Debra Zarecky

Hardly a newcomer to Colorado College, Debra Zarecky started at CC in 2005 as the office coordinator in the Dean of Students Office. After a short stint managing the Chaplain’s Office last year, Zarecky is now the director of parent and family relations.

A graduate of Allegheny College, a small liberal arts school, Zarecky moved to Colorado Springs from Pittsburgh. With a love for the environment and education of a liberal arts college, she remembers seeing the CC campus and thinking, “That would be a great place to work . . .”

Aside from her experience in the liberal arts, Zarecky also has a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh. Before coming to Colorado College, she held jobs that included running a desktop publishing company and teaching in Pittsburgh for the federally funded Head Start program for at-risk preschool children.

In her new role, Zarecky will focus on developing relationships with the families of current students; she will be based in the President’s Office so her work can have a wider scope. “My job is to facilitate a sense of connection to the Colorado College community for parents and families, whether they live close by or far away,” she explained.

Zarecky knows what it is like for the families of current students. “I have a daughter who just finished her freshman year in college, so I understand how families of college students operate. I also have a rather comprehensive perspective on the student experience at Colorado College from my previous roles here. I think I can help parents access the resources that will assist them in guiding their students if and when they run into challenges.”

Zarecky can be contacted at parents@coloradocollege.edu or (719) 389-6103.