordinator for the Adult Education and Career Pathways Program. Jocelyne Bisimwa joined Spring Institute as Adult Education Lead Instructor in August 2021. Zarir Faizi joined Spring Institute as an ESL Lead Instructor in November of 2025, bringing with him a deep-seated passion for English language education. Jenny Jessup joined Spring Institute in May 2023 in the Career Pathways Services Program. She supports immigrants and refugees navigating employment in the healthcare and education sectors, including the Colorado Welcome Back program designed to help internationally trained healthcare professionals reclaim their medical careers. Vanessa Travieso joined Spring Institute in August 2023 as the Nursing Program Coordinator & Career Coach for Colorado Welcome Back. Vanessa Lupercio is the IMG Program Coordinator and Career Coach at Spring Institute. Bea Hussainzada joined Spring Institute as an Adult Education Cultural Navigator in January of 2025.

Early Childhood and Youth Programs

Spring Institute recognizes the importance of early childhood education and offers programs that support young children and their families. These programs often include community-based family learning initiatives. Spring Institute offers youth programs in the neighborhood where we live and during times that are good for us.

Khatira Amn is Spring Institute’s Senior Policy Advocate for Early Childhood, a role that she was promoted to in November of 2023 after previously serving as Early Childhood Education Policy Advocate and Early Childhood Education Policy Associate. She works to improve the lives of dual language learner children, families, and educators by influencing legislators’ and policymakers’ opinions and activities. Khatira initially joined Spring Institute in August 2018 as an instructor for Ready Tots, an early childhood community-based family learning program.

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Cultural Resource Navigation

Cultural resource navigation services help immigrants and refugees connect with the resources they need to thrive in their new communities. These services can include assistance with accessing healthcare, education, and other essential services.

Language Access: The Interpreter Network

The Interpreter Network by Spring Institute provides interpretation and translation services, ensuring that individuals with limited English proficiency can access vital information and services. Taking into account the interpretation and translation service providers in The Interpreter Network by Spring Institute, we collectively know over 100 languages. The Interpreter Network is a great place to work. The Interpreter Network by Spring Institute did a wonderful job partnering with us to prepare materials for family outreach events. Our interpreter from The Interpreter Network was great to work with and his expertise made our event much more inclusive.

Advocacy for Systemic Change

Spring Institute actively advocates for policy changes that support immigrants and refugees, working to create a more welcoming and inclusive community. Spring Institute does a great job connecting new immigrants and refugees with the Colorado community through education, intercultural and other skill-oriented training, and advocacy. Spring Institute is a small but impactful organization full of change agents advocating for intercultural learning and awareness and immigrant and refugee communities. Amanda Bent oversees the organization’s advocacy efforts as well as communications and outreach initiatives supporting the range of programs and services fulfilling the mission to build a thriving intercultural community through learning, language access, and advocacy.

A Dedicated Team

Spring Institute’s full and part-time staff, Board of Directors, program participants, and volunteers embody a range of perspectives from within the welcoming intercultural community reflecting diverse cultural identities and linguistic aptitudes. Many have firsthand or familial lived experience as immigrants or refugees. Countries of origin represented within the Spring Institute network include Afghanistan, Benin, Burma, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Mexico, Paraguay, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Uganda, Tanzania, and the United States.

Key personnel include:

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Paula Schriefer, President & CEO: Responsible for Spring Institute’s overall financial health, strategic direction, and programmatic success.
Rita Harding, Chief Operating Officer: Oversees the business operations of the organization including finance, administration, fee-for-service programs, human resources, and legal services.
Tara Raju, Director of Programs: Responsible for overseeing Spring Institute’s direct service programs in adult education, early childhood education and youth programming, cultural resource navigation, and language access.
Hanae Ogura: Brings over 14 years of bookkeeping and accounting experience to Spring Institute and is highly proficient in QuickBooks and related software.

Impact and Testimonials

Spring Institute has had a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals and families. The organization's work has been praised by program participants, community partners, and other stakeholders.

One individual shared, "Thank you for motivating me to pursue my dream of revalidating my degree and obtaining my medical license here in the United States. I’m so happy to have found this organization, as it has had such a significant impact on my life, it marks a before and after for me."
Another participant noted, “Without [my Career Coach's] invaluable help in organizing my steps, I wouldn't have been able to achieve my goals."
An immigrant stated, "As an immigrant, it was very important for me to have the information and knowledge that Spring Institute gave me. They helped me a lot to write a resume, told me how to behave in interviews, helped answer many questions."
A community member expressed, "Spring Institute is such a wonderful and amazing organization! I love what they do and how they help the community and the people in it."
"Spring Institute offers youth programs in the neighborhood where we live and during times that are good for us. Our parents trust the staff and so do we."
A partner organization affirmed, "Spring Institute is a great partner with other community organizations. I appreciate the collaborative work and important work to be done with immigrants and refugees."

These testimonials highlight the transformative impact of Spring Institute’s programs and services.

A Call to Action

In these divisive political times, Spring Institute’s work to make Colorado an inclusive, thriving intercultural community is more important than ever. The organization relies on the support of donors, volunteers, and community partners to continue its vital work. Your donation to Spring Institute will help us build brighter futures for individuals and foster more inclusive organizations. Spring Institute offers a variety of flexible volunteer opportunities that make a difference in the lives of students, support our instructors, and strengthen the welcoming community!

Embracing Diversity and Inclusion

Spring Institute envisions a world in which all communities embrace the integration of newcomers and are enriched by the cultural diversity of their entire population. The organization strives to create and maintain a work environment where all individuals are treated with respect and prohibits all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment.

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