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Student helps refugees and Colorado’s underserved

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Martha Chavez’s freshman-year volunteer work at Sun Valley Youth Center changed her career goals and her major at CU Denver. The center is a spark of hope in one of Colorado’s most underserved neighborhoods, a community with a large number of refugees who are striving for better schools, better jobs, better nutrition and better overall opportunities. It was here that Chavez found her purpose and her passion as she provided bilingual math tutoring at the after-school care program. A young girl looked her in the eye and casually announced, “Miss Martha, you would make the best teacher.”

CU Denver student Martha Chavez

CU Denver student Martha Chavez works with students in a local school as part of her out-of-the-classroom learning experiences. Photo by Trevr Merchant.

“It was at this moment that I realized that I wanted to interact with diverse young children in person and make an impact on their lives. I wanted to share knowledge and hope with refugee and at-risk youth when so many others just walk away.”

Soon after this experience, Chavez went to a School of Education & Human Development open house and changed her major to the BA in Education and Human Development with a concentration in Elementary Education. A year later, she added SEHD’s Human Development and Family Relations (HDFR) program as her minor. This year, she’s participating in a yearlong internship in a Denver Public Schools high-need elementary school as part of SEHD’s Denver Student Teacher Residency.

Denver Student Teacher Residency Because she is deeply committed to working with Denver’s children in the city’s classrooms, Chavez was accepted into the Denver Student Teacher Residency, a partnership between Denver Public Schools and CU Denver. Her final year at CU Denver involves paid residency work at Ashley Elementary. She will work alongside a highly qualified mentor teacher in a mixed first- and second-grade Spanish instruction class teaching science, social studies and English literacy. “I will have a lot of responsibility from the start,” said Chavez. She will create lesson plans and actively teach in the school. Chavez will also be considered a priority candidate in the Denver Public Schools hiring cycle. For more information about this opportunity, please visit studentteacherresidency.org.

Chavez was attracted to the CU Denver undergraduate program because SEHD graduates are recognized as among the most prepared in the nation to support diverse languages, cultures and abilities in the classroom. She was also impressed by SEHD’s close partnerships with local schools and community organizations, many of which are the longest running academic partnerships in the country.

Chavez loves her teacher education classes at CU Denver, where faculty make learning theories come alive. She also loves the out-of-classroom learning. “The intensive, well-supported residency work and mentoring experiences inspire me,” she said. “I go into the classrooms and feel like ‘Yes! This is what I want to do.’ And, it’s all interconnected with what I’m learning in the classroom [at CU Denver].” Chavez will graduate with more than 1,200 hours of classroom experience, hours that far exceed the average teacher training for first-year teachers.

Chavez’s passion for understanding and improving the lives of children in her future classrooms spurred the addition of her HDFR minor.  HDFR classes help Chavez remember that her students have a family life outside of school that significantly influences what goes on in the classroom. “Why not minor in something that will help me in the classroom and help me understand the children who walk into the classroom?” said Chavez.

CU Denver student Martha Chavez

Martha Chavez volunteers at a community garden that supplies fresh produce to Denver’s underserved neighborhoods. Photo by Rene Galindo.

One of Chavez’s favorite classes was called Food Justice, taught by SEHD associate professor René Galindo. “I am going to take what I have learned in this class and apply it for the rest of my life to become a better teacher,” said Chavez. “Dr. Galindo made the class impactful for all of us. He really walks the walk. He is an avid gardener, probiotic-maker, beekeeper and more. He taught us about food deserts, where within a certain radius, it’s hard to get fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s heartbreaking to see. We also saw signs of hope, like GreenLeaf Community Garden. GreenLeaf is run by high school students who grow pumpkins, cilantro, squash, cucumbers, carrots and more. They also learn how to sell the produce. This course inspired me to bring plant life into the classroom and teach urban children about planting food and good nutrition.”

“Martha is a very thoughtful and caring student who brings a strong commitment to everything she does in and out of the classroom,” said Galindo. “She always looks for opportunities to volunteer, such as working with refugee children at a community garden this summer. Her ongoing volunteer work with refugees reflects her commitment to social justice.”

Since her first volunteer experience at Sun Valley Youth Center, Chavez’s compassionate spirit to volunteer just grows and grows. Currently, she teaches weekend English as a second language courses at A La Source, a community center for refugees and immigrants. “I like it because I get to meet and help people from all over the world, including Iran and the African Congo.  The number of refugees is growing in Colorado, and they really need our help.”

Guest contributor: Julia Cummings, director of marketing, School of Education & Human Development.

The post Student helps refugees and Colorado’s underserved appeared first on CU Denver Today.


Western Undergraduate Exchange students get tuition bargain

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Western Undergraduate Exchange students

Western Undergraduate Exchange students

They come from Alaska and Arizona, from Nevada and North Dakota, from Washington and Wyoming—and points in between. They are the students at CU Denver in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program, and they may be getting one of the best educational bargains in the country.

“It’s a fantastic deal for students from out of state who want to study at CU Denver,” said Catherine Wilson, director of Undergraduate Admissions. “WUE students pay 150 percent of what a Colorado resident would pay for tuition, which saves them more than $6,000 a year off the regular non-resident tuition rate.”

WUE is available to admitted full-time freshmen and transfer students who are legal residents of 14 states and the Commonwealth of North Mariana Islands. Unlike some colleges offering WUE, CU Denver allows WUE students to study in all undergraduate on-campus programs. For students around the country who dream of going to college in a different state, WUE could make that dream possible.

“The advantage of coming to Denver is that it’s a top 10 city for young adults with incredible internships for our students and job opportunities after they graduate,” Wilson said. “For many students, those opportunities don’t exist in the states where they grew up.”

For some students, WUE is life-changing. Here are some of their stories.

Josh Blair

cud_students_WUE_203smHails from: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Studying: Digital design, specializing in motion design in the College of Arts & Media

Why WUE? “In New Mexico, I was bored during the last two years of high school. I am never bored in downtown Denver. It’s always fun and there are always new adventures to be had.”

Best part of WUE: “I didn’t know about digital design until I came to college. CU Denver opened my eyes to new possibilities and opportunities. Also, with extra scholarships on top of WUE, I have been able to get tuition down close to an in-state rate. And the people of Colorado are so friendly!”

Dream job: “I would love to do motion graphics for TV commercials and advertising or trailers for movies in the film industry.”

Would your life have gone in a different direction without WUE? “Oh, yes! I probably would have become more dedicated to teaching and learning different styles of yoga.”

 

Lizzie McDermid

cud_students_WUE_196smHails from: Soldotna, Alaska (about three hours south of Anchorage)

Studying: Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Why WUE? “Staying in Alaska wasn’t an option because I wanted to get a better education. The chemistry department at CU Denver taught me to formulate study strategies I never would have discovered in a non-challenging chemistry program, and it’s enabled me to find my niche in chemistry. It’s helped me grow as a chemist and as a person.”

Best part of WUE: “It is a great program because it gave me the opportunity to leave Alaska for the first time. Some schools made WUE and financial aid an “either-or” deal—either you used WUE, or you received financial aid. CU Denver let me use both WUE and financial aid so I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to be here.”

Dream job: “I would like to be a pharmaceutical chemist, making compounds, working in a lab and doing research. I hope to be the boss lady and still get my hands dirty!”

Would your life have gone in a different direction without WUE? “Yes, if you get your degree in Alaska you end up staying there, so I might have worked in the oil fields doing chemical engineering. It definitely would have put a cap on my goals and ambitions.”

 

Bryson Cayaban

cud_students_WUE_223smHails from: Eleele, Kaua’i

Studying: Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Why WUE? “In high school, I was flying back from a leadership conference on the east coast.
When we needed to make connections in Denver, we were delayed. We stayed at a hotel in downtown Denver, and I saw the campus for the first time. The school is in heart of the city and I fell in love. I couldn’t afford to pay full price, but WUE made it affordable.”

Best part of WUE: “It’s given me the opportunity to explore new places and opened many doors. I like the diversity here. At home, I was surrounded by Asian and Portuguese communities. Here I have networked and become friends with people from around the world.”

Dream job: “I want to work in student affairs at a university so I can help minority students get into college, and I also want to run for office someday.”

Would your life have gone in a different direction without WUE? “Growing up in such an isolated state, I would be a different person. I think I would have tunnel vision, and I would not be aware of other cultures.”

 

Elexus Yduarte

Hails from: Phoenix, Arizona

Studying: Transferred to CU Denver; studying accounting in the Business School

Why WUE? “I wanted to be independent and live on my own in a new state. I’ve learned things I would have never learned in Phoenix—like how to drive in the rain and snow! Also, I love Denver because there is always something happening. I came to CU Denver for the music programs, but then I fell in love with accounting.”

Best part of WUE: “It’s given me the opportunity for new experiences while I study at the Business School. The Business School is in a great location because you see all the other business majors there and you also feel connected to the city. You get to go to a school you want at a price you can afford.”

Dream job: “I would love to work in accounting in the music industry.”

Would your life have gone in a different direction without WUE? “Definitely. Had I not discovered WUE, I would have stayed in Arizona and never would have known that I love accounting.”

The post Western Undergraduate Exchange students get tuition bargain appeared first on CU Denver Today.

Learn with Purpose: In my own words, Aaron Daniels

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When I hear “Learn with Purpose” I think of moving in the right direction, not necessarily the destination. My purpose isn’t just getting my degree in recording arts and business through the College of Arts and Media–it is being able to move toward my ongoing goal of pursuing a career in the film and audio industry.

Aaron Daniels

Aaron Daniels

For the past year and a half, I have been attending the Harvest Christian Center, and I have been getting more involved in the leadership aspects. It is not only pushing me forward in life, but also toward what I want to pursue. I am able to apply things I am learning in school to projects at the church. I am putting out my first radio show and releasing my first single, “New Anointing,” under the ministry, which is a great opportunity because I can apply what I love to a vision I can help promote.

Through opportunities like this, I am putting what I am learning into action and not just letting what I am learning sit as a degree on a shelf.

Two big things I have learned and applied while at CU Denver are time management and communication. Those are things that can really set you apart from other people. I schedule time carefully to make sure I am moving toward my purpose. I don’t have the time to settle for anything else. I don’t want to be around anyone who contradicts my purpose. When you think about what’s really going to set you apart from other people and what allows people to desire to work with you or be around you on a daily basis, it is the practical things.

I try to walk a lifestyle with a mindset of excellence. That’s how I learn with purpose.

Guest contributor: Aaron Daniels, recording arts major

The post Learn with Purpose: In my own words, Aaron Daniels appeared first on CU Denver Today.

Fall commencement 2015

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On Saturday, Dec. 12, more than 1,200 students were awarded degrees by the University of Colorado Denver at the Colorado Convention Center.

For two of those graduates, the next step will take them to remarkable opportunities for which they have been uniquely well prepared by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Public Affairs.

The stories of Duy “Andy” Le and Sarah Moss prove that when both CU Denver undergraduate and graduate students learn with purpose, they succeed.

Duy “Andy” Le

Ace photographer, seasoned graphic designer, fashionista, budding psychologist—any of these could be used to describe Duy “Andy” Le, a first-generation student who will graduate with his Bachelor of Arts in psychology in December 2015.

A native of Denver, Le decided wanted to get away from the area after high school and enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado. His hope was to meet new people, grow and network. But after almost two years he came to an important conclusion. He didn’t like it there.

Duy Andy Le graduates from CU Denver this fall

Duy “Andy” Le is a psychology major who “fell in love with photography” at CU Denver after taking Intro to Dark Room photography.

Wanting to continue his education is his hometown, Le chose to enroll at CU Denver, and found the transition smooth thanks to a supportive faculty and staff.

“Coming from UNC to CU Denver was definitely a big change,” Le said. “Being here with the kind of support from teachers and the people I work with definitely made my experience that much better. It made things so much easier.”

In the past two and a half years, Le has become a fixture on campus. He has worked part-time in the CU Denver Career Center, serving as a marketing assistant and graphic designer for many of the office’s promotional materials. In addition, he is a student photographer for the Auraria Higher Education Center, providing photography of many of the iconic images and events on campus.

“I fell in love with photography after taking Intro to Dark Room photography,” Le said. “My teacher, Angela Buckley, was a big key to that. She was really cool.”

Students and faculty have likely seen Le’s work, even if they don’t realize it. His pieces are on display in the Starbucks at the Tivoli Student Union as well as in the CU Denver Career Center. His work captures architecture as well as individuals, and he prefers to take authentic, unstaged shots over posed, staged ones.

Combining his passions

“I like to capture people in the moment in their surroundings,” Le said. “Everyone has their own personality, and you can see that through pictures. The way they dress, the way they carry themselves—all of that in someone’s actual environment. That’s what I try to capture.”

Duy Andy Le graduates from CU Denver this fall

This shot of a snow-covered Tivoli Student Union evaded Duy “Andy” Le until just recently.

Despite his prowess with a camera, there was one photo op that evaded Le until recently—a shot of a snow-covered campus. Despite numerous outings to the top of campus parking garages, an ideal vantage point for the perfect winter pic, the weather had never fully cooperated.

“Living in Colorado we have our mountains and snow,” Le said. “I needed to get campus and all of that together in one photo. That encompasses everything for me.”

After graduating, Le hopes to find a job in photography or graphic design. While that seems like an unlikely plan for someone who majored in psychology, Le sees connections between the fields, noting that psychology in one form or another is always encased in his photography and graphic design work.

He is also hoping to launch the design label he founded with a friend—SoReel clothing. The brand, which he started while studying at CU Denver, is inspired by iconic moments in film and pop culture.

Whether Le finds himself becoming a photographer, graphic designer, fashion designer or taps into his education in psychology, one thing is absolutely certain—he has options and could excel in any and all of them.

“I’m nervous about graduation, but I’ve always learned to adapt to new things, so I’m ready for it,” Le said. “I’ve had a lot of support. It comes from everyone that I’ve worked with—they’ve all helped me in some way, shape or form.”

 

CU Denver student Sarah Moss with Joe Biden

CU Denver student Sarah Moss with Vice President Joe Biden at a political event.

Sarah Moss

Most people like to have some sense of what’s coming around the bend in life. Not Sarah Moss. She happily says, “I don’t know what comes next, although I know it will involve city building,” and plunges into her many interests.

Moss is a graduate student, policy wonk, social-media maven, message-based event producer, outdoors lover, yoga practitioner, bookworm and – most of all – a public servant who jumps into volunteer duties by the score. She is, by turns, an extrovert and introvert, a dreamer and doer, a sports junkie and political pundit.

Moss lives by the mantra, “Choose the road leading to the most forks.”

The only thing she’d change about the last 18 months as a full-time graduate student in CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs (SPA) and full-time City and County of Denver employee would be time to follow her beloved Broncos and Nuggets, as well as catch an occasional episode of the political drama “House of Cards” on TV. She views politics and professional sports as similar: They’re both about bringing in large crowds. “In politics, I’m rare in that I enjoy both the campaigns and the policy sides. Most people like to do one or the other, but not both.”

Moss is finishing her Executive Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) at SPA, following in the footsteps of two of her favorite public servants: Denver Mayor Michael Hancock (class of 1995) and City Council President Christopher Herndon (Class of 2012) both earned MPA degrees from CU Denver. “I can’t say enough good things about the MPA program,” Moss says, as she enjoys a brief respite to sip herbal tea and talk about her education and amalgam of passions.

‘CU Denver is integrated in our community’

“Everything I’ve learned in the classroom has been immediately applicable to my professional and personal life,” Moss says. “The CU Denver campus is so integrated into our civic community. I blame Chris (Herndon) for the fact that I’m doing my MPA in just 1-1/2 years, while still working full time. He told me, ‘It will be painful but manageable, and you can do it.’”

Indeed, she has.

Sarah Moss with President Barack Obama

Sarah Moss helped coordinate political event logistics in Denver for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. Moss is pictured in the center, toward the back of the stage. Photo by Ken Delgado.

Moss has managed or helped coordinate political event logistics for several high-profile public servants, including President Barack Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, presidential candidate John Kerry and Mayor Hancock. Moss became well-trained in time management. “In campaigns, there is an adage that time is the most precious resource because you cannot create more of it. When I decided to work full time and go to school full time, I realized there weren’t enough hours in the day to do all the things I like to do,” she says. “So, I have not kept up with my favorite Denver sports teams. Also, I haven’t gotten as much sleep, I haven’t seen my family as much as I want, and I took a break from Krav Maga” (Israeli self-defense, in which she earned her yellow belt last year).

Since 2013, Moss has been Outreach Program Manager for the Denver Fire Department. Before that, she ran her own consulting company for government, nonprofits and businesses. Clients included the Downtown Denver Partnership and People for the American Way Foundation, and twice she has led Mayor Hancock’s inaugural committee.

‘I am a public servant’

On her graduate-school “statement of purpose,” Moss wrote, “I have done so many community leadership programs, one of the only things left is graduate school. … What I want to be when I grow up, 2014 version: What I am now, with the additional knowledge, skills and networking opportunities of a CU Denver Executive MPA. I am a public servant.”

In her current job at the Denver Fire Department, she is the City Council liaison and leads teams that improve the department’s customer service and efficiency in non-emergency services such as public safety education. Unlike the frenetic campaign days, Moss now also manages longer-term projects, such as outreach plans for fire stations not yet built.

CU Denver student Sarah Moss with Attorney General Eric Holder

Sarah Moss, who is earning her MPA at CU Denver, worked with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in Washington, D.C. Photo by Lonnie Tague, U.S. Department of Justice.

“It’s a different skill set than working within the 24-hour news cycle or one-week political event cycle,” she says of the longer-term strategic projects. “When I graduated from high school, never in a million years did I imagine I’d be working for a presidential campaign, a White House Administration or a fire department. Some days I’m at a city council meeting, some days I’m touring a marijuana grow house with fire inspectors and some days I’m riding on a fire engine. Every day is different.”

One thing is certain about Moss’s varied resume: She squeezes all the growth and knowledge possible from each experience, and she always looks forward to the next challenge. “I describe myself as a civic dreamer and a city builder,” she says, “and I like thinking of unconventional ways to either do something we’re already doing or try something new.”

Her current challenge is formidable: For her MPA capstone client Building a Better Colorado, Moss is studying several previous Colorado ballot measures involved in the state’s Gordian knot of fiscal policy. “Gov. Hickenlooper calls it the ‘fiscal thicket,’” Moss says. “Every couple years we see a new TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) provision kick in where we didn’t know how it was going to work, and that’s a big challenge.”

 ‘I feel very lucky’

Moss believes it’s an exciting time to be in Denver with significant projects such as light rail, reimagining Boettcher Concert Hall and other urban developments taking place. “Meanwhile, intangible infrastructure things are happening, such as the finance policy that builds the tangible infrastructure,” she says. “It’s exciting to be a part of these things that are going to have long-term impacts.”

So, the question arises: What does this sky-high dreamer plan to do next in the Mile High City? “I feel like every time I try to make a plan, something better comes along,” Moss says. “I feel very lucky that way. So, honestly, I don’t know what comes next. I love living in the community where I grew up and serving this city, so whatever happens next will be in the civic realm for Denver.”

Once Moss has her MPA degree in hand, she’ll be busy as ever. She just hopes there’s a little more time for the things she loves – visiting family, hiking and skiing, and catching up on NBA games and a long list of – what else? – political movies and shows.

“You never know where life’s paths might go,” Moss says. “I feel very fortunate to have the opportunities and the experiences I’ve had.”

This story was written by Steven Barcus and Chris Casey, University Communications.

The post Fall commencement 2015 appeared first on CU Denver Today.

Students rave about University Honors and Leadership program

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UHL students on the CU Denver campus

Steven Medema, PhD, smiles when you mention High-Impact Practices (HIP), the techniques for teaching and learning that have proven to be beneficial for student engagement and success and are now a point of emphasis at CU Denver.

“When it comes to HIPs, we check every box,” Medema says, referring to CU Denver’s University Honors and Leadership program which he helped create and directs. “Our students benefit from an exceptional curriculum taught by passionate professors, a collaborative learning environment, a social network, service projects, cutting-edge research opportunities, leadership training, internships and study abroad experiences.”

In May of 2016, UHL will graduate its fifth cohort of students, bringing the number of graduates to approximately 150 since the program’s inception in the fall of 2008. Each UHL cohort is limited to 40 intellectually curious freshmen, drawn from every school and college at CU Denver. The students engage in multidisciplinary learning, integrating and synthesizing complex ideas from a wide range of academic disciplines in small seminar-style classes. UHL courses encompass 27 hours spread over four years and replace most of the university’s core curriculum requirements. Students receive a $2,500 scholarship each year.

Medema likes to say that UHL students “get the best of both worlds—a small liberal arts college education at a large public research university.” Here’s what some UHL students say about their experiences with the University Honors and Leadership Program.

 

Nadeen Ibrahim, third year with senior standing

Backstory: Born in Jerusalem, Nadeen grew up in the only Muslim family in rural Wiggins, Colo. Her father runs the local gas station; she still works there occasionally.

Nadeen150x200Major: Public Health

Why UHL? “I wanted an academic environment that was challenging. UHL allowed me to join a community on campus with small classes where I felt so valued and supported by faculty and my peers. Students come from many different interests and disciplines, and it’s great to have that mix of perspectives.”

UHL opportunities? “I did research at the Anschutz Medical Campus on multiple sclerosis, and UHL sponsored me with a travel scholarship so that I could present my research at an international conference in Germany. In March of 2015, Gov. Hickenlooper appointed me to the board of the Board of Health at the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.  We’re responsible for enacting rules and regulations that pertain to public health in the state. I feel privileged to sit on the board as the youngest member.”

How has UHL changed you personally? “Being part of UHL is so enriching and empowering. It has helped me understand the importance of diversity and inclusion. The program is about excellence, and with the opportunities I have had, I am ready to continue my personal journey with so much confidence.”

 

David Burns, third year

Backstory: Born and raised in Colorado, David is the son of a mother from South Korea and an African-American father. He likes being able to immerse himself in both cultures and act as a bridge between the two.

David150x200Major: Biology

Why UHL? “I was shopping around for an honors program in college and a Google search led me to CU Denver. I liked what I saw, so I decided to apply.”

UHL opportunities? “UHL has taught me how to be a genuine learner, and that is huge. Even though I am a biology major, the courses I take incorporate philosophy, politics and history. Incorporating all those fields with science helps you think about what is going on in the world today and asks you how you can enhance the world we live in. Thanks to UHL, I have a joy for learning beyond the scope of my major.”

How has UHL changed you personally? “Because of UHL, I now have different interests, and I’m willing to take risks. Even if I am not really good at something, I pursue it anyway, seeing it as a learning opportunity. I’ve become more curious, and I’ve become more active in the community doing new things.”

 

Jazmin Beltran, first year with associates degree earned in high school

 

Backstory: Born in El Paso, Texas, Jazmin is the first in her family to attend a four-year college. Her parents were born in Mexico and neither finished school.

Jazmin150x200Major: Public Health

Why UHL? “This is a big university, and being in a small program allowed me to make so many connections and gave me many networking opportunities. I feel like I am part of a community with UHL.”

UHL opportunities? “Through the UHL community service requirement, I was connected to Project Cure where we send hospital supplies that are not needed in the United States to developing countries. This gave me a sense of my place in a global community and helped me see that there is a purpose to my education. Someday, I hope to work for Doctors Without Borders.”

How has UHL changed you personally? “The professors have helped me to learn how to think on my own; they are wonderful. I have always struggled with chemistry. But the professor at CU Denver has a unique approach to teaching, so I have done a complete turnaround. Instead of hating chemistry, I love it.”

 

Kate O’Connell, senior graduating in May 2016 

Backstory: Kate grew up in Monument, Colo., where she participated in the Poms Dance team and Science Olympiad at Palmer Ridge High School. She discovered UHL at a CU Denver Open House.

Kate150x200Major: International Studies

Why UHL? “I was amazed at the interdisciplinary offerings emphasizing collaborative engagement with people in different fields. It’s really a high level of learning in a small intentional community.”

UHL opportunities? “Dr. Medema is very committed to giving students the opportunity to do international study, and I was able to help plan a study abroad trip to Ireland with a faculty member from the College of Arts & Media. I also serve as a student employee for the University of Colorado administration, working in the office of President Bruce Benson. That has been a phenomenal experience and a lot of fun. Also, I received a UHL scholarship to pursue a research project focusing on child migration for refugees from South America and the Middle East.”

How has UHL changed you personally? “UHL has been a catalyst for helping me become a fuller and better version of who I am by allowing me to chase after all sorts of ideas, including the migration research I’m doing.”

 

Connor McCloskey, third year

 Backstory: Connor grew up in Littleton, Colo.; he is a fourth-generation Coloradan whose family homestead is still standing on the plains of eastern Colorado.

Connor150x200Major: Creative Writing

 Why UHL? “I am a first-generation college student, and the UHL scholarship definitely helped my family pay for my education. So I came for the scholarship, but I stayed for the program and everything that is part of it.”

UHL opportunities? “I am a student worker in the program, which has developed my leadership abilities. I manage and track UHL students’ community outreach, and I set up community service events, which has helped me network with community leaders and university administrators. The people I have met and the intellectual opportunities I have had are astounding.”

How has UHL changed you personally? “Naturally, I am kind of a hermit, but thanks to the program, I have lots of friends and I feel confident taking on any challenge. UHL focuses on creating leaders of tomorrow, but in my opinion, even if you aren’t a leader, you need the skills UHL teaches: formal logic, a thirst for the lifelong pursuit of knowledge and learning, and a multidisciplinary world view.”

 

Jenny Park, second year

Backstory: Born and raised in Parker, Colo., Jenny describes herself as a “fashionista.” Both of her parents immigrated to the United States from South Korea.

Jenny-150x200Major:  Economics and math

 Why UHL? “I like challenges and thought UHL would be a great way to challenge myself. I’m an introvert and never thought of myself as a leader, so I wanted to challenge myself to become one.”

UHL opportunities? “After I took the course ‘Leadership and Ethics,’ I realized that I never had considered the role of ethics in our lives. I became so interested in the field that I am now minoring in ethics. UHL gives students the opportunity to explore areas outside of their major, allowing us to form new interests, which is always exciting.”

How has UHL changed you personally? “UHL has made me more creative and innovative in the way I think. I’ve become a lot more open-minded and comfortable with myself as well as others. The program has given me so much confidence both academically and outside academics that I will carry with me when I start my career.”

 

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Hot Spotters offers unique undergraduate internship

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Scott Cao

During summer 2015, a patient walked into the Emergency Department at University of Colorado Hospital only to hear very bad news. This patient needed a 30-day supply of a medication immediately —not in two weeks or seven days—but immediately. The drug was very expensive and the patient, who didn’t have insurance, could not afford it.

Within 48 hours, the patient had the medication in hand, thanks to the intervention and quick action of CU Denver junior Scott Cao, a biology major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The situation, which might have seemed hopeless at first glance, was business as usual for Cao in his summer internship working as a “Hot Spotter” at the hospital on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.

“It was a fantastic experience,” Cao said. “It changed my perception of people who have chronic illnesses. I now look at them and realize many different factors could be affecting their health.”

The Hot Spotters

Hot Spotters is a summer experiential learning program developed by Roberta Capp, MD, MPH, assistant professor of Emergency Medicine. It teaches students from a variety of disciplines about the needs of underserved populations with the goals of improving access and quality of care for these patients and reducing their reliance on the Emergency Department for care. During summer 2015, the Hot Spotter program helped more than 3,500 patients address their health needs.

Cao found the internship through Charles Fergsuson, PhD, director of Health Professions Programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He was one of 19 students sharing Hot Spotter duties in teams, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As an undergraduate, Cao was working side-by-side with Hot Spotters who were students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health and sociology. The students were trained to identify resources available to high-risk patients who had come to the Emergency Department multiple times in a short period.

“Many patients come in with something manageable, like type 2 diabetes, but after they get discharged they don’t get the correct follow-up care,” said Cao, sounding more like a medical student than an undergrad. “They don’t have insurance, or they don’t have a pharmacy, or they do have Medicaid but they don’t have a primary care physician, or they don’t have transportation. Some are homeless.”

After these patients were treated, a physician or nurse would call in a Hot Spotter to help the patient navigate the health care system and receive follow-up care from a primary care physician. The students also assessed the patients’ barriers to accessing health care and provided resources to overcome those barriers, including health insurance enrollment, housing, transportation to appointments, medication and food pantry services.

“Our mission was to make sure we provided patients with enough resources and information that they did not have to come back to the Emergency Department unless they had life-threatening injuries,” Cao said. “We cut through red tape, sometimes making calls while the patient was still in bed.”

After Hot Spotters

In the months after his summer internship, Cao compiled and analyzed data he had collected from patients who had completed a medical screening survey. He turned his internship into a research project looking at the demographics of patients, their access to a car, whether they were homeless, had chronic illnesses, knew a primary care physician, could access prescription medication. He is hoping that the research could lead to the creation of more patient navigator programs like Hot Spotters.

He credits Capp with doing a “tremendous job” training the Hot Spotters to engage with patients. “She taught us to look at the big picture,” he said.

In the case of the patient who needed help paying for medication, Cao picked up the phone and reached an insurance enrollment specialist. Two days later, the patient was enrolled in an insurance plan that would cover the medication immediately—a singular example of how Hot Spotters, even when they are juniors in college, can change lives.

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Teacher by day, comedian by night

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When students think about paying professional dues, they might conjure images of the movie “Office Space,” where the boss strolls up to an employee’s cubicle and says, “I need you to work this weekend, mmm-kaay.”

For Chris Voth, a doctoral student in CU Denver’s School of Education & Human Development, the early days of being a standup comedian were more like “The Road Warrior.” “I did a lot of eight-, nine-hour drives to make $100 at one-nighters,” he says. “It’s a lot like getting a pilot’s license. You need a certain amount of hours performing on stage, getting into bad situations and figuring out … What do I need to do to make my act work?”

CU Denver doctoral student Chris Voth

CU Denver doctoral student Chris Voth frequently performs at the Comedy Works Downtown and Comedy Works South, as well as other local clubs. He will headline at Comedy Works South on March 29.

Voth has taken some sudden turns – one being leaving his home state of California on a whim 17 years ago to launch a comedy career in Colorado, a place he’d visited while working his previous gig, a public relations representative for the National Hot Rod Association. The love of writing jokes began in first grade, he says, “so it’s been a lifelong thing.”

Now, besides being a part-time comedian and a doctoral student at CU Denver (about halfway through his program), Voth is a full-time English teacher at Pomona High School in Arvada. He says he’s discovered the point of coffee: there are many days that Voth teaches a full schedule at Pomona, goes to class at CU Denver and caps his evening by doing standup at a comedy club.

Voth so much enjoyed earning his master’s degree at CU Denver – “It was a great experience; I love Denver and the school” – that choosing the leading public urban research university for his doctoral studies was an easy choice. At age 42, he clearly knows what he likes: making people laugh, adventuring through life (authors and raconteurs Hemingway and Twain are favorites), and learning – always learning. If you see his standup show you might hear odd bits about his frenetic schedule or anecdotes about enlightening high school kids for a living.

‘Changed everything’

At age 35, after 10 years of scraping by as a comedian, Voth decided to give teaching a try. He didn’t yet have a teaching license, but a charter school in Denver Public Schools saw his comic background as a plus – if he could handle hecklers, surely he could deal with high schoolers.

“Almost immediately I loved it,” Voth says. “I got called names and all the things that happen in high school teaching, but I loved the kids. It changed the way I saw the world, the way I saw what I should be doing. It changed everything for me.”

He considered attaining more education, because “when you’re teaching you begin to realize all the things you don’t know.” So, as he honed his sideline career as a comic – he started getting better-paying gigs such as Comedy Works-Larimer Square as well as private functions – Voth fortified his skills as an educator. In spring 2014, he earned his master’s in English, rhetorical studies and teaching composition track. CU Denver’s program “directly affected how much I could impact my students,” he says, because many were English-as-a-second-language learners.

CU Denver doctoral student Chris Voth

Chris Voth has a new appreciation for coffee. He frequently teaches a full schedule at Pomona, goes to class at CU Denver and caps his evening by doing standup at a comedy club. Here, he enjoys a latte at his neighborhood coffee shop, St. Mark’s.

Voth still loves being a comedian as much as ever – his TV credits include “The Late Late Show,” “Last Comic Standing” and “Comics Unleashed” – but teaching has added a layer of fulfillment and given life more meaning. “I do all the things that go with teaching (grading, bureaucracy, etc.) because I just want to serve the students,” he says. “What do they need and how can I provide that?”

His master’s and doctoral programs – particularly classes taught by Antwan Jefferson, clinical assistant professor in urban community teacher education, and Michelle Comstock, PhD, associate professor in English – have been “awesome,” Voth says. “CU Denver offers a high-quality education, and it’s so practical to what I need.” Considering Voth’s hectic schedule, the university’s many online classes have been convenient as well.

‘Made me a better teacher’

“It’s made me a better teacher, a better professional and that’s what I’m here for,” he says. “A degree is great, but I want to learn something. In every class I’m learning something I can use in my classroom.”

And Voth – who at age 25 wrote a list of 25 goals he wanted to accomplish by age 50 – has his eyes set on ambitions beyond the classroom. He wants to use his growing expertise in education – be it curriculum policy, best practices or education management – to become a strong voice in local, state and national education circles. Ever the entertainer, Voth figures he could also spice up many a staid conference by providing comic relief.

And ever the learner – “If there’s something I don’t know, I want to know it” – he plans to continue satisfying his curiosity. “I enjoy academics since I’m in that environment all the time,” he says. “I want to be a strong model for my students.”

Voth wants to keep reaching his goals. He’s hit most of the 25 marks he set almost 20 years ago. He wrote “doctorate” on the list, thinking back then that his best chance would be an “honorary doctorate” via entertainment fame. But in spring 2018, he expects to add an academic-earned doctorate – EdD – to his name.

“Either way, my friends have to call me ‘doctor,’ so it doesn’t matter too much on the logistics of how I got to it,” Voth says with a smile as he takes another swig of coffee.

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CU Denver makes transferring an easy process

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Although Olivia Snyder grew up in Los Alamos, N.M., and is used to small-town life, she doesn’t shy from jumping into the urban bustle. She immerses herself in the Mile High City by attending CU Denver, living downtown and, whenever possible, enjoying coffee shops and art galleries. Recently, Snyder strolled into a sea of orange to join half of Denver (seemingly) for a pre-playoff-game rally in Larimer Square.

Just a few months before embracing Broncomania, Snyder transferred to CU Denver from the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (UNM-LA, a two-year institution). During the festive rally, the New Mexico native was asked if she enjoys her new university, city and state. “Oh, definitely,” Snyder said with a smile. “I have too many friends right now. Actually, it’s hard to organize it all.”

Transfer students like Snyder currently make up half of the incoming class at CU Denver. As a transfer student, new campus surroundings are just one thing to ponder. Other questions that arise: Will my credits transfer? What will the culture of this university be like? How can I fit in?

‘Very smooth’

Thanks to CU Denver’s welcoming atmosphere – as well as the new Transfer Admissions Center – all of those pieces came together nicely for Snyder, who enrolled at CU Denver in fall 2015. “It was very smooth,” she says of transferring from UNM-LA. “I know that at some (universities) it gets a bit rough to transfer, it gets a little complicated, but not here. CU Denver made it clear what credits counted, what didn’t and what I might need to do to get others counted, so it was really nice.”

The new Transfer Admission Center is a helpful one-stop resource for transfer students.

The new Transfer Admission Center is a helpful one-stop resource for transfer students.

Snyder is representative of CU Denver students in general: They have a strong desire to learn with purpose. Raul Cardenas, PhD, vice chancellor of Student Affairs, notes that our transfer students are – similar to CU Denver’s overall student body – diverse, often non-traditional and goal-oriented. “Our transfer students are an important part of the university,” he says. “They’re really focused, they have experience and they’re looking for somewhere to help them close the deal – meaning finish their bachelor’s degree.”

Like Snyder, many students start in a community college to develop a technical skill, or get a better idea of the career they’d like to pursue. “At CU Denver, we provide an important service by really helping fulfill many of these students’ dreams,” Cardenas says. “We opened the one-stop Transfer Admission Center last fall, and students are going to see more services being continually offered to transfer students.”

New Transfer Admission Center

Find more information about how our new Transfer Admissions Center is here to make sure your transfer process to CU Denver goes smoothly.

Salina Evans, assistant director of transfer recruitment, notes that the Transfer Admission Center is conveniently located on the first floor of the new Student Commons Building. The center ensures that each transfer student is assisted with admission, credit transfer (including a transfer credit evaluation, in partnership with the Transfer Articulation Team), degree planning, financial support and scholarship opportunities. The center is also a one-stop resource for:

  • Tour of the campus, and learning about transportation and/or housing;
  • Introductions to students, professors and staff in all areas of study;
  • Information about campus life, events and activities; and
  • Information about internship and employment resources on campus.

“We act as a front-line service for prospective students,” Evans says. “Basically, we offer prospective transfer students more support – a holistic service.”

Here are stories of a few transfer students who chose CU Denver to complete their degrees. Most of them have received at least one, if not several, scholarships:

Olivia Snyder

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Olivia Snyder is double major in painting and drawing as well as business at CU Denver.

Olivia Snyder clarified her goals while at UNM-LA: She wanted to go to college to develop her art skills, but she also wanted to work on her business and networking skills. Now she is a double-major, studying painting-drawing in the College of Arts & Media and marketing in the CU Denver Business School.

“I like how major cities provide more opportunities than other places, so I started to look in that direction,” she says. “I felt like Denver was a little different (from where she grew up), but I was familiar with it because we visited often.”

CU Denver fit the bill on yet another front. Because CU Denver is part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) – and New Mexico is also in the 16-state WUE network – Snyder saves on tuition costs every year by virtue of being a WUE student. “I was looking at Western colleges (that are part of WUE),” she says. “Otherwise, I probably would have gone to an art institute back East.”

Transferring to CU Denver was “super smooth,” Snyder says. About half of her credits from UNM-LA transferred, but Snyder expects more will be accepted. “I’m talking with advisors about getting more credits transferred over,” she says. “Most colleges don’t do that – they’re black-and-white with it, either yes or no – but here at CU Denver they’ve been lenient and worked with me. So I like that.”

In addition to her school work, Snyder is a member of the Life Drawing Club and she landed a part-time marketing internship in University Communications. She’s in her sophomore year, but Snyder already has a clear idea of what she wants to do: “I want to open a coffee shop/art gallery,” she says. “I want to be my own boss and pursue the fine arts.”

Ana Ibanez

In January 2015, Ana Ibanez faced a situation common to many students who transfer to CU Denver. She was close to earning an associate’s degree (psychology) from Front Range Community College and pondered her next step. “I was like, ‘What am I going to do after I graduate?’” she says. So, after consulting with a friend who attends CU Denver, Ibanez had an answer.

She decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education in the School of Education & Human Development. Long term, Ibanez has her sights on a master’s degree in family counseling and a doctorate in human development and families.

CU Denver student Ana Ibanez

Ana Ibanez enjoys being a Lynx.

“It was easy to transfer my credits to CU Denver,” she says. “Once I got my transcripts in, it was an easy process – the application and paperwork were simple.”

She is currently taking 15 credit hours in addition to working 24 hours a week in the Office of Admissions.

“CU Denver was the only school that had the education program I liked,” says Ibanez, a junior. “Once I get my bachelor’s degree I hope to get a full-time job here at CU Denver, like possibly an advisor position. I plan to do that while I work toward my master’s degree here.”

In her Admissions Office job, Ibanez enjoys telling prospective students about her personal experience transferring to CU Denver. She’s also participated on panels where she answers students’ questions about the university.

“There are so many advantages to coming to CU Denver,” she says while sipping a latte in the Tivoli Starbucks. “You’re not only learning, you’re also equipping yourself by getting practical experience. For example, in my grant class I have to propose a grant and I’m going to be working on that, like an intern, soon.”

Ibanez has embraced CU Denver’s relatively new mascot, Milo the Lynx, and the spirit our new identity conveys. “I like the Lynx,” she says. “I like my professors. I love it here.”

Ben Thao

Ben Thao transferred to CU Denver from Front Range Community College in fall 2014. Having previously studied engineering, Thao is now majoring in accounting in the CU Denver Business School.

CU Denver student Ben Thao

When he’s not busy with his studies at CU Denver, Ben Thao performs in hip-hop dance crew Machinez Remainz.

He says an exceptional advisor at CU Denver, who has since retired, helped him in many ways when he looked into the transfer process. “She made transferring here really smooth,” Thao says. “She helped with the paperwork, how to log in to the CU Denver portal, what counselors to talk to, what scholarship people to talk to, what clubs would benefit me as a student, and she recommended people to network with.”

Outside of school, Thao works part time in the CU Denver Admissions Office and performs in a hip-hop dance crew. The crew, Machinez Remainz, performs around Denver, including at Nuggets games, and in international competitions, placing 17th in the U.S. adult division last year. Thao also participates in the annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival at Sloan’s Lake Park.

Thao, a junior who expects to graduate in spring 2017, plans to work at a start-up company, possibly combining his passions for business and entertainment.

As a person with artistic talent and athletic moves on the dance floor, Thao appreciates movement. That’s why he likes the no-nonsense, purposeful ethos of CU Denver. “It’s been a good experience,” he says. “I think this college is more about getting things done. Get things done and move on.”

Travis McGovern

Much like a musician fine tunes a song to perfection, Travis McGovern has honed his college career. With each stop, he’s polished the chords, sharpened the notes.

CU Denver student Travis McGovern

Travis McGovern, who transferred to CU Denver from Arizona State University, hopes to run his own full-service music management company.

McGovern started at Arapahoe Community College as a film major. At the time he was playing in a heavy metal band as well as managing gig dates and other details of performance work. McGovern then expanded his artistic palette by enrolling in an interdisciplinary arts program at Arizona State University. The program combined music, graphic design and film study, but McGovern realized that his passion centered on the business world of music.

So, the Castle Rock native looked around for a new program and discovered the Music & Entertainment Industry Studies Department, in the College of Arts & Media, where he could earn a bachelor of science in music with an emphasis in Music Business.

“I liked not only the school, but the location of CU Denver,” he says. “Denver is a great city for music, and the Music Business program in CAM is one of the better nationally. There are a lot of cool professors in the department and a lot of them have real-world experience. It’s not just a lot of book work.”

McGovern says the transfer process to CU Denver was relatively simple. Some classes in Arizona were specifically tailored to ASU’s interdisciplinary arts program, so in a couple cases McGovern showed his CAM professors the work he’d done. “When they saw how much of the material I took at ASU overlapped here, they gave me the credits,” he says. “Other core classes like English transferred over easily.”

He arrived at CU Denver with about 20 credits already applied toward his degree. McGovern is a sophomore and a double major; he’s studying marketing in the CU Denver Business School as well as Music Business.

He enjoys the city-life vibe of CU Denver and lives at the Auraria Lofts, a perfect location for a musician. “I can walk to everything, concert-wise,” he says.

McGovern feels like he’s hit on the right note with his college career, and feels CU Denver, where he works part time in the Office of Student Life, will help him reach his goal of ultimately owning a music management company.

“I’d like to have a 360-degree business that does management, promotion, event planning and label work,” McGovern says.

For now, he loves the 360-degree view of life and education in the center of a thriving and culturally rich city. “I like being in the city,” he says, “because you not only have the campus events, but you have the community events, too. I was able to walk down to the Broncos’ Super Bowl parade on the 16th Street Mall after class.

“Here, you get the city life and the college atmosphere all rolled into one.”

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Learn with Purpose: In my own words, Jamie Cottrell

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As a returning student, I’m not straight out of high school. I want to learn with the purpose of bettering myself and being able to have a future doing something I’m passionate about.

Jamie Cottrell

Jamie Cottrell

For me, learning with purpose means that I want something more than a degree. It’s taken me a while to figure out what I want to do, so now to learn with purpose is not just learning, to get a piece of paper, to say I went to college for four years and I did this. My purpose is to learn for the rest of my life, to have a career and better myself.

I think we should learn something new every day.

I took an anthropology course for an elective and I absolutely loved it. I changed my major from fine arts, but really fell in love with the field after taking Southwestern archaeology here at CU Denver with Professor Tammy Stone, PhD. She was so passionate and taught in a really fun way. I got way more involved in archaeology than I ever thought I would.

So here I am now, getting an emphasis in archaeology and will most likely be getting a master’s degree in archaeology.

Anthropology Assistant Professor Jamie Hodgkins, PhD, has given me this amazing opportunity to join herself and Curtis Marean, PhD, of Arizona State University, who has been at the site since early 2000. The site is called Pinnacle Point and is located in Mossel Bay in South Africa. It’s a modern human site. While there are no human remains there right now, they’ve found a ridiculous amount of artifacts like shell middens and hearths. It was occupied for a really long time.

I’m not sure what kind of archaeology I’m going to do now. I’m really interested in cultural resource management and I’m very interested in Native American studies, so I would really like to get involved in repatriating artifacts.

Guest contributor: Jamie Cottrell, anthropology major

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Photos: Spring Break 2016

Students brainstorm solutions for healthy aging

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While still a relatively young state, Colorado’s population of residents age 65 and older is expected to grow at a faster rate than the national average in the years ahead.

Under a tight brainstorming deadline, a group of 85 students tackled the topic of “Healthy Aging: Maximizing the Independence in Colorado’s Aging Population” at the third annual Rocky Mountain Region Public Health Case Competition held at CU Anschutz. All schools and colleges at CU Anschutz were represented in the competition, including students in the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH), Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Nursing, School of Medicine, Graduate School and School of Dental Medicine. Students also represented schools and colleges at CU Denver, including the School of Public Affairs and College of Architecture and Planning. Undergraduate students in public health at CU Denver participated, as well as students from CU-Boulder and Rocky Vista University.

Winners at regional public health case competition.

Team No. 5 finished as top winners in this year’s public health case competition. Team members are, from left, Theodore Warsavage, Jenny Niemann, Kaeli Barrett, Megan Spradling and Christa Timmerman. Photo by Chris Harris.

The students were randomly separated into 15 teams of four to six members each and given 24 hours to formulate programs and interventions that would help ensure independent, healthy lifestyles for Colorado seniors.

The first-place winning team presented a care program for the 8,000 seniors living in the San Luis Valley. The population in the six-county region of south-central Colorado is almost 20 percent senior citizens (65 and older) – well above the 14 percent nationwide – yet only served by three hospitals, the team pointed out. The team formulated a comprehensive approach made up of technology-based care, caregiver support networks, community health workers and a community coalition to address the physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs of elderly residents. Rural areas generally have the highest proportion of senior residents, the team noted.

“We know there are good support systems for older people, but access to those systems is what we’re trying to provide,” said team member Christa Timmerman. “So our approach is to integrate what’s already available and how we can get that out to the local level. …We see this as a pilot project that could be implemented in rural areas throughout Colorado and the nation.”

‘Great for the students’

final-round judges for public health case competition

The final-round judges panel for the competition is made up of, from left, Sen. Larry Crowder, Sen. Pat Steadman, Jean Nofles, Cindy Bryant, Larry Wolk and David Goff, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health. Photo by Chris Harris.

Three teams advanced as finalists out of Saturday’s preliminary round; they presented their proposals to a six-member panel of judges in Education 2 South. After each 10-minute presentation, the teams fielded questions from judges.

Taking second was a team that presented “Silver Connections: Bridging the Gap Between Aging and Independence,” and placing third was a team whose idea centered on “The TIIME Study: Technology Increasing Independence using Medical Electronics.” The team that presented “HUG Life” won the people’s choice award.

Each member of the first-place team won a $1,000 scholarship; second-place, $500 scholarship; third-place, $250 scholarship; and people’s choice, $100 each.

The event is organized and presented by students, who also raise funds to hold the competition every year. The co-presidents of this year’s planning committee – Brandi Vollmer and Teresa Nguyen, both second-year MPH students in public health at CU Anschutz – thanked everyone who volunteered as well as the judges and sponsors.

Nguyen said it’s impressive to see students working together from different disciplines to address one of Colorado’s top-priority health issues. “It’s great for the students because they get the experience,” she said. “And it’s great for the judges and the professionals in the community who get to gather ideas that are new and up-and-coming in education.”

‘Applies to the real world’

Vollmer, a participant in last year’s competition, said the event promotes camaraderie while giving exposure to other disciplines. “It applies to the real-world setting because people have to deal with other disciplines when they deal with these complex issues,” she said.

Matt Albright and Grace Undis

Team No. 9 presented a technology-based solution for healthy aging. Presenters included, from left, Matthew Albright and Grace Undis. Photo by Chris Casey.

The judges’ panel included David Goff, MD, PhD, dean of the ColoradoSPH; Larry Wolk, MD, MSPH, executive director and chief medical officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Jean Nofles, MPA, interim state volunteer president for the AARP; Sen. Pat Steadman; Sen. Larry Crowder; and Cindy Bryant, PhD, recently retired from the Department of Community & Behavioral Health at ColoradoSPH.

Goff said the judges had a difficult task in choosing a winner because “all the groups were up to date and knew the information about the challenges facing the aging population in Colorado.”

He said it was impressive to see the comprehensive ideas – including implementation strategy, budget and evaluation components – that students put together in a short amount of time. “We think these ideas all could go forward and have benefit for the aging population and we encourage you to continue to pursue them,” Goff said.

Names and school/college affiliations of the winning participants (they are candidates for the degrees listed):

First Place – Team 5

Kaeli Barrett – University of Colorado, Denver, Undergraduate Program in Public Health – BA in Public Health

Jenny Niemann – University of Colorado, Denver, College of Architecture and Planning – MURP, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Environmental & Occupational Health

Megan Spradling – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health – Certificate in Public Health Sciences

Christa Timmerman – Colorado State University, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Global Health and Health Disparities

Theodore Warsavage – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Biostatistics

Second Place – Team 15

Team 15 at public health case competition.

Team No. 15 finished second in the public health case competition. Here, they make their presentation on “Silver Connections: Bridging the Gap Between Aging and Independence.” Photo by Chris Casey.

Nima Beheshti – Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine – DO

Christina Colalancia – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Epidemiology

Dayna DeHerrera – University of Northern Colorado, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Community Health Education

Jessica Peiker – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, College of Nursing – BS in Nursing

Third Place – Team 9

Matthew Albright – Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine – DO

Cody Glickman – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Graduate School – PhD in Computational Bioscience

Sarah Nelson – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Graduate School – PhD in Cancer Biology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine – MD

Adriana Romero – Colorado State University, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Global Health and Health Disparities

Grace Undis – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Community and Behavioral Health

Leslee Warren – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health – MS in Epidemiology

People’s Choice Award – Team 8

Abby Eno – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, College of Nursing – BS in Nursing

Natalie Murphy – Colorado State University, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Epidemiology

Jamal Noshahi – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, College of Nursing – BS in Nursing

Zar Phyo – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado School of Public Health – MPH in Community and Behavioral Health

Laura Pultorak – University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences – PharmD

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Grad student finds internship with U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan

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When Kevin Moore saw an internship available at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan, he knew he had found a golden opportunity. A friend of Moore’s who knew he was interested in the State Department showed him the posting on the USAJOBS.com. Despite not speaking Russian, the first-year graduate student in the international studies track of CU Denver‘s Master of Social Sciences program applied and was selected for the position, beginning work with the embassy on Sept. 24.

Kevin Moore

Kevin Moore’s internship gives him the opportunity to work with the political/economic section at the U.S. Embassy.

CU Denver Today caught up with Moore by email and asked him about his experience so far.

CU Denver Today: This is an incredible opportunity. Have you worked or studied abroad previously?

Moore: I studied abroad in the Netherlands when I was an undergrad, which allowed me to see most of Europe. Following graduation, I worked at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica for about five months and then traveled to New Zealand and India the rest of the year. In 2011, I joined the Army as an infantry officer and completed one tour in Afghanistan.

CU Denver Today: What are your primary responsibilities as an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan?

Kevin Moore

Graduate student Kevin Moore has been interning with the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan since September.

Moore: I am an intern with the political/economic section in the embassy. I help with editing and writing some of the daily reporting product the political/economic section sends to Washington at the close of business. The staff has helped me to develop other projects I have taken an interest in, and I’ve led a discussion group with Kazakhstani students at the embassy’s American Corner program. The office manager will be gone in November, so I will also assume some of her responsibilities soon.

CU Denver Today: What have been the major challenges you have faced since taking on this internship?

Moore: The fact that I don’t speak Russia is difficult. It is not bad getting around Astana, and most people are very helpful, but I think I would be more valuable to the embassy if I spoke Russian. The only other challenge is the minor culture shock from being an officer in the army, especially the infantry, to an intern in the State Department, but I think I’m pretty much over that now.

CU Denver Today: How does this fit into your master’s program work?

Moore: I think it fits well, both with the international theme and with interdisciplinary focus of social science. I chose the Master of Social Science program  in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences because of its interdisciplinary focus. It allows me to take a number of courses in other departments such as political science, history, economics, humanities and sociology. The international studies track fits well my desire to work in the State Department.

CU Denver Today: Have you received support from any faculty members during the course of your internship?

Moore: Yes. My faculty sponsor is Dr. Greg Whitesides in the Department of History.  He has been very helpful and supportive when I’ve needed it.

CU Denver Today: What are your plans for the future?

Moore: I would like to begin the Russian studies program at CU Boulder in conjunction with my current master’s program when I get back. I am also going to take the Foreign Service Officers test and see if I can make a career out of the State Department.

CU Denver Today: What else have you found remarkable about your work with the embassy?

Moore: Only that I believe that the men and women that staff the embassy around the world are underappreciated, from the Foreign Service, to the military and all the other organizations. There is tremendous thought and initiative that goes into their work, and they tend to spend their entire careers away from their homes and families.

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CAM @ SXSW 2016

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The CAM Ambassadors at the SXSW tradeshow booth.

The College of Arts and Media at the University of Colorado Denver made its mark at South by Southwest (SXSW), a world-renowned creative arts conference, held in Austin, Texas, in March.

Six students enrolled in various CAM programs attended SXSW 2016 as CAM Ambassadors, representing both CAM and CU Denver at an exhibit booth and networking events, as well as promoting the Lynx Summer Camp. About 20,000 people attended the weeklong event.

“It’s the largest conference of its type in the U.S. You have major segments of the entertainment industry and digital technology all in one place,” said Stan Soocher, associate professor of Music & Entertainment Industry Studies.

The students made the trip thanks to a generous donation by Dierdre Wilson, a member of the CAM Dean’s Advisory Council, which is a group of CAM alumni and community leaders who are enmeshed in the local art scene. Wilson’s donation allowed a pair of CU Denver students to explore each SXSW category – music, film and interactive – and then share what they learned with their respective departments.

Fine Arts major Nico van Poollen, said SXSW was a great opportunity to take what he has learned over the last four years and discuss it with a wide range of industry professionals. During the conference, van Poollen met everyone “from students to Disney Imagineers to CEOs who were running large companies and wanted to meet students and young minds,” he said.

As a designer, van Poollen relished a chance to discuss color choice with representatives from Pantone, a leader in graphic arts and color-critical industries. Comcast gave van Poollen and other CU Denver students access to the company’s Social Media Lounge where they enjoyed additional networking opportunities.

CAM Ambassadors

The CAM Ambassadors concept began with the SXSW trip but has already been adopted by two other CAM-related student trips: Art Dubai and the Emerging Creatives Student Summit, the latter being held at the University of Michigan.

“There are so many opportunities at this school to make your major and your experience whatever it is you want it to be,” said Elysia Smith, a senior. “I was able to come into this program as an audition-track student for voice but my actual major is music business and recording arts.”

 

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SXSW started in 1987 as a music event where new and upcoming talent could be discovered. In 1994, as the Internet was revolutionizing the digital world, the conference expanded to include film and interactive symposiums. This has had a diversifying effect, creating opportunities for attendees, including college students, to expand their knowledge about the music business, user interface, performing arts and videography.

Being at SXSW gave our students an immersive experience and put CAM, as well as CU Denver, on a high-profile stage, Soocher said. Only a couple other universities were represented in the tradeshow area.

“For us to have an exhibit there, it really helps us in a national and international branding way,” Soocher said.

The CAM Ambassadors posted a blog where you can read all about their trip, along with other trips the Ambassadors have taken. Read more about their adventures here.

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Business School students take third in ethics competition

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On April 14 and 15, undergraduate business students from a four-state region took part in the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative’s fifth annual Consortium Case Competition. Ten student teams competed, representing business schools from universities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

CU Denver Business School team with head judge Margaret Kelly and Daniels Fund President and CEO Linda Childears

CU Denver Business School team with head judge Margaret Kelly and Daniels Fund President and CEO Linda Childears

The University of Colorado Denver Business School’s team earned third place. This is the second year that students from the University of Colorado Denver Business School have participated in the event.

Designed exclusively for business schools that are members of the Daniel’s Fund Ethics Consortium, the competition requires teams to provide the best solution to a thought-provoking business ethics issue. The competition is intended to challenge students’ ethical reasoning, improve decision-making and raise awareness of the importance of principle-based ethics.

This year’s Case Competition required participants to play the role of business ethics consultants. Teams assessed a fictional company facing an ethical dilemma, then presented recommendations to a panel of business professionals.

The panel of judges evaluated the students’ presentations based on established criteria, including the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Principles: integrity, trust, accountability, transparency, fairness, respect, rule of law, and viability.

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Class of 2016 reflects on past four years at CU Denver

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Four years ago, during their first week at CU Denver, we introduced you to a group of students from the Class of 2016 in an article titled “Why I chose CU Denver (and not any of the other schools that accepted me.)”

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Class of 2016 during their first week of classes in 2012

Four years later as they prepare to graduate, the same students told us about their unforgettable personal and learning experiences at CU Denver and explained how the school they chose changed their lives.

These students had been accepted at outstanding universities in Colorado and across the country, including University of Chicago, Northwestern University, UCLA, San Diego State University, University of New Mexico, Vanderbilt University, Emory University, Howard University, University of Denver, CU-Boulder, Colorado State University and Colorado School of Mines.

Now, they explain why making CU Denver their first choice was the right choice.

 

Janet Menasah in 2012

Janet Menasah in 2012

Janet Mensah 

Major: Ethnic Studies

 Standout learning experience? “Honors organic chemistry! This course was so hard and so intense, that when I passed it I knew I could do anything. It taught me to persevere. Knowing I could be relentless in my work ethic raised my threshold for challenges I can handle.”

Janet Mensah in 2016

Janet Mensah in 2016

 Unforgettable personal experience? “When I took a course in African-American history, I learned so much about African-American culture, which gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world and the community I am a part of.”

Biggest surprise? “I was surprised at how much community I found here. It’s not traditional like some other colleges, but you can definitely find your place here and make lifelong friends and connections.”

How did CU Denver change you? “It taught me to appreciate people who are different from me. I learned to interact with people, appreciate their differences and resolve conflict. I learned how to mature in my relationships.”

Was this the right choice? “Yes, but it’s important to remember that college is what you make of it. I did my best to be positive and grab the opportunities on this campus. Now I’m ready to go out and make a lasting impact on the world.”

 

 

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Filiberto Morales in 2012

Filiberto Morales

 Major:  Psychology

 Standout learning experience? “My senior year, I had the opportunity to take a course on the history of Mexico and another course focusing on undocumented immigration. These classes showed me the importance of being an advocate for social justice and inspired me to go on a service trip with a group of students to San Juan, Texas. There, we worked with an organization called LUPE and focused on the social issues surrounding immigration to the United States—by far one of the best experiences of college!”

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Filiberto Morales in 2016

Unforgettable personal experience? “I was part of another service trip to the skid-row area of downtown Los Angeles. Here, our group worked with the homeless population in addition to doing HIV/AIDS outreach work with surrounding communities. The experience taught me the importance of recognizing our shared humanity, and by doing so, we can tear down the stigmas that plague our society. Truly a wonderful experience that has stayed with me!”

 Biggest surprise? “I was surprised at how important it was to be in the heart of Denver. I had so many opportunities to apply what I learned in the community.”

How did CU Denver change you? “CU Denver made me a more effective student. In my time here, I learned how I personally learn, which is often one of the biggest challenges students have. I feel much more confident in my abilities.”

Was this the right choice? “It sure was! I feel very prepared, and look forward to starting medical school in August. What I learned here has fueled my passion to someday practice.  medicine in an urban underserved community.”

 

 

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Josh Blair in 2012

Josh Blair  

Major: Digital Design

 Standout learning experience? “I never liked history, so I wasn’t looking forward to taking a required art history class, but Dr. Maria Buszek was so inspiring that I loved a subject I had always hated. She turned my mindset around, and that gave me more of an open mind for all my classes.”

Josh Blair in 2016

Josh Blair in 2016

Unforgettable personal experience? “I did an internship at a motion-design company and they taught me so many skills. Working for them led me to know what I want to do when I graduate.”

Biggest surprise? “Starting college you know you will be challenged academically, but I was surprised by how much I grew socially and emotionally over four years. As an out-of-state student on the Western Undergraduate Exchange, I did not come to college with a core group of friends I grew up with, so I had to make new friends, find my own path and become independent.”

How did CU Denver change you? “My eyes were opened to new perspectives, and I became more steadfast in who I am. I accept who I am as an individual.”

Was this the right choice? “Definitely. I have made lifelong friends and I have found my career. Someday I hope to be a head designer for a nonprofit organization in the LGBT community. I also want to counsel teens struggling with their identities. Maybe I will someday be a professor in the design program. That would allow me to give back to CU Denver because I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Digital Design program.”

 

 

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Kevin Huang in 2012

Kevin Huang 

Major: Biology

Standout learning experience?Dr. Kent Nofsinger’s background in the ophthalmology and surgical departments allowed for a unique educational experience within his human anatomy and human pathology courses. His lectures extended far beyond the academic setting, and his descriptive anecdotes provided a rare blend of instructive insight with comedic relief.”

Kevin Huang in 2016

Kevin Huang in 2016

Unforgettable personal experience? “The proximity of the campus to the Pepsi Center and Sports Authority Field at Mile High connected CU Denver to my favorite teams. I will never forget the final 10 seconds of the Broncos-Patriots AFC Championship game this year.”

Biggest surprise? “CU Denver is not a traditional college campus at which students live together in dorms, but I have been surprised at how close-knit the environment still is. You form powerful relationships that will persist with you as you progress through your adult and professional lives.”

How did CU Denver change you? “CU Denver provided ample opportunity to interact with a wide variety of individuals. It empowered me with the experiences to better work with, socialize with, and relate to individuals from all walks of life.”

Was this the right choice? “Yes. I was able to stay close to family during college while obtaining a first-rate preparation for medical school. I am sure the experiences obtained here will remain relevant through the rest of my professional career.”

 

 

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Iman Mohammed in 2012

Iman Mohamed

Major: Ethnic Studies

 Standout learning experience? “I am a first-generation student from Sudan and when I took a course in African-American family, I learned there is history behind the way I was raised. People behave a certain way because they were pushed in that direction and for my family, it was a matter of survival! By understanding my own community, I became more appreciative and understanding of others.”

Iman Mohamed in 2016

Iman Mohamed in 2016

Unforgettable personal experience? “With the help of wonderful friends and great professors, I learned to love myself as an African-American Muslim woman. I appreciate my strengths, understand my weaknesses and have confidence in my abilities.”

 Biggest surprise? “You can’t be friends with everyone. I am very outgoing, but not everyone has the same desire or friendly intentions. I learned that I can’t understand everything, and that’s okay.”

 How did CU Denver change you? “In high school, I was shy and wouldn’t ask for help from teachers because I didn’t think they believed in me. At CU Denver, I learned to ask because there were so many great professors, advisors and friends who were willing to talk to me. I found an environment where I could trust people to help me.”

 Was this the right choice? “I have no regrets. Someday I hope to lead a group for first-generation students of color in middle and high school to help them transition into college and life. Just like me, they might need help navigating the system.”

 

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Ryan Farmer in 2012

Ryan Farmer

Major: 3D Animation

Standout learning experience? “When the professor introduced me to a motion-capture system in one of my classes, I really loved it because he let me try whatever I wanted. I dressed up in the motion-capture suit and animated a cat-like character I created myself. Compared to 3D programs at other schools, ours was very open-ended and allowed me to be a self-starter.” (Watch Ryan’s animation.)

Ryan Farmer in 2016

Ryan Farmer in 2016

Unforgettable personal experience? “We have guest lecturers from our field and getting to know professionals in the industry made me realize that even though they are famous, they are people just like you and me. If they can do it, I can do it. My goals aren’t unrealistic.”

Biggest surprise? “I came to Denver convinced I would get a degree in the Music Entertainment Industry Studies program and, lo and behold, I discovered that my passion lay elsewhere.”

How did CU Denver change you? “I started here with dreams and goals but I didn’t know how to turn them into reality. Now I have the knowledge and resources to realize my dreams.”

Was this the right choice: “Absolutely. Whatever you want to learn, professors will support you.”

 

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Kara Brown in 2012

Kara Brown  

Major: Sculpture

 Standout learning experience? “I entered college with no knowledge of fabrication. I didn’t really know how to make things with my hands, and I sure didn’t know about any of the equipment I now use to create sculptures. It has been awesome to learn how to make things, whether it’s creating a sculpture, stitching clothes or making anything with metal.”

Kara Brown in 2016

Kara Brown in 2016

Unforgettable personal experience? “During my freshman year, I took a job working in the costume shop of the theater department making costumes for productions. At the time, I was majoring in civil engineering and taking all science classes. But I enjoyed my job so much I had to ask, ‘Why do you love this?’ and I realized it was because I could work with fabric and with my hands. So I changed my major to sculpture. That job changed the course of my life, for sure.”

Biggest surprise? “Recently, I got into fashion design and last winter I had my first fashion show. I like simple shapes and bright colors, clothes you get complimented on without having to be outrageous.”

How did CU Denver change you? “Before I came here, I thought a lot about what other people expected of me and not what I thought was important. At CU Denver, I learned to be myself and trust myself. When I was an engineering major, I learned that I would never be happy working in an office. Through my relationships with students and professors, I learned to develop my own standards for what is important and what will make me happy.”

Was this the right choice? “It was the right choice. It taught me that I want to make art, and if I follow my passion, I will be able to take care of myself.”

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Janet Mensah and Kevin Huang in 2012

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Filiberto Morales, Janet and Kevin in 2016

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Dar Al Hekma architecture students visit CU Denver

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Rahaf Al Muzaini, visiting architecture student from Dar Al-Hekma University, presents her work at CU Denver College of Architecture and Planning.

 

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Hiba Al-Amoodi

“My dream job? I want to be an architect who influences people,” said Hiba Al-Amoodi. “Philip Johnson—I want to be him. I want people to know my name and point to me as the way to do things.”

It is an ambitious goal for a petite 22-year-old in her fourth year at Dar Al-Hekma University (DAH), a private institution of higher education for women in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. But with the help of faculty and peer mentors on opposite sides of the planet, it is a goal she may achieve.

Exchanging ideas

Al-Amoodi is one of eight students and two faculty members from DAH Department of Architecture who visited CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) this spring. The group came under the auspices of the Fayez International Exchange program, which was created by the generous support of Dr. Zuhair Fayez, an alumnus of CAP and chairman of the largest architecture/engineering/management firm in Saudi Arabia.

The eight senior students were accompanied by two DAH faculty members — Dr. Mona Helmy, Chair of the Architecture Department, and Ms. Sherin Sameh, ARCH lecturer. The women spent a week in Denver participating in educational activities and several events that had been planned, organized and developed by Keith Loftin, CAP professor and director of the Fayez International Exchange Program with the help of CAP staff. The students from DAH also worked on small teams with CU Denver students, engaging in a charette (an intense period of design and planning) that was written and directed by Loftin. The project was supervised by Loftin and DAH faculty members. Their goal was to design a theater for Ubuesque, a Denver theater group.

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Farah Aqrabawi will return home with respect for Denver’s appreciation of historic buildings. “It’s very interesting that people here care about the life of a building,” Aqrabawi said.

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Keith Loftin, CAP professor and director of the Fayez International Exchange Program and Dr. Mona Helmy, Chair of the Architecture Department at Dar Al-Hekma University

Dr. Helmy watched with pride as the Saudi students immediately got down to work brainstorming with their American counterparts. Helmy enjoyed observing the “teamwork in action” and believes the experience is good for both the DAH and the CU Denver students because it introduces diversity and new dimensions to the learning process. “When students exchange ideas, it gives them more richness and confidence in their abilities,” Helmy said. “It confirms and manifests the quality of their education and their level as international students.”

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Aseel Sahab

Aseel Sahab, a fifth-year student at DAH, added, “It’s interesting how architecture can be a universal language and people around the world can still approach it in different ways. This experience enriched my understanding of the relationship of architecture and culture. We learned that our approach to design reflects the culture and the environment we come from, and indeed having the chance to engage with other students brought up a wider perspective towards design and architecture.”

“We are using architecture as a mechanism for cultural exchange,” said Loftin. “Through the act of working together, students from both sides of the world begin to understand the viewpoints of someone from another culture.”

Final review

By the end of the week, all the students gathered for a design review by faculty and professional architects from the community. The students received rave reviews for what they managed to achieve in just two days of work.

As she answered questions about her project, Nadine Lingawi, a fourth-year student at DAH, confessed that she had come on the trip feeling nervous about working with CU Denver graduate students, but was delighted to find that she comfortably fit in. Even better, she felt her knowledge complemented that of the collaborating students. “Our architecture influences us and yours influences you,” she said.  “But through a collaboration like this, you realize how architecture is a universal language spoken in different dialects. It’s wonderful to know that I have given some ideas to the CU Denver students as well as I have learned from them.”

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CU Denver and DAH students and faculty celebrate the end of the charette.

Traveling to DAH

Within weeks after the women returned to Saudi Arabia, a team of administrators from CU Denver traveled to DAH to discuss how to move the relationship between the two universities forward and inspire future collaboration. The visit was one stop on a two-week trip to visit CU Denver alumni in the region.

The CU Denver group included John Sunnygard, executive director of International Affairs; Andrea Wagner, vice chancellor of Advancement; Noelle DeLage, assistant vice chancellor of Advancement; and Brian DeLevie, associate professor and chair, the Department of Visual Arts in the College of Arts and Media.

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From left, Brian DeLevie, associate professor and chair, the Department of Visual Arts in the College of Arts and Media; Andrea Wagner, vice chancellor of Advancement; Noelle DeLage, assistant vice chancellor of Advancement; John Sunnygard, executive director of International Affairs; Yara Sobhi, architecture student at DAH. Sobhi served as guide to the group as they toured

The group was impressed by the dedication of both students and faculty at DAH. DeLage described the university as an “inspiring place for women to learn” where architecture students were motivated to show off their work to the visitors from Denver.

“At DAH, they are extremely proud of their students, alumni and accomplishments,” DeLage said. “They have created a place for women to express themselves freely, and they want to inspire current students to accomplish great things and influence the world.”

Making connections

Sunnygard spent time with his counterparts at DAH, discussing possibilities for CU Denver students to travel to Saudi Arabia and future student exchanges with other CU Denver units. DeLevie met with the Head of the Visual Communications program at DAH to discuss opportunities for collaboration. Wagner and DeLage met with the advancement leadership of DAH.

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Nadine Lingawi, one of the students who visited CAP, also met with Denver leadership in Saudi Arabia.

The team also met with Zuhair Fayez, co-founder of DAH, whose philanthropy originally created the exchange program. At the outset, the collaboration between the two universities helped DAH develop curriculum for their undergraduate program. Now, the two schools are exploring future opportunities.

“We are so grateful for the generosity of our alumnus, Zuhair Fayez,” DeLage said. “Through his vision and passion he has opened a world to us that we, as an institution, would not have had otherwise.”

Dr. Fayez hosted a reception at his Jeddah home for the CU Denver delegation, CU alumni, and the Dar Al Hekma students and faculty. Two DAH architecture students who had traveled to Denver shared their insights and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to visit Denver. They discussed forming an all-women architecture firm when they graduate. Their dream enterprise bears an uncanny similarity to the Zuhair Fayez partnership founded by Dr. Fayez and two other Saudi Arabian friends following their graduation from CU’s College of Architecture in the 1970s.

 

 

 

 

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RaCAS: A showcase of scientific and creative achievements

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The future of security might not be fingerprint readers or retina scanners—it could be your gait. That’s just one of the applications that David Attid and Andrew Gale, seniors from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, are considering for the data they are collecting on gait. The team believes that the subtle, unique movements of individuals can be used for personal identification.

Gale and Attid

Andrew Gale and David Attid showed off their work that explored gait as a method for human identification.

Attid and Gale presented their project at the 19th annual Research and Creative Activities Symposium (RaCAS), held April 29 in the Student Commons Building. RaCAS provides a venue for CU Denver and CU Anschutz students to showcase their scholarly activities through presentations, posters, computer simulations, demonstrations, art and even puppetry. Nearly 300 undergraduate and graduate students delivered approximately 180 presentations encompassing a variety disciplines and industries.

“No other event showcases the diverse research, creative and other scholarly activities undertaken by students at CU Denver and CU Anschutz,” said Leo Bruederle, PhD, director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities and RaCAS. “For many students, this day will remain in their memory as a time at which they were recognized for something they did that was truly excellent.”

Gait for identification

Attid and Gale began exploring gait and its capacity for human identification for their senior project, alongside graduate student Siddhant Kulkarni, under the guidance of Farnoush Banaei-Kashani, head of the Big Data Management and Mining Lab.

The team employs a feature-based identification system that tracks the movement of 15 joints. Attid, Gale and Kulkarni designed the user interface and utilized an established skeleton capture framework. The result is a model that can capture data for individuals’ unique gait movement.

“Gait is unique to an individual,” Gale said. “We are thinking about how we can use that to enhance security. This could be used at a bank or an airport in lieu of credentials.”

Presenting at RaCAS has offered a team an opportunity to get reactions from attendees, as well as ideas on how to expand their research.

“Up until now it’s just been three guys in a room coding away to get the system to work,” Attid said. “It’s great because you see the fresh expressions of anyone who comes by to learn about this.”

Theory behind necrotizing organs

Flap resconstructive surgery, a procedure in which tissue is taken from one area of the body and overlaid on a wound, carries a potentially dangerous side effect. The flap, which must carry its own blood supply due to its size and must be sewn into existing blood vessels, can cause necrosis in the greater organ.

Phillip Ross

Phillip Ross explains that necrosis of organs during flap surgery could be explained by “head loss.”

The phenomenon is referred to as vascular steal, which ultimately sees blood being siphoned or stolen away from the organ, leaving it to die. Vascular steal was largely accepted as the rationale for the necrosis, which often lead to amputation.

Phillip Ross, a third-year School of Medicine student, presented a different theory at RaCAS. In a project titled “Head Loss as an Explanation of the Steal Phenomenon in Microvascular Surgery,” Ross proposes that “head loss” may actually be the culprit behind the necrotizing organs.

“Head loss occurs at the junction where two vessels meet,” Ross said. “When blood reaches a juncture where a new vessel has been sewn, it loses momentum that results in a lack of profusion to the end organ.”

Despite strong evidence to support the head loss explanation, Ross would like to take more steps to confirm the finding, including adding variables to a computational model and comparing patient cohorts to see if any statistical difference in the blood flow to organs occurs.

“I don’t consider this matter to be solved. There is still more work to be done,” said Ross. “However I hope this provides a new talking point and can generate a discussion between other scientists and surgeons in an effort to lock down this phenomenon.”

Ross decided to present at RaCAS as he saw the symposium as an opportunity to share his findings and learn from other presenters.

Marian Gottlieb

Marian Gottlieb sheds light on how womanhood and beauty are explored in art.

“I knew RaCAS would be another great opportunity to showcase my work and also to see other scientific achievements that a lot of the graduate and undergraduate students have done as well,” Ross said.

Recontextualizing beauty

Brightly colored fabrics, a spray of flower petals and an assortment of eggshells are just a few objects arranged on BFA student Marian Gottlieb’s table. Among the curiosities is something that seemingly does not belong—a squid preserved in a jar of formaldehyde. But Gottlieb, who uses her art to explore the ideas of womanhood, women’s roles and women’s bodies in art, has an explanation for the inclusion.

“The objects symbolize womanhood, fertility and beauty—concepts frequently seen in feminist art,” Gottlieb said. “Preserving something and having something that is a curiosity to be viewed is how women’s bodies been historically viewed.”

Gottlieb’s goal is to find whether there is a way for contemporary artists to reclaim and recontextualize women’s bodies in art. This concept and the ways in which individuals experience and interpret beauty are ideas are central to her senior thesis.

“I am advocating for understanding beauty as an experience of the sublime and portraying beautiful people the way artists have traditionally represented the sublime,” Gottlieb said.

Sharing her art and research at RaCAS has allowed Gottlieb to hone in on key ideas in her thesis through discussing her work with others.

“RaCAS has been a really good way to clarify my ideas behind my thesis for myself,” Gottlieb said. “Doing a pitch about my thesis has helped me narrow down what I want to say.”

Gottlieb’s work will be featured at the CU Denver BFA Thesis Exhibition through May 14 at the RedLine Gallery.

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Prime Minister celebrates son’s graduation at CU Denver

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An already strong relationship between the University of Colorado Denver and the nation of Qatar took a significant step forward last week with the visit of Prime Minister Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Qatari prime minister and son

Qatar Prime Minister Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, right, poses for a picture with his son, Sheikh Nasser Al Thani, who received a B.S. degree in Business Management, on the podium at Saturday’s commencement ceremony.

The main reason for his visit was to celebrate the graduation of his son, Sheikh Nasser Al Thani, who received his B.S. degree in Management and Human Resource Management from the CU Denver Business School. In addition, the Prime Minister spent considerable time learning more about CU Denver’s academic programs and discussing possible partnerships between his nation and the university.

Prime Minister Al Thani spent Friday chatting with CU Denver College of Engineering and Applied Science students at the spring Engineering Senior Design Competition as well as learning about the National Center for Media Forensics (NCMF) in the College of Arts & Media and other academic programs at a luncheon with members of CU Denver’s leadership team. Hosting the luncheon in Larimer Square were CU Denver Chancellor Dorothy Horrell, Provost Roderick Nairn, Vice Chancellor of Advancement Andrea Wagner, and Executive Director of the Office of International Affairs John Sunnygard.

The Qatari delegation’s visit followed a recent trip by Wagner, Sunnygard and Noelle DeLage, assistant vice chancellor of Advancement, to Qatar to visit CU Denver alumni in the Middle East.

Qatari and CU Denver leadership at luncheon

Pictured from left at Friday’s luncheon are CU Denver Chancellor Dorothy Horrell, Qatar Prime Minister Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar Brigadier General Mohamed A. AL Nassr and John Sunnygard, Executive Director of CU Denver’s Office of International Affairs.

The friendly rapport between Prime Minister Al Thani, his team and the CU Denver leaders was clearly evident, as they chatted about everything from academics to partnerships to public infrastructure projects.

At the luncheon, the Prime Minister emphasized his desire to forge even stronger relations with CU Denver, which continues its service-oriented tradition of global impact through research as well as fostering bridges between cultures. “We want to continue our relationship with this university and look at how to enhance and strengthen that relationship,” he said.

‘CU Denver as family’

Horrell said the connection between Qatar and CU Denver is strong – as evidenced by 54 current Qatari students here and more than 300 Qatari alumni from our university – and promises to flourish under the Prime Minister’s ambitious vision for his nation.

Qatari delegation at CU Denver spring commencement

Qatar Prime Minister Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, center, and Qatar Brigadier General Mohamed A. AL Nassr, left, were honored guests at Saturday’s CU Denver commencement ceremony. Pictured at right is CU Regent Stephen Ludwig.

“The Qataris clearly look at this institution as family,” the Chancellor said, noting that Prime Minister Al Thani has other family members who are likewise considering attending CU Denver. “He has such focus and vision for his country. And part of that is going to be made possible because of partnerships they have with CU Denver, and looking at our specific program areas that are aligned with their needs.”

Prime Minister Al Thani earned his bachelor’s degree in police sciences, and went on to become Qatar’s commander for special operations brigade in special security forces as well as brigadier general and Minister of State for Interior Affairs before becoming Prime Minister in 2013. He was very interested in the presentation by NCMF Director Catalin Grigoras, PhD, and Associate Director Jeff Smith, MS, particularly in how the center provides training opportunities for law enforcement through cutting-edge forensic media analysis.

NCMF presentation to Qatari leaders

The Qatari leadership delegation, along with members of CU Denver’s leadership team, listen to a presentation about the National Center for Media Forensics (NCMF) during a luncheon. The NCMF presenters are (standing) Director Catalin Grigoras, left, and Associate Director Jeff Smith.

Smith said the presentation, which focused on how the NCMF assists the U.S. government and international agencies with security matters, sparked interest. “The Qatari delegation remained very engaged, writing everything down and asking a lot of questions,” he said. “We just wanted to let them know that we’re here and that our programs actively serve the international community.”

The delegation posited the possibility of forming a partnership where Qatari students would come to CU Denver to learn from NCMF, get experience working with U.S. law enforcement and then share that knowledge back home in Qatar. Similar potential partnerships in other CU Denver academic programs were also discussed.

‘Increase partnerships’

“I heard them repeatedly say, ‘enhance, deepen and strengthen,’ in regard to their relationship with us,” Wagner said. “I think we’re in a great position to increase partnerships to the benefit of their students and ours.”

The Prime Minister talked about the major infrastructure efforts underway in Qatar – among them a public transit train project and new stadiums for the 2022 World Cup – and how his nation would be interested in innovations being developed by CU Denver researchers in engineering and architecture.

After Prime Minister Al Thani talked about a particular stadium project and the facility’s potential uses for future generations after the global soccer tournament, Sunnygard told the Prime Minister he would send him details about our Construction Engineering and Management program, along with information about many other CU Denver programs. “It’s a joint program between the College of Engineering and Applied Science and our College of Architecture and Planning, and (handling management and design aspects of major infrastructure projects) is exactly what they do,” Sunnygard said.

Qatar Prime Minister at Senior Design Competition

Qatar Prime Minister Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, left, listens to electrical engineering student Amin Bunaiyan describe his team’s current equalizer project in the Senior Design Competition. Mohammed Al-Kuwari (center, gray suit), a Qatari student who received his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering, said he was “thrilled” to be visited by his nation’s Prime Minister.

At the Engineering Senior Design Competition in North Classroom, the Prime Minister spoke with engineering students whose projects ranged from technology that measures the wear of power cables on a lightrail train system to the design of a new police museum to a current-equalizer device that saves energy and prevents corrosion.

The latter group, in the Department of Electrical Engineering, included a Qatari student who also graduated on Saturday. Mohammed Al-Kuwari said he was honored to chat with the Prime Minister about his project. “When I heard he was coming here I was really thrilled,” Al-Kuwari said. “I never would have expected that.”

Leaders to CU Denver students: Come to Qatar

Qatari delegation at CU Denver Business School

Sheikh Nasser Al Thani, graduating son of Qatar Prime Minister Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, poses for pictures with Dr. Mohamed Saeedan Al Hamed, Cultural Attache, Embassy of Qatar, at a post-commencement reception in the CU Denver Business School.

On Friday evening, the Qatari delegation hosted CU Denver leaders, as well as CU President Bruce Benson and members of the CU Board of Regents, at a dinner in a downtown Denver hotel. From the podium at Saturday’s spring commencement, Qatar Brigadier General Mohamed A. AL Nassr spoke briefly about the burgeoning relationship between Qatar and CU Denver, and the Prime Minister enjoyed a post-graduation reception with his son at the Business School.

At various times during their visit, both the Prime Minister and General Nassr invited CU Denver students to travel to Qatar to learn more about the country and region. CU Denver is pursuing a range of affordable study abroad options for our students to travel to Qatar, according to Sunnygard. “The Gulf Region is immensely important to the U.S. on many levels, but unfortunately, very few American students have had the opportunity to experience the region,” he said. “Qatar’s capital, Doha, is a dynamic, beautiful, welcoming city.”

Gift given to Qatar Prime Minister

CU Denver Chancellor Dorothy Horrell presents a gift to Qatar Prime Minister Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani at Friday’s luncheon.

After Friday’s luncheon, Chancellor Horrell presented a special glass sculpture, crafted by a Denver artist, as a gift of friendship and gratitude to Prime Minister Al Thani. “We think it’s as bright and beautiful as our future together,” she said.

The post Prime Minister celebrates son’s graduation at CU Denver appeared first on CU Denver Today.

Where are the jobs?

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It’s the question every student gets: What are you going to do after graduation?

Some plan to enter the workforce, others will go on to graduate school, a few will create their own companies—there are as many different answers as there are students.

Students planning to begin their careers will find a welcoming landscape, especially in Colorado. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for Colorado in March 2016 was listed at 2.9 percent—2.1 percent below the national unemployment rate for that same month.

In addition, there are other signs that employers are looking for new talent. Sarah Trzeciak, director of the CU Denver Career Center, has put employers on waitlists for space at the sold-out fall and spring career fairs. The past year showed a record number of employers coming to campus—up to over 200 compared to 130-140 in previous years. Trzeciak believes that this spike can be attributed to a booming economy, expanding companies and CU Denver’s growing reputation.

“I firmly believe that the Learn with Purpose campaign has done a lot to raise awareness of CU Denver graduates in the Denver community,” Trzeciak said. “We have a good economy and a university that is consistently working to define and show what it means to be a CU Denver student and what it means to hire a CU Denver student.“

Despite growing employment opportunities and increasing value of a CU Denver degree, students should be prepared to show employers that they are the right fit.

“It is crucial that students be able to identify their skills, experience, strengths and be able to articulate that to employers in a way that they know what you’re bringing to the table,” Trzeciak said.

Several CU Denver students are already finding themselves poised to find success with new jobs and other opportunities lined up months before graduation. They offered advice on how their peers can find success and make the most of their time on campus.

Riley Rousseau

Bachelor’s in sociology

Riley Rousseau

Riley Rousseau

What’s next?

I’ll be working full time as a personal banker at Wells Fargo. I started with them in November 2014 as a teller, was promoted eight months later to lead teller and then to personal banker in January. It’s a great company to work for since they set up a promotion path and train you really well. A sociology major might seem like a strange fit for a company like Wells Fargo, but the skills they are looking for are data analytics, understanding people, sales, communication—all things we learn in sociology courses.

How CU Denver helped shape my future

Every semester I’ve been at CU Denver, I’ve had at least one class with Associate Professor of Sociology Jennifer Reich. She ignited my passion for sociology and has helped me to see all of the different applications for the major. It is to the point where I sign up for classes just because I know she will be teaching them. One class that has been especially influential is one she is teaching with Sarah Trzeciak. The class has allowed me to really define my career goals and taught me how to talk about the skills I have been learning and how they can be applied at companies like Wells Fargo. It has provided a roadmap I’ll use as I’m planning my future.

Advice for success

Anytime I jump into something I am scared of is when I succeed. Originally, I didn’t want to transfer to CU Denver, but now I am graduating early. I didn’t think I was qualified to work at Wells Fargo, and now I’m one of the top-ranked employees in my area. If you commit to doing a good job, you’ll be successful because you’re doing your best.

Sarah Sarwana

Bachelor’s degree in information systems, master’s in health information technology

Sarah Sarwana

Sarah Sarwana

What’s next?

Once I finish the 4+1 program this fall, which will let me graduate with my bachelor’s and a master’s in health information technology in less than five years, I will be working for University of Colorado Hospital (UCH). I connected with UCH after I began interning with their IT group during my senior year. I really liked the internship, and was thrilled when they wanted me to continue full time, which I will do as soon as I finish my master’s this fall.

How CU Denver shaped my future

I originally signed up for a health economics class because it sounded cool to me, but ultimately it sparked my interest in the health care field. I found it fascinating because the course took an interdisciplinary approach and related health care through a different lens. It is why I’m on the path that I’m on today.

Advice for success

Anyone starting their college career should get involved. You don’t want to regret not participating in something. Take on the opportunities that come your way, and create a few of your own. CU Denver empowers you to do that.

Adam Gerken

Bachelor’s in political science

Adam Gerken

Adam Gerken

What’s next?

This fall I will begin law school at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Going into college I didn’t plan on law school. However, when we would discuss legal implications or laws in my political science courses I was always very interested, so I started thinking about law school my sophomore year. During my junior year I began a law studies minor to make sure the area was really interesting to me, and I enjoyed all of those classes.

How CU Denver shaped my future

I’ve served as president of the Prelaw Society, co-president of Pi Sigma Alpha—the political science honors society and was student assistant for the Department of Economics. However, the University Honors and Leadership Program has been most effective in shaping my thinking. One of the big things stressed in UHL is multidisciplinary learning. That’s something I’ll be taking with me to law school. Many law students think they will just focus on law, but you can apply other fields of study to the legal field to be able to explore topics in new ways.

Advice for success

Anyone looking at CU Denver should consider the University Honors and leadership Program. I think it is the best thing about CU Denver. You get to make friends outside of your major, get a ton of networking opportunities and the honors and leadership classes are fantastic. The senior project also lets you apply your learning and research to real-world problems alongside your peers to make a real change before you even graduate.

The post Where are the jobs? appeared first on CU Denver Today.

CU Denver makes transferring an easy process

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Although Olivia Snyder grew up in Los Alamos, N.M., and is used to small-town life, she doesn’t shy from jumping into the urban bustle. She immerses herself in the Mile High City by attending CU Denver, living downtown and, whenever possible, enjoying coffee shops and art galleries. Recently, Snyder strolled into a sea of orange to join half of Denver (seemingly) for a pre-playoff-game rally in Larimer Square.

Just a few months before embracing Broncomania, Snyder transferred to CU Denver from the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (UNM-LA, a two-year institution). During the festive rally, the New Mexico native was asked if she enjoys her new university, city and state. “Oh, definitely,” Snyder said with a smile. “I have too many friends right now. Actually, it’s hard to organize it all.”

Transfer students like Snyder currently make up half of the incoming class at CU Denver. As a transfer student, new campus surroundings are just one thing to ponder. Other questions that arise: Will my credits transfer? What will the culture of this university be like? How can I fit in?

‘Very smooth’

Thanks to CU Denver’s welcoming atmosphere – as well as the new Transfer Admissions Center – all of those pieces came together nicely for Snyder, who enrolled at CU Denver in fall 2015. “It was very smooth,” she says of transferring from UNM-LA. “I know that at some (universities) it gets a bit rough to transfer, it gets a little complicated, but not here. CU Denver made it clear what credits counted, what didn’t and what I might need to do to get others counted, so it was really nice.”

The new Transfer Admission Center is a helpful one-stop resource for transfer students.
The new Transfer Admission Center is a helpful one-stop resource for transfer students.

Snyder is representative of CU Denver students in general: They have a strong desire to learn with purpose. Raul Cardenas, PhD, vice chancellor of Student Affairs, notes that our transfer students are – similar to CU Denver’s overall student body – diverse, often non-traditional and goal-oriented. “Our transfer students are an important part of the university,” he says. “They’re really focused, they have experience and they’re looking for somewhere to help them close the deal – meaning finish their bachelor’s degree.”

Like Snyder, many students start in a community college to develop a technical skill, or get a better idea of the career they’d like to pursue. “At CU Denver, we provide an important service by really helping fulfill many of these students’ dreams,” Cardenas says. “We opened the one-stop Transfer Admission Center last fall, and students are going to see more services being continually offered to transfer students.”

New Transfer Admission Center

Find more information about how our new Transfer Admissions Center is here to make sure your transfer process to CU Denver goes smoothly.

Salina Evans, assistant director of transfer recruitment, notes that the Transfer Admission Center is conveniently located on the first floor of the new Student Commons Building. The center ensures that each transfer student is assisted with admission, credit transfer (including a transfer credit evaluation, in partnership with the Transfer Articulation Team), degree planning, financial support and scholarship opportunities. The center is also a one-stop resource for:

  • Tour of the campus, and learning about transportation and/or housing;
  • Introductions to students, professors and staff in all areas of study;
  • Information about campus life, events and activities; and
  • Information about internship and employment resources on campus.

“We act as a front-line service for prospective students,” Evans says. “Basically, we offer prospective transfer students more support – a holistic service.”

Here are stories of a few transfer students who chose CU Denver to complete their degrees. Most of them have received at least one, if not several, scholarships:

Olivia Snyder

C
Olivia Snyder is double major in painting and drawing as well as business at CU Denver.

Olivia Snyder clarified her goals while at UNM-LA: She wanted to go to college to develop her art skills, but she also wanted to work on her business and networking skills. Now she is a double-major, studying painting-drawing in the College of Arts & Media and marketing in the CU Denver Business School.

“I like how major cities provide more opportunities than other places, so I started to look in that direction,” she says. “I felt like Denver was a little different (from where she grew up), but I was familiar with it because we visited often.”

CU Denver fit the bill on yet another front. Because CU Denver is part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) – and New Mexico is also in the 16-state WUE network – Snyder saves on tuition costs every year by virtue of being a WUE student. “I was looking at Western colleges (that are part of WUE),” she says. “Otherwise, I probably would have gone to an art institute back East.”

Transferring to CU Denver was “super smooth,” Snyder says. About half of her credits from UNM-LA transferred, but Snyder expects more will be accepted. “I’m talking with advisors about getting more credits transferred over,” she says. “Most colleges don’t do that – they’re black-and-white with it, either yes or no – but here at CU Denver they’ve been lenient and worked with me. So I like that.”

In addition to her school work, Snyder is a member of the Life Drawing Club and she landed a part-time marketing internship in University Communications. She’s in her sophomore year, but Snyder already has a clear idea of what she wants to do: “I want to open a coffee shop/art gallery,” she says. “I want to be my own boss and pursue the fine arts.”

Ana Ibanez

In January 2015, Ana Ibanez faced a situation common to many students who transfer to CU Denver. She was close to earning an associate’s degree (psychology) from Front Range Community College and pondered her next step. “I was like, ‘What am I going to do after I graduate?’” she says. So, after consulting with a friend who attends CU Denver, Ibanez had an answer.

She decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education in the School of Education & Human Development. Long term, Ibanez has her sights on a master’s degree in family counseling and a doctorate in human development and families.

CU Denver student Ana Ibanez
Ana Ibanez enjoys being a Lynx.

“It was easy to transfer my credits to CU Denver,” she says. “Once I got my transcripts in, it was an easy process – the application and paperwork were simple.”

She is currently taking 15 credit hours in addition to working 24 hours a week in the Office of Admissions.

“CU Denver was the only school that had the education program I liked,” says Ibanez, a junior. “Once I get my bachelor’s degree I hope to get a full-time job here at CU Denver, like possibly an advisor position. I plan to do that while I work toward my master’s degree here.”

In her Admissions Office job, Ibanez enjoys telling prospective students about her personal experience transferring to CU Denver. She’s also participated on panels where she answers students’ questions about the university.

“There are so many advantages to coming to CU Denver,” she says while sipping a latte in the Tivoli Starbucks. “You’re not only learning, you’re also equipping yourself by getting practical experience. For example, in my grant class I have to propose a grant and I’m going to be working on that, like an intern, soon.”

Ibanez has embraced CU Denver’s relatively new mascot, Milo the Lynx, and the spirit our new identity conveys. “I like the Lynx,” she says. “I like my professors. I love it here.”

Ben Thao

Ben Thao transferred to CU Denver from Front Range Community College in fall 2014. Having previously studied engineering, Thao is now majoring in accounting in the CU Denver Business School.

CU Denver student Ben Thao
When he’s not busy with his studies at CU Denver, Ben Thao performs in hip-hop dance crew Machinez Remainz.

He says an exceptional advisor at CU Denver, who has since retired, helped him in many ways when he looked into the transfer process. “She made transferring here really smooth,” Thao says. “She helped with the paperwork, how to log in to the CU Denver portal, what counselors to talk to, what scholarship people to talk to, what clubs would benefit me as a student, and she recommended people to network with.”

Outside of school, Thao works part time in the CU Denver Admissions Office and performs in a hip-hop dance crew. The crew, Machinez Remainz, performs around Denver, including at Nuggets games, and in international competitions, placing 17th in the U.S. adult division last year. Thao also participates in the annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival at Sloan’s Lake Park.

Thao, a junior who expects to graduate in spring 2017, plans to work at a start-up company, possibly combining his passions for business and entertainment.

As a person with artistic talent and athletic moves on the dance floor, Thao appreciates movement. That’s why he likes the no-nonsense, purposeful ethos of CU Denver. “It’s been a good experience,” he says. “I think this college is more about getting things done. Get things done and move on.”

Travis McGovern

Much like a musician fine tunes a song to perfection, Travis McGovern has honed his college career. With each stop, he’s polished the chords, sharpened the notes.

CU Denver student Travis McGovern
Travis McGovern, who transferred to CU Denver from Arizona State University, hopes to run his own full-service music management company.

McGovern started at Arapahoe Community College as a film major. At the time he was playing in a heavy metal band as well as managing gig dates and other details of performance work. McGovern then expanded his artistic palette by enrolling in an interdisciplinary arts program at Arizona State University. The program combined music, graphic design and film study, but McGovern realized that his passion centered on the business world of music.

So, the Castle Rock native looked around for a new program and discovered the Music & Entertainment Industry Studies Department, in the College of Arts & Media, where he could earn a bachelor of science in music with an emphasis in Music Business.

“I liked not only the school, but the location of CU Denver,” he says. “Denver is a great city for music, and the Music Business program in CAM is one of the better nationally. There are a lot of cool professors in the department and a lot of them have real-world experience. It’s not just a lot of book work.”

McGovern says the transfer process to CU Denver was relatively simple. Some classes in Arizona were specifically tailored to ASU’s interdisciplinary arts program, so in a couple cases McGovern showed his CAM professors the work he’d done. “When they saw how much of the material I took at ASU overlapped here, they gave me the credits,” he says. “Other core classes like English transferred over easily.”

He arrived at CU Denver with about 20 credits already applied toward his degree. McGovern is a sophomore and a double major; he’s studying marketing in the CU Denver Business School as well as Music Business.

He enjoys the city-life vibe of CU Denver and lives at the Auraria Lofts, a perfect location for a musician. “I can walk to everything, concert-wise,” he says.

McGovern feels like he’s hit on the right note with his college career, and feels CU Denver, where he works part time in the Office of Student Life, will help him reach his goal of ultimately owning a music management company.

“I’d like to have a 360-degree business that does management, promotion, event planning and label work,” McGovern says.

For now, he loves the 360-degree view of life and education in the center of a thriving and culturally rich city. “I like being in the city,” he says, “because you not only have the campus events, but you have the community events, too. I was able to walk down to the Broncos’ Super Bowl parade on the 16th Street Mall after class.

“Here, you get the city life and the college atmosphere all rolled into one.”

The post CU Denver makes transferring an easy process appeared first on CU Denver Today.

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