Metropolitan Denver Magazine - Spring 2013 by Metropolitan State University of Denver

METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

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Transformations Where Hope Starts The New U A Glass ... Full

PICK UP THE PHONE.

An MSU Denver student is calling! Our students are calling Roadrunners alumni and friends to reconnect, share campus news and raise money. But most of all, they want to hear your MSU Denver story. Please take a few minutes to tell them what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing now and the path you took to get there. Reminisce. Share encouragement and life lessons. Ask questions. Your support will transform lives, helping our hardworking students to turn big dreams into reality. This could be the most important call you ever take.

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VOL.1 NO.1 MSUDENVER.EDU/MAGAZINE

METROPOLITAN DENVER MAGAZINE

LOOKING AHEAD MSU Denver alumni Kevin Kutch and Mary Ellen Buxton gaze out of the window of their studio in Brooklyn, New York. They're looking forward to brighter days ahead as they rebuild after Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Matt Slaby.

12 16 20 A GLASS ... FULL

THE NEW U

WHERE HOPE STARTS

02 THE FIRST WORD

07 THE COACH

10 THE TRANSFORMATION

Artists Kevin Kutch and Mary Ellen Buxton rekindle their artistic fire after a soaking by Hurricane Sandy.

MSU Denver introduces a magazine on a mission.

03 THE CONVERSATION

Facebook provides a forum for talk about transformation.

04 THE NEWS

MSU Denver is making an impact, on campus and off.

MSU Denver has unveiled a fiveyear plan to transform the University into one of the nation’s best.

For Derrick Clark, the academic success of his players means more than a national title.

An MSU Denver tuition rate for undocumented students heralded passage of state legislation to make college more affordable and restored students’ dreams of college, careers and better lives.

Matt Kailey shares lessons learned on his transgender journey.

26 THE PEOPLE

08 THE INTERVIEW

MSU Denver President Stephen Jordan charts higher ed’s changing course.

MSU Denver alumni are making changes in their own lives and the lives of others.

09 THE FLOOD

An MSU Denver student helps a lost community reclaim its history.

ON THE COVER Sonia Gutierrez is one of the students who benefited from MSU Denver's tuition rate for undocumented students. Photo by Dave Neligh.

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FIRSTWORD MSU Denver introduces a magazine on a mission.

The University published the final issue of its venerable Metro Magazine in November 2012. Taking its place is Metropolitan Denver Magazine, an entirely new publication with a fresh design, flexible format, streamlined content, a digital edition with lots of online extras, and a new title that incorporates two important elements of the University’s name— Metropolitan and Denver. Just as the college changed its name to better reflect who we are today, it was time for an update to accomplish the same goal for the magazine. The makeover reflects many months of planning, analysis and evaluation of how we can better tell the MSU Denver story. We drew on a decade of magazine reader research (we were told the magazine was like “getting a letter from an old friend”) and utilized results of the University’s 2012 brand audit, in which new words such as “bold” and “innovative” emerged as key descriptors of the University. We sought the talent of local firm Betterweather to develop a visual concept and redesign the magazine, and we enlisted MSU Denver Affiliate Professor Michael Pearson—a veteran journalist with more than three decades of experience as a newspaper reporter and editor—to serve as the magazine’s managing editor. This work was done with the support and guidance

Metropolitan Denver Magazine is published three times a year by the Metropolitan State University of Denver Office of Marketing and Communications. © 2013 Metropolitan State University of Denver. All rights reserved. Address correspondence to: Metropolitan Denver Magazine, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Office of Marketing and Communications, Campus Box 86, PO Box 173362, Denver, CO 80217-3362. Email magazine@msudenver.edu. The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the policies and opinions of Metropolitan State University of Denver nor imply endorsement by its officers or by the MSU Denver Alumni Association. Metropolitan State University of Denver does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability in admissions or access to, or treatment or employment in, its educational programs or activities.

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of the many great team members in Advancement and External Relations, Marketing and Communications and our Editorial Advisory Board. Metropolitan Denver Magazine is the end result. Each issue will explore a theme to better frame the MSU Denver story—the ways the University and its alumni, students, faculty and staff are transforming lives, communities and higher education itself. Even the striking new nameplate design has a story to tell; read more about it on Page 5. Fittingly for a new magazine at a university with a new name and identity, the inaugural issue explores “transformations.” We hope you’ll continue to see this publication as a “letter from an old friend,” but that old friend has a new look that they are excited to share. We want to hear from you. Your feedback will allow us to continue to refine and improve Metropolitan Denver Magazine. Tell us what you think and share your own story at magazine@msudenver.edu. Sincerely, Catherine B. Lucas Publisher

Conversation the

Facebook provides a forum for talk about transformation. We Asked:

You Answered:

MSU Denver will be launching a new university magazine this spring and is seeking content that explores the concept of “transformations”: original artwork or illustrations; poems and essays; stories about courses, faculty, staff, students and alumni. Did a particular class or faculty member change your way of thinking? Have you had a significant life or career change? Are you transforming your community through service, or your industry through innovation? Is your research breaking new ground? Please share your content ideas and personal stories!

I am a proud recent MSU Denver alum and have started a business with a current Roadrunner, Mark Johnson. We’d love to share our story with the university community to hopefully motivate other student entrepreneurs to start making their passion their employment. Glad to see a new medium to communicate all the wonderful success stories that are perhaps otherwise left untold. —Jeremy Priest I am a recent graduate of MSU Denver with degree in business marketing. I just had a recent job switch from a retail management position to a sales and marketing manager of a major staffing agency downtown. I would like to share my story because as a recent graduate, I want to express the joy/hope to other marketing students of doing something special and taking risks to be on

your desired goal path. This is such a cool idea. —Kellie Lankutis I am a fall 2012 graduate with a degree in journalism. I’m not taking the career route that most would assume ... instead I guess you say I practice “advocacy journalism” because I aim to raise consciousness about women’s issues. Currently I am a correspondent for Stop Street Harassment and am researching gender violence in the Denver area. I want to share my story to show the value in following strong passions as a student. You don’t have to be “typical” in what you do with your degree; I chose to be more than just a reporter, I chose to be one who creates social change. Cool idea with the magazine; can’t wait to read about other Roadrunners. —Allison Riley

I’m a current student at MSU Denver and I’ve been there for two and a half years. I’m interested in talking about how the teachers in the art department have become my inspiration to achieve my dream as an artist. —Danee Castillo Still a student, just landed a great internship with a grassroots org that is so inspirational for our state and local communities. —Holly Smith

Do you like the new Metropolitan Denver Magazine? Have your own transformation story to share? Join the conversation at www. facebook.com/msudenver. Or send a letter to the editor at magazine@msudenver.edu or Metropolitan Denver Magazine, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Campus Box 86, PO Box 173362, Denver, CO 80217.

Available online.

msudenver.edu/magazine

News the

MSU Denver is making an impact, on campus and off.

Best for vets PHOTO SETH BACA

Military Times has cited MSU Denver’s School of Business as one of the nation’s 60 “Best for Vets.” The school ranked 32nd, up from 52nd in 2011. And, the University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps, along with two other Colorado ROTC units, was honored this spring with the U.S. Army’s MacArthur Award recognizing the top eight ROTC programs in the nation.

MAKING A MARK

On April 29, 2013, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed Senate Bill 33, the ASSET Bill, which qualifies undocumented students for in-state tuition at all of Colorado's public colleges and universities. The bill is "the first step toward national immigration reform," Hickenlooper said at the signing ceremony in MSU Denver's Student Success Building. He lauded the University—an early backer of the legislation—as "one of the most innovative schools in the nation." (See Page 20 for more.)

Higher education pays What’s the value of an MSU Denver degree? Apparently more than some other in-state schools if the measure is earnings potential. Using data from more than 61,800 graduates from 2006–10, the College Measu res/Colorado Department of Higher Education report “Higher Education Pays: The Initial Earnings of Graduates from Colorado’s Colleges and Universities 04

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Working in Colorado” looked at the first-year earnings of degree recipients from public two-year and four-year institutions and three private colleges. The March report found that the median first-year earnings for an MSU Denver student with a bachelor’s degree was $38,547 compared to $36,777 for a Colorado State University grad, $37,735 for

a University of Colorado-Boulder grad and $39,143 for a University of Denver grad. “When you combine that earnings potential with our tuition rate— which is the lowest tuition among the state’s largest universities—you can see the educational value we offer,” says MSU Denver President Stephen Jordan. —MSU Denver Staff

FUTURE FUELS Because the environment is ever changing, MSU Denver believes the fuel it uses should be, too. That’s why the University is entering the arena of biofuel production in an effort to provide clean, sustainable energy for the campus.

biodiesel. The Earth and Atmospheric Science Department will study the fuel's effects on the environment. Even the Hospitality Learning Center will be involved by providing the used cooking oil needed to produce the fuel.

The project—expected to be fully operational this summer—is unique because it incorporates many different areas of academic study. Mechanical Engineering Technology students and faculty will test the biodiesel fuel on engines. The Chemistry Department will work to find ways to produce a purer

Fuel production will take place in the “Fifth Street Hub” building on campus using solar energy to power the plant. Engineering Technology Department Chair Richard Pozzi says the fuel will be used to power diesel-engine vehicles on campus and possibly fuel generators for campus buildings.

“What is interesting about having a project like this at the University is it shows our flexibility to creatively adapt to the changing environment and allows our students to understand that,” Pozzi says. “As things change in the world … we will be able to allow our students the chance to explore these areas because we are quick and ready on our feet. The ability to quickly react to the industry gives our students a strategic advantage in employment.” —Reeanna Lynn Hernandez

When designing a new magazine for MSU Denver, local firm Betterweather found inspiration in the University’s mission and its accessible and inclusive urban environment. Betterweather creative principal Matt Dunn explains that the new Metropolitan Denver Magazine logo is, of course, an M, representing the school’s name and location in the heart of Denver. But it also incorporates a greater-than symbol as a reference to the aspirations of MSU Denver students, and an equal sign

PHOTO RYAN MCFARLIN

reflecting education as the great equalizer.

Christo, center stage Two original works of art donated to Colorado citizens by the artist Christo last year made their Centennial State debut at the MSU Denver Center for Visual Art during a Jan. 23 reception with the artist. About 150 people gathered at the Center for Visual Art to view the works and meet the 77-year-old environmental artist, who has a longstanding relationship with the center. The next day the pieces moved to the state Capitol to be hung in the governor’s office; they will eventually travel to museums around the state. —Leslie Petrovski

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NEWS

Applause, please When is a hotel more than a hotel? When it’s a classroom as well. That’s the claim to fame of MSU Denver’s Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center (HLC), which recently received a 2013 citation for Best Innovation in a Campus Building by Denver’s alternative weekly news magazine Westword. The hotel also received the LoDo District’s New Business Award in March 2013.

Innovation wins

Five MSU Denver student-entrepreneurs were recognized by the University’s Center for Innovation in April for businesses they’ve started.

hopes to expand this year. Grimes is a sophomore business management major with a minor in entrepreneurship.

A junior studying communication design, Adrian Barragan was named Entrepreneur of the Year, the top award that carries a $1,000 prize. His business, Denver Fashion Truck, is a mobile boutique offering handmade fashion and accessories, small works of art, vintage items and modern lifestyle gifts.

An established small business owner, junior Jonathan Fessler turned to the Center for Innovation in order to grow his masonry business. Classes such as Creative Problem Solving and Artrepreneurship encouraged Fessler to represent himself as both an artist and an entrepreneur.

Sophomore Luna Cash is a founder of Tetra Arts, a nonprofit that celebrates art and expression through performance, education, community and merchandise.

Senior Catherine Schwab, who is interning in Zambia this semester, co-founded Rise n’ Rise Entertainment, which aims to promote Zambian artists and musicians. The company plans to launch several projects this year—including a mural, a video blog and a street-art project—to develop its reputation and a portfolio for future clients. —Cliff Foster

Aaron Grimes’ food cart/grill serves healthy options such as high-quality hotdogs and turkey and veggie burgers. He had a “soft launch” last year, setting up at microbrew festivals and youth sports games, and

Notable quotable You can go anywhere in this world within 16 hours. If you take the premise that great cities are created through connectivity, then you realize Denver connected to the rest of the world is going to elevate this city on a global scale. All of us are competing against the world. Recognize that when you send me your resume for a job, just as quickly as you send it to me a young person in Beijing can send it to me. —Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, to students in the Current Social Issues course taught by sociology Associate Professor Sheldon Steinhauser.

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PEDAL POWER

Funded by the Sustainable Campus Program, the first Auraria Campus B-cycle station opened in March and features 10 red bikes and 17 docks powered by the sun. The Auraria station, adjacent to the bike lane at 9th and Curtis, is the 52nd pick up-drop off location in the city bikesharing program.

WANT MORE? Keep up to date on MSU Denver news at www.msudenver.edu/ newsroom.

FOR DERRICK CLARK, THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF HIS PLAYERS MEANS MORE THAN A NATIONAL TITLE. STORY DAN PATTERSON | PHOTOS JUSTIN EDMONDS

or MSU Denver men's basketball coach Derrick Clark, the only math that matters is 4-for-4. Not 32-3, the Roadrunners’ record this past season, or 22—his team’s longest winning streak.

and Serbia. They took a team that hadn’t advanced as far as the Elite Eight since 2005 to an Elite Eight showdown last season and a national runner-up finish in April that announced the Roadrunners’ return to the top of DII basketball.

Four-for-four represents an academic “quadrafecta”: four out of four seniors who will graduate on time this spring.

“We’re back on top of the mountain,” says Clark, whose ties to MSU Denver basketball date back 16 years. “I’m so proud of the leadership provided by our seniors. Their buyin, not only with what we’re doing basketball-wise but in the classroom, has been an example for the rest of the team.”

A third-year head coach who was lauded as Division II Coach of the Year in March, Clark says the academic tone set by seniors Jonathan Morse, Demetrius Miller, Tyler Cooper and Derrick January provided the groundwork for the Roadrunners’ deepest NCAA Division II tournament run since their 2004 Final Four team. That MSU Denver’s 2013 season ended in anguish—a one-point loss to Drury in the finals on April 7— doesn’t obscure the accomplishment of Clark, his seniors, and a mix of underclassmen who are local products and imports from Australia

Clark’s players describe him as “demanding and passionate.” Known for his intensity, Clark is never “up off the bench” because he is “never on the bench,” preferring to pace the sideline communicating with players and working officials. The program’s reemergence feels familiar for Clark, who was a fulltime assistant coach when the Roadrunners cut down the nets two times in three years in the early

2000s. Although losing in the finals in gut-wrenching fashion was unexpected, in his post-game speech Clark was sanguine about the mark his current crop of players has left on the program.

mention the negative effect the fiveyear DI probationary period, during which a school is barred from post-season competition, has on recruiting—ensures that MSU Denver will stay at the DII level.

“We believed in our heart and soul we would win that last game,” he said. “The first thing I told them was, ‘When you walk out of that locker room, stick your chest out. Don’t slump, you’re a champion. Look at what you’ve done.’

“Kids want to play in the tourney— period,” Clark says. “We’re happy where we are. We value what we have here.

“You’re hanging a banner, a runnerup banner, and there’s no shame in it. We don’t believe in moral victories, but once the smoke clears they will understand the significance of the season and see that we did some unbelievable stuff and made the community proud of our accomplishments.”

“We like being the big fish.”

VISIT www.msudenver.edu/ magazine for a slideshow of the Roadrunners’ national championship run and stories about men’s basketball alumni Chris Roper, Mick Alcock and Doug Stepelton.

Despite their success, don’t expect the Roadrunners to follow the lead of the University of Denver and the University of Northern Colorado in making the jump to Division I. The program’s current success—not to

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BY LESLIE PETROVSKI

Q: A:

What trends do you see shaping higher education?

First, return on investment—the value of the degree after you leave the institution. Related to that is, how are you going to use technology to constrain, if not lower, the cost of getting an education? Third is the whole question of how institutions will play together, particularly how well students can move from one institution to another and the portability of their credits. Fourth is how institutions will give credit to people for their life experiences in order to reduce the time and cost of a degree.

I want to go back to ROI. What can we do to help keep higher education affordable for the masses?

We are going to make tools available to help [students] sort out the question of return-oninvestment and to help them understand that they don’t necessarily have to go to the flagship institution. You can get a degree in an area that you’re interested in at a more affordable price. You will be able to go online and compare what the tuition net and first-year salaries would be between institutions, and you can decide as an informed consumer which [school] makes more sense. You at least ought to understand what the differences are going to be for what you are going to pay in terms of outcome. Let’s look at public higher education funding.

Q: A:

Well, we won’t have to look very long because there isn’t much. For the foreseeable future we don’t see a likelihood of significant increases for higher education, which means if you are going to sustain the operations of your institution and have any vision of actually growing that in some meaningful way, you have to be thinking about how you reduce costs on the expense side, and how you generate more revenues through other kinds of relationships, in our case private-public partnerships. It’s not going to come just by raising tuition.

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How would you respond to this statement: Every young person should have a four-year degree?

I would say that’s not true. Some two-year degrees can be as good or better an initial investment than a four-year degree. I would say that not everybody has to have a bachelor’s degree, but by far a large majority of people— like 80 percent of them—must have some posthigh school education.

Q: A:

What are your priorities with regards to students?

First and foremost we have been focused on the issue of retention and graduation, particularly with a population of students that can be academically fragile. They are not necessarily coming in with either the highest high school GPAs, SAT, ACT scores or a history of family participation in higher education. So we want a lower cost, but we also want better retention and graduation rates.

Q: A:

What can colleges and universities do for underrepresented students?

There are a number of things I think will be important. The first one that you have to overcome is the issue of affordability. And, it’s not enough to accept these students into your institution. It’s about what you’re going to do to help them to achieve and how the institution accepts responsibility for their retention and graduation. All students are capable of succeeding. We really believe that. But they may start at different places, so how do you put together an array of support services to help them? We as a public institution accept responsibility that the faces of our students should mirror the faces of our community, in particular with respect to Latino students. We saw such a demonstrable difference there that we had a responsibility to change that and to really work at creating an environment where people felt welcomed and treated fairly.

MSU Denver President Stephen Jordan charts higher ed’s changing course.

VISIT www.msudenver.edu/ magazine for an expanded version of the interview with President Jordan, including discussion about retention and graduation rates, diversity, online education, and credit for prior learning.

DOMONIC "DEE" ELLIOTT

AN MSU DENVER STUDENT HELPS A LOST COMMUNITY RECLAIM ITS HISTORY. STORY MINDY SINK | PHOTO EVAN SEMÓN

Nearly 50 years ago Denver had its own version of Hurricane Katrina and the Lower Ninth Ward—and very few people know about it. MSU Denver sophomore Domonic “Dee” Elliott aims to change that. She is retracing the history of Denver’s Jerome Park neighborhood and the flood that wiped it out, and reconnecting residents who’ve been displaced for half a century. Following days of torrential rain, the South Platte River topped its banks on June 16, 1965, spreading out for half a mile or more through Denver’s downtown corridor, inundating neighborhoods and industrial areas and leaving mud, debris and more than $500 million in damages in the flood’s wake. “The flood [swept] trains off the tracks, completely covered homes, one person was killed, and miles and miles of homes and businesses were demolished,” says Elliott, who is documenting Jerome Park’s transformation from thriving community to industrial park in a research project, “The Case of Jerome Park: Displacement, Redevelopment, and Reunion. Reconstructing a Neighborhood Community Fifty Years After the Big Flood.” Jerome Park in 1965 was a bustling, low-income Hispanic community along the South Platte River just south of where the Auraria Campus sits today. Many of the homes still used outhouses and had backyard farms with animals “for feeding and eating,” Elliott says. “Jerome Park was like an urban village. Even though the residents were poor, they had tight connections and lots of pride,” says MSU Denver sociology Professor Linda Mariposa Marangia, whose spouse, Dan Martinez, is a former Jerome Park resident.

But, developers had set their sights on the Jerome Park area for its convenient access to transportation with proximity to the new Interstate 25 on its flank. “The neighborhood was earmarked by developers for commerce and industry, and there was an attempt to buy the residents out with bottom-dollar offerings,” explains Marangia, Elliott’s research adviser. “When the Platte River flood of 1965 devastated their homes, the government moved them out without adequate reparation to continue [their] lives in another location.” “The Denver Urban Renewal Authority utilized eminent domain against the residents of the area,” Elliott explains. “Basically, they were outsmarted by the government, in my opinion.” Schools, homes, churches and businesses were tangible symbols—now lost—of culture, history and bonds shared by Jerome Park residents, says Elliott, who has organized a reunion of former Jerome Park residents. “I want to tell the story of these people,” she says. “I want to explain urban planning and educate the government and communities about situations like this so we can do better in the future as far as handling disasters. “We need to do a better job of helping [victims] of these natural disasters to heal and assisting them with rebuilding,” Elliott adds. “A lot of what was lost in that flood were traditions and values. The residents lost a sense of who they were.”

SEE historic images of Jerome Park and watch a video of the 1965 South Platte River flood at www.msudenver.edu/magazine.

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TRANS STORY DOUG MCPHERSON | PHOTO SETH BACA

MATT KAILEY SHARES LESSONS LEARNED ON HIS TRANSGENDER JOURNEY.

The title alone is enough to garner plenty of attention: “Teeny Weenies: And Other Short Subjects.” But the book of personal essays also landed some sizeable praise earlier this year when it earned a nomination for one of the most prestigious prizes in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender publishing, a Lambda Literary Award. In the book, author and Metropolitan State University of Denver professor Matt Kailey shares the tender and tough times growing up in Iowa and Nebraska as ”Jennifer,” and his later life fitting into the name and life of Matt. You see, Kailey was born female. Now he’s male. “It’s sort of a before-and-after affair,” says Kailey, an adjunct instructor in MSU Denver’s Women’s Studies program. Kailey’s first book, “Just Add Hormones: An Insider’s Guide to the Transsexual Experience,” netted the same nomination in 2006. “It didn’t win,” Kailey notes, “but as they say, it’s great just to be nominated.” After that book’s success, Kailey felt compelled to write a follow up at readers’ request. “They’d email me and say, ‘I loved your book, but it really doesn’t tell me a whole lot about you before the transition. I’d like to know what your childhood and early years were like.’ ” Kailey returned to his computer and poured his life onto the screen with essays, his genre of choice. As painful as some of his memories are, Kailey manages a lighthearted approach with chapter titles like “Putting the Men in Menopause” and “Most Changed Since High School.” “What I want readers to get out of it is basically a good time. It’s a humorous read, and I want them to enjoy themselves,” Kailey says. “But I think they are also poignant, and I think they strike a chord with readers.”

LEARN MORE Matt Kailey blogs about transgender and transsexual issues at www.tranifesto.com. Read an interview with Kailey about his Transgender Studies course at www.msudenver.edu/magazine. Kailey also is striking a chord with MSU Denver students. Last fall he approached the University about offering a new course called Transgender Studies to help students better understand that population. The course was approved, and Kailey taught it this spring. Steve Willich—director for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services at Auraria—is a fan of the course and says the definition of diversity needs to be expanded beyond race and ethnicity to include information and education about sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. “Vice President Joe Biden has called transgender discrimination the civil rights issue of our time,” Willich says. “Our students will be working with trans individuals when they graduate, and we all need to be aware of the broad diversity of identities in our communities and have knowledge on how to treat everyone with respect and dignity.” So what’s next for Kailey? A series of short e-books. His first one is already out—“My Child is Transgender: 10 Tips for Parents of Adult Trans Children,” 30-pages and 99 cents at Amazon.com. For future e-books, he plans to target human resource departments, employers, medical professionals, sales professionals, therapists and educators. “That is a lot of books,” Kailey says with a laugh. “I have to get at it.”

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glass a

Artists Kevin Kutch and Mary Ellen Buxton rekindle their artistic fire after a soaking by Hurricane Sandy. STORY LARRY GETLEN | PHOTOS MATT SLABY

usband and wife glass artists Kevin Kutch and Mary Ellen Buxton sit by a cast-iron fireplace in their studio, known as Pier Glass, in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. Outside, a view of the Statue of Liberty is obscured by dense fog, evoking a melancholy mood that for some time has been all too familiar for the pair.

“It’s a fascinating material to make 3D sculptural work out of,” he says. “I did a number of pieces at the time that incorporated steel and metal with glass—not so much blown glass, but grinding and polishing a piece into some sort of jewel, then mounting it into a sculptural piece. It's an addictive material to work with.”

Kutch and Buxton’s studio by the water was devastated last October by Hurricane Sandy, which unleashed six-foot waves throughout their 5,500-square-foot space. During the two months that followed, they had no electricity, and this tiny fireplace was their saving grace.

TRY THINGS, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY YOU’RE GONNA FIND OUT IS BY FAILING.

“This was the only heat source,” says Kutch, loading a small wooden beam into the fire. “We would huddle around it,” says Buxton. “When we ate, we heated our food here. Our lunches went on top, and we made a little grill. It was like camping indoors. Totally rustic.” As they discuss their history, including how they met and received art training at MSU Denver in the early 1970s, and their experiences in the wake of Sandy, one can’t help but notice an optimism shining through the pair, especially impressive given that the hurricane cost them around a quarter of a million dollars in lost equipment, business and time.

utch and Buxton met at MSU Denver as art students. “It was one of the top places for art because their professors were some of the best in the western area,” Buxton says. “Bob Mangold, the sculpture instructor, was a huge influence on me,” says Kutch. “Almost every day I do something he taught me—from welding to basic design. Even though we had design courses, he was the one who tied the ideas in those courses together for me in a three-dimensional sense.”

Kutch became a glass artist, and Buxton, an art teacher. They moved to New York around 1991, and in 1994 they opened their space in Red Hook, a one-square-mile neighborhood of retail stores, restaurants and galleries that helped revitalize the former shipping port and industrial district. Both now make glass art full time. The pair has done commission work for collectors and museums (they currently have work on display at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art), and their business ran smoothly until Sandy tore it asunder.

fter 2011’s Hurricane Irene filled their space with two inches of water, Buxton and Kutch took the warnings about Sandy seriously; they fortified their studio with sandbags, braced windows and added shutters. But these were no match for Sandy’s 7-10 foot surges, and their entire studio—like most of the neighborhood surrounding it—wound up under more than five feet of water.

Both also cite printmaking professor Bob Strohmeier as one who helped ignite their creativity.

“The amount of water in Red Hook was more than anybody thought,” says Buxton. “Four-and-a-half blocks from here, there was a big white planter that said ‘Pier Glass’ on it. That was ours.”

“He said, ‘Experiment. Let things happen,’” recalls Buxton. “He always said to try things, because the only way you’re gonna find out is by failing. That was a huge influence on me. It’s how I’ve always worked.”

“It floated up about five-and-a-half blocks,” says Kutch, “then moved back a block before settling there.”

Kutch graduated with a B.A. in 1977, a year after Buxton, and they married in 1978. When Kutch got a job polishing and grinding glass at an art studio a few years later, he was entranced by the possibilities.

When the couple returned to their studio the day after the storm, the debris was eight feet high. All of their work had been tossed to the floor and was in various stages of disarray. Much of it was cracked, and all of it was caked in sand, oil, and more.

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It’s like when you’re driving somewhere and the road’s closed, and you have to take a different road. Well, you never knew how beautiful it was down that road until you had to take it.

“We’re looking at updating,” says Kutch. “Since we have to rebuild a furnace, do we pull [our current one] out, or do we start new? Maybe we think about differences in design—making things more efficient.” With recovery in their sights, Kutch and Buxton are confident they can get their business not only back to where it was, but hopefully beyond as well. “It’s gonna take a while, but let’s move so we can make strides in new directions and hopefully open up new markets,” says Kutch.

They initially thought it would take 3-4 weeks to get everything back in order. Several days in, the full magnitude of the damage had become frighteningly clear. “The deeper you got into trying to move things, the more you found that had been destroyed,” says Kutch, “and the more it sunk in how much it was going to take to put it back together.” “We were in shock,” says Buxton. “It took a couple of days to start digesting the true horror of the whole mess.”

“Because of this interruption, maybe we can get a new perspective,” he adds. “It’s like when you’re driving somewhere and the road’s closed, and you have to take a different road. Well, you never knew how beautiful it was down that road until you had to take it. So maybe this can work out.” Pier Glass was one of the first businesses on Red Hook’s Beard Street Pier and has helped transform the neighborhood into a creative haven. Creative arts have helped to revitalize Denver neighborhoods as well. VISIT www.msudenver.edu/magazine to read more and watch a video showing the damage to Pier Glass and the work to recover from Hurricane Sandy.

Kutch and Buxton had no water or sewer for two weeks and were without their own power for two months. They relied on flashlights, candles, and a neighbor’s generator that provided enough power for occasional light. Assisted by a constant stream of volunteers who came to Red Hook to help those affected by the storm, it took the couple six weeks just to sort through and clean out the mountains of debris, and to determine what was damaged beyond repair and what could be saved. Somewhere between 300 and 400 pieces of glass had to be meticulously examined to determine if they could be saved, or if some tiny, irreparable scratch relegated them to the scrap heap. “Glass filled the tables in the kitchen,” says Buxton, “and you couldn’t even see them because they were encrusted in salt, and oils, and other odd trivia. There’s an elevator outside our door with hydraulic fluid, and when the water crested over where it was in the elevator, it coated everything close to it—which meant this studio. So everything was well oiled. We have still not finished cleaning all the glass.” Kutch estimates they’re still six months away from being fully operational. But even the darkest moments have flickers of light, and in the wake of this tragedy, they’re hoping to take this opportunity to reassess their business and refocus their energies in a way that could potentially turn disaster into opportunity. SPRING2013

new

THE

STORY LESLIE PETROVSKI | ILLUSTRATIONS MATT DUNN

MSU Denver has unveiled a five-year plan to transform the University into one of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best.

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xcept for the late-night efforts of employees like Miguel Garza-Wicker (B.F.A. art '10) to transition the school’s website, the July 1, 2012, transformation of Metropolitan State College of Denver to Metropolitan State University of Denver was largely a quiet affair.

That day a simple promo posted on MSU Denver's website announced: “Colorado’s newest university!” The near-seamless change marked the end of more than two years of research, institutional soul searching and legislative action authorizing the school to change its name on July 1. As President Stephen Jordan said before a throng of about 650 students, faculty, staff, dignitaries and other well-wishers at the April 18, 2012, bill signing ceremony, “This might be the best day yet to be a Roadrunner! This isn’t the end, though. Rather it’s the beginning of a new era for Metro State.”

DEFINING A NEW ERA

What exactly will that era look like? A 26-page strategic plan offers some clues. In a year that saw the University change its name and transform its public face with capital projects that included the Student Success Building and the Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center, a group of MSU Denver faculty, staff and administrators shaped a document that will drive the institution philosophically for the next five years. Adopted by the Board of Trustees in April 2012, the aptly named 2012–17 strategic plan, “A Time of Transformation,” articulates an ambitious vision for the University. “The strategic plan provides a broad template for the future that allows for innovation, creativity and growth,” Jordan explains. “I am confident that it will move us further down the path to preeminence.” The plan’s first page paints a portrait of what the University hopes to look like in 2017. The institution it describes offers an exemplary education characterized by real-world experiences, high standards

THE STRATEGIC PLAN PROVIDES A BROAD TEMPLATE FOR THE FUTURE THAT ALLOWS FOR INNOVATION, CREATIVITY AND GROWTH.

-Stephen Jordan MSU Denver President

and personal attention. It’s a school where diverse students, faculty and staff are respected and valued, and a school that is nearing its goal of becoming a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution. The plan finds that the University has deeply embedded itself in the community as a partner in business and community improvement efforts. And it has attained a regional and national reputation for being Colorado’s urban land-grant university and leading public urban institution. More concretely, the MSU Denver of 2017 will be closing in on its goal of 25 percent Latino student enrollment while also serving as a model for recruiting and retaining students, faculty and staff from other under-represented groups. Undergraduate student graduation and retention rates will be stronger; prospective students will begin making MSU Denver their university of choice rather than their university of default. And businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations will seek out the University’s brain trust and resources to help solve business and community problems. “This plan is going to help realize the potential of this outstanding urban university,” says Rob Cohen, chair of the MSU Denver Board of Trustees. “In 2017 we are going to have a place at the table in local and state policy discussions. Businesses and community organizations will be looking to us for interns, research and development assistance and new hires. And we are finally going to be recognized for offering not just an affordable education, but for offering an excellent, real-world, urban experience that appeals to the most diverse population of students imaginable.”

THIS PLAN IS GOING TO HELP REALIZE THE POTENTIAL OF THIS OUTSTANDING URBAN UNIVERSITY.

-Rob Cohen Board of Trustees Chair

SETTING HIGH EXPECTATIONS

The strategic plan underpins some lofty goals. At the meeting in which the board accepted the strategic plan, Patrick Sanaghan, president of The Sanaghan Group and a consultant on the plan’s development, called it a “very aspirational document” but listed several institutional qualities he thought would drive its success. These included having the right president at the right time; the University’s commitment to transparency, assessment and a high-quality faculty; and the deep community affection employees have for the place. “Pay attention to your culture,” he told the board. “It will be your competitive edge.” Physics Professor and Faculty Senate President Kamran Sahami sees the strategic plan as providing a bold outline for the future of MSU Denver that faculty and staff will fill in in coming years. Sahami co-chaired the Strategic Planning Committee with Cathy Lucas, associate to the president for marketing and communications and chief of staff. “One of the things that sets it apart,” Sahami says, “is that it doesn’t prescribe specific actions to take. It creates a framework for a vision of the campus and what it should be, and it allows a tremendous amount

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of flexibility for faculty, administration and staff to look at specific ideas and projects of their own to get the institution there.” Looking at the plan on her desk, Provost Vicki Golich points to immediate changes she would like to see, such as contacting students at academic risk earlier in the semester and helping current and former students with large numbers of credits to finish their degrees more efficiently through the Center for Individualized Learning. “To me, it really focuses us on the effort to recruit, retain and graduate students—with the highest quality education possible—who are ready and prepared to go into the workforce and be good members of the community,” she says. “It will be a living document that will help us achieve those goals.”

PUTTING THE PLAN INTO ACTION

Giving the plan “legs” is the next hurdle. As fall semester loomed, Tara Tull, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Human Services, was making notes on the plan in anticipation of the strategic planning her department will begin soon. She expects the department will start by having discussions about members’ collective strengths and

weaknesses, new initiatives and how their plans converge with the goals and planning points articulated in the University plan. Last spring, the department got a jump-start on addressing “student success and degree completion” by conducting a survey about barriers to graduation. An open-ended question revealed that while most students think the department is doing a great job at advising, some students feel they have received inconsistent information. To address this issue, Tull says, department faculty will get additional training, and she plans to create resource guides for the complicated institutional procedures and rules students need to know to graduate. “Strategic planning creates a space for dialogue among departments and in departments about where they’re going,” Tull says. “Strategic planning, when it’s done well, gives you an opportunity to look at the big picture.” Alumna Joan Foster (B.A. biology ’78)—dean of MSU Denver’s School of Letters, Arts and Sciences— agrees that strategic planning in general offers people a way to step back from quotidian concerns and cast an eye on where the University is headed. She envisions continuing to enhance the academic

climate in her school with more opportunities for undergraduate research and additional ways to get students to enrich their educations through community engagement.

EMBRACING THE LAND-GRANT MISSION

The community engagement piece is central to the strategic plan and the institution’s idea of itself as an urban land–grant university, a concept Jordan voiced in his first speech to the MSU Denver community in 2005, where he outlined a vision for an institution that breaks down the notion of the Ivory Tower academy to one that behaves instead like the land-grant schools established under the 1862 Morrill Act. “The Morrill Act essentially provided for a working relationship between those who faced problems and those who were involved in finding solutions to problems,” Jordan said. “County agents in agricultural extension centers were available to work directly with farmers and ranchers in problem solving, and in so doing they relied heavily on upon the knowledge and expertise of those in the faculties of the land-grant colleges and universities. Students at land-grant institutions were afforded the opportunities to learn theories and practices which would be of value as they entered the work force.”

Signs of progress are everywhere. Last summer President Jordan made the bold move to increase the University’s diversity even further by offering the Colorado High School/GED Non-resident Tuition Rate, making MSU Denver more affordable for hundreds of undocumented students. A new aviation and advanced manufacturing building will involve industry partners in the planning and financing. “In 2017 it’s not just MSU Denver that will have grown and changed,” Jordan says, “but also the city of Denver.”

IN 2017 IT’S NOT JUST MSU DENVER THAT WILL HAVE GROWN AND CHANGED, BUT ALSO THE CITY OF DENVER.

-Stephen Jordan MSU Denver President

The January/February 2013 issue of Trusteeship Magazine, published by the Association of Governing Boards, featured articles collected under the headline, “A Tale of Two Cities: Using Public/Private Partnerships to Create Higher Education Opportunities.” A piece about Denver by MSU Denver President Jordan discussed the Hospitality Learning Center and the Center for Innovation’s Franchise Ownership Program. A second article about New York focused on the City University of New York (CUNY).

Review the MSU Denver strategic plan and read more about the name change transition at www.msudenver.edu/magazine.

“When I came to MSU Denver eight years ago, I used CUNY as an example of the kind of preeminent urban institution we should aspire to be,” Jordan says. “So to be recognized side by side with CUNY shows the progress we’ve made.” Dean Foster remembers hanging out with fellow science students at the Chicken Unlimited on Colfax before the institution even had a campus. She says she never expected her “Metro State” to become the shining university it is today. “To see this growth and see us still holding tight to this mission of serving the urban population and providing accessibility to students who might not otherwise go to college—it’s the best mix,” she says. “Where else could you go where you’d have this mix of students? You can’t beat Metro State.”

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MSU Denver student Victor Galvan says the Pledge of Allegiance at the Colorado State Capitol, where he followed the progress of legislation that would impact immigrants, including Senate Bill 33, the ASSET Bill. The bill was signed into law in a ceremony at the University on April 29, 2013.

An MSU Denver tuition rate for undocumented students heralded passage of state legislation to make college more affordable and restored students’ dreams of college, careers and better lives.

WHERE

STORY IVAN MORENO | PHOTOS MATT SLABY

WHEN

it was time for Victor Galvan to pick up his cap and gown for his high school graduation, his mother insisted on buying his class ring. “I didn’t know it was because she felt bad because we couldn’t afford to go to college, we couldn’t afford to continue,” says Galvan, now 22. “I say ‘we’ because my mom and our family had really supported me, and we struggled together to get to this point.” As an undocumented immigrant, he hasn’t qualified for in-state college tuition, even though he’s lived in Colorado since he was 8 months old. Colorado’s out-of-state rates— which can be more than three-times higher than tuition for residents—were unaffordable for his family. So his mother told him something unexpected. “We got into the car to go home [and] she just looked at me and said, ‘It’s OK if you don’t go to college. You’ve gone far enough. You’ve made us so proud,’” Galvan remembers. “I didn’t find it fair,” he says. “But I told her, ‘This is not enough. This is not where it ends.’”

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challenge of paying college tuition for students like Galvan is what Metropolitan State University of Denver sought to address when its Board of Trustees voted 7-1 last June to set a new tuition rate for students who live in Colorado but cannot prove lawful presence. Two months earlier, a similar proposal failed to pass the Colorado Legislature. MSU Denver’s decision was bold even for a university that was the first higher-education institution in Colorado to support bills to allow undocumented students to pay tuition rates similar to legal state residents. At the time of the board’s action, there were 12 states that allowed undocumented students to pay in-state tuition, but there were no individual colleges or universities that had instituted the lower rates on their own, according to immigration and academic experts. The rate MSU adopted was higher than in-state tuition because it included a $650 fee for the use of campus buildings and it didn’t include a state subsidy known as the College Opportunity Fund. Still, the new rate significantly lowered tuition for undocumented students. It meant they could pay about $3,578 per semester, compared to the out-of-state rate of just under $8,000. In-state tuition is $2,152 per semester. In fall 2012—the first semester the lower non-resident tuition category was available—237 undocumented MSU Denver students benefited from the rate, according to University data. In spring 2013, 264 undocumented students were paying the new rate. They are students who otherwise would’ve had difficulty affording college, or who have been forced to slowly chip away at advancing their education by taking classes off and on, as Galvan has been doing since he graduated from Denver’s North High School in 2009.

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Galvan, a sophomore journalism major, says MSU Denver’s creation of a new tuition category came at a perfect time in his life because he was becoming frustrated by lawmakers’ inability to pass legislation.

SINCE

“You start wondering whether you’re ever going to get that chance,” he says. “And Metro really created that for me—that hope that things can change.”

In February 2013, the University of Hawaii’s Board of Regents unanimously approved in-state tuition for students regardless of immigration status if they met certain criteria.

To qualify for the new tuition category, known as the Colorado High School/GED Non-resident Tuition Rate, undocumented students must have graduated from a Colorado high school after at least three years of attendance, and they must show they’re in the process of obtaining legal status. “Each student’s life and ability to contribute to local communities is enriched by the opportunity to complete his or her educational goals,” says Tanya Broder, an attorney with the National Immigration Law Center. Broder, who researches programs to lower tuition for undocumented students nationwide, says that while it’s difficult to track institutional policies, there have been recent examples of officials creating new rates outside of the legislative process. They were not individual colleges, however, and she doesn’t know of any other instances where a college or university has done something similar to MSU Denver. Sonia Gutierrez, 22, came to Denver with her family from the Mexican state of Chihuahua when she was 2. Unlike many undocumented students, she’s been able to attend MSU Denver because a private donor paid her tuition. But the donor could only pay for two years, and she couldn’t afford to finish without that help. Then MSU Denver lowered tuition for undocumented students. “Perfect timing because I had just lost my private donor and I thought I was going to have to pay out-ofstate tuition,” says Gutierrez, a speech communications major who is graduating with honors in May. Gutierrez says college affordability is especially challenging for immigrants. “I don’t come from a wealthy family or a family with a lot of money that can put me through college. My parents work and make barely enough for my family,” Gutierrez says. “This opportunity [to attend college] has changed my life,” she adds. “I’m so proud to be a student of Metro.”

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MSU Denver adopted the new tuition rate, the momentum to lower college costs for undocumented immigrants has continued nationwide.

And in March, Colorado lawmakers approved Senate Bill 33, the ASSET Bill, allowing undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition. The most recent failed legislative attempts called for a slightly higher rate, similar to what MSU Denver adopted. But with Democrats in control of both legislative chambers in 2013, lawmakers were able to take a more aggressive approach with ASSET. Still, the measure received a handful of votes from Republicans who had traditionally opposed the idea. Two weeks later, Oregon lawmakers approved a similar bill. The measures in Colorado and Oregon have been signed into law. “These proposals are gaining bipartisan support this year,” Broder says, noting that more than a dozen states are considering bills this year that would provide access to in-state tuition, scholarships, or state financial aid regardless of status. Although some lawmakers, immigrant rights groups, and academics applauded MSU Denver’s action, it’s been a contentious issue. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers issued an opinion last summer questioning the University’s power to set the new tuition category, and some Republican lawmakers also criticized the move. Amid the criticism, the University stood by its decision. MSU Denver officials insisted that what they did complied with federal and state laws because taxpayers didn’t subsidize the special tuition rate. And, University leaders countered, addressing tuition affordability for undocumented students was not only within the institution’s legal right, but it also was the right thing to do. The non-resident rate answered an imperative stemming from the institution’s roots. Born out of an urban renewal project that displaced many Latinos in the area, MSU Denver has made it a goal to be accessible to students of color, President Stephen Jordan says. He notes that more than 33 percent of

EACH STUDENT’S LIFE AND ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES IS ENRICHED BY THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE HIS OR HER EDUCATIONAL GOALS. -Tanya Broder, National Immigration Law Center

DALIA QUEZADA students enrolled at MSU Denver are students of color, including nearly 20 percent who are Latino. “We have this mantra that we are an institution of opportunity,” Jordan told the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee during a hearing last June. “We have historically served the largest population of lowincome, first-generation and historically under-represented populations, and we’re very proud of that.” There are economic considerations as well, Jordan told the committee. A well-educated workforce benefits society and the economy through greater tax revenues, higher productivity, increased workforce flexibility, enhanced civic engagement and improved quality of life. By extending an affordable but unsubsidized tuition rate to students, “They would be able to contribute to our economy in a more meaningful way.” Gutierrez is making that contribution already. “I got my Social Security number—those nine numbers that held me back for so long,” she says. “And I now have a work visa that I can use my degree in.” University officials did extensive research before proceeding with the board’s action and looked at court cases in California and Kansas, where the states were sued for approving in-state tuition for undocumented students. Courts had ruled in the states’ favor. The University was prepared for a lawsuit, Jordan says. “We felt we’d done a lot of work going into it and we felt confident in our legal position.” Ultimately, there were no lawsuits. And Jordan says he was heartened by the number of new students who enrolled under the special tuition rate, given the short timeframe between the board’s decision and sign-up dates.

JORDAN

says he believes that proceeding with the new tuition rate for undocumented students provided a stimulus to “the broader debate about a tuition benefit for undocumented students.” In November 2012 NEWSED Community Development Corp. presented a Civil Rights Award to MSU Denver and President Jordan, citing a host of initiatives that welcome and support students of color, including the “very courageous” decision to establish the non-resident tuition rate for undocumented students.

Dalia Quezada's family moved to Colorado from the Mexican state of Chihuahua when she was 7. Quezada was a straight-A student throughout her time at Bruce Randolph High School in Denver and graduated near the top of her class. But when it came time to look at colleges, she was unable to apply for the scholarships other students were pursuing. “It was really difficult and stressful to see that I wasn’t going to be able to go to college just because I didn’t have a nine-digit number,” says Quezada, 19. When MSU Denver announced its tuition rate for undocumented students, Quezada was among the first to register. “I was obviously very happy that I would get a chance to get my education,” says Quezada. Although she’d received $12,000 in scholarship money from private donors, going to MSU Denver allowed her to pay for more classes, she says. “If I had gone to another expensive school, I wouldn’t have money to pay for more than one year,” she says, noting that she intends to continue at MSU Denver even though she now has access to in-state tuition at other state colleges with the passage of the ASSET Bill. “Economically, I’m not ready to pay a larger tuition,” says the freshman management major. “Metro offers a good education for an affordable price.”

Among the lawmakers who praised MSU Denver’s decision to move forward without legislative approval was Democratic Sen. Mike Johnston, co-sponsor of the ASSET Bill during the previous three legislative sessions. He says the University “changed the tenor of the debate.” “They became the group to break trail. They were the first one into the deep snow, and they walked through and showed that it was possible and the rest of us could follow,” he says. “And they took some arrows for doing it.” Johnston says MSU Denver’s decision showed that higher-education institutions were ready to act outside of the legislative process. When Suthers issued his opinion, he was responding to a question from the Colorado Community College System, which had supported Johnston’s bill and wanted to know whether it was possible to do what MSU Denver did. “[MSU Denver] showed that it was possible to do a version of it, and the sky wouldn’t fall and everything would continue and universities would be viable,” Johnston says. In states where undocumented students aren’t allowed to pay in-state tuition, there are behind-the-

scenes efforts to help them pay for college through private donors or private scholarships, says Daniel Hurley, director of state relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. “What Metropolitan State University [of Denver] did of course was something that was more visible,” he says. “It’s reflective of a broader national debate that has hit a crescendo this year.” Now that undocumented students have access to in-state tuition, MSU Denver plans to phase out its non-resident rate. Most immigrant students are expected to qualify for the in-state rate, but those who don’t will be able to use the non-resident rate until they graduate, Jordan says.

“It’s the school that’s always been open to me,” he says. “One great thing about Metro is it doesn’t discriminate. Metro has really been available to all students, and that’s why it’s such an obvious option for so many people. It’s really inclusive.”

Since graduating from Denver’s North High School in 2009, Victor Galvan had been attending the Community College of Denver, slowly accruing the credits he’s able to afford. Last fall, he attended his first semester at MSU Denver. Galvan, whose family moved to Colorado from the Mexican state of Chihuahua when he was 8 months old, had watched lawmakers defeat tuition bills over and over again, so he wasn’t expecting much when he attended the meeting where MSU Denver trustees approved a new tuition rate for students like him.

promised his mother he would get for her the day she bought him his high school ring and told him it was OK if he didn’t continue. “It’s not every man for himself when it comes to my family, and they all struggled and fought for me to get where I was and to prep me to go to college,” says Galvan, a sophomore journalism major. “But because of these laws, because of these borders, because of these restrictions, we were stopped. We were stopped right after high school. And she knew that.” Galvan told her he would go on.

“I went to the board meeting, kind of just going through the motions,” says Galvan, 22. “For me it was just a huge surprise.” It meant Galvan could get closer to a college diploma, which he

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Read the story of student Sonia Gutierrez (pictured on the cover), who will travel to Washington, D.C., in May with MSU Denver President Stephen Jordan for lunch with first lady Michelle Obama.

The new law means students like Galvan have more college choices in the state. But Galvan says MSU Denver remains one of his top options.

VICTOR GALVAN

LEARN MORE at www.msudenver.edu/magazine. Review background on the Colorado High School/GED Non-resident Tuition Rate.

“She deserves the chance to see me walk, to give her my degree,” he says. “She deserves all of that, because she worked just as hard as me.”

ONE GREAT THING ABOUT METRO IS IT DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE. METRO HAS REALLY BEEN AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS, AND THAT’S WHY IT’S SUCH AN OBVIOUS OPTION FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. IT’S REALLY INCLUSIVE. -Victor Galvan, Student

SARAHI HERNÁNDEZ ROMO Sarahi Hernández Romo was 8 months old when her family moved to Denver from the Mexican state of Durango, but it wasn’t until her junior year in high school when, while starting to look at potential colleges, her immigration status really hit her. “I realized I wasn’t going to be able to pay what my friends were paying. I would be in class and everyone was filling out their FAFSA and I couldn’t,” says Romo, 20, referring to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Although Romo had a scholarship to attend St. Mary’s Academy in Englewood, Colo., for middle school and high school, the Denver resident had to commute up to 45 minutes each way, sometimes taking an RTD bus. She was on the verge of giving up during her junior year. “There was a moment in that year that I just came to the conclusion that I might as well just drop out of school because I wasn’t going to be able to afford [college],” she says. Her parents refused to let her quit, and her mother saved enough money for Romo to begin attending MSU Denver in fall 2011. The lower tuition rate approved by MSU Denver has allowed Romo to take more classes and worry less about costs. “My biggest dream is to graduate from college,” says the junior human services major, who wants to work with at-risk youth. “Metro pretty much reinforced the fact that I was going to be able to do that.”

MY BIGGEST DREAM IS TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. METRO PRETTY MUCH REINFORCED THE FACT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. -Sarahi Romo, Student

People Bright Shining Lights the

usti Gurule has been changing America one Latina voter at a time. As director of the Denver-based Latina Initiative, she helped double Latina voter turnout in Colorado and has aided more than 1,000 people through U.S. citizenship classes. For her efforts to help women voters to find their voice, Gurule received the 2013 MSU Denver Making A Difference Award, presented by the Alumni Association. Gurule is in exceptional company. Other 2013 Alumni Association Award honorees include an awardwinning spoken-word poet, a corporate VP, and one of the nation’s most popular artists. Distinguished Alumnus Award Jerry Hilderbrand (B.S. accounting ’74) is a leading forensic accounting expert who has testified in more than 120 cases of fraud and theft. Making A Difference Award Dusti Gurule (B.A. Chicano studies ’96) has been nationally honored for her work to engage Latinas into voting and campaigning for social and political issues. The Giving Back Award Rowena Alegría (B.A. Spanish ’91) serves as director of communications for Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and previously served as editor and publisher of The Denver Post’s "Viva Colorado." Student Leadership Award Molly Hurley (Class of 2013) plays a big part in the Student Alumni Association’s significant success, regularly volunteering to staff alumni events on campus. Dean’s Honor Alumnus Award Letters, Arts & Sciences Malcolm Farley (B.A. art ’81) is renowned for his visions of color and ability to capture the moment, action and spirit of an event in his distinctive painting style.

“MSU Denver’s alumni are doing amazing things in their communities and professions,” says Mark Jastorff, Alumni Association executive director. “This year’s award recipients truly reflect the best of Metropolitan State University of Denver: They come from near and far, they are making a difference in their world and all proudly share their MSU Denver experience.”

READ MORE about the 2013 Alumni Association Award winners and nominate an alum at www.msudenver.edu/ magazine/2013/peopleawards. Dean’s Honor Alumnus Award School of Business Russell Noles (B.S. accounting ’81) is the senior vice president and head of internal audit at Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association College Retirement Equities Fund. Dean’s Honor Alumnus Award School of Professional Studies David Quinones (B.S. criminal justice ’85) serves as deputy chief of operations for the Denver Police Department. Distinguished Alumni Employee Award (posthumous) Kate Lutrey (B.A. journalism ’88) started working at MSU Denver in 1982 as business manager of the student newspaper and most recently worked as director of student concierge services. She passed away Nov. 6, 2012. STATEment Maker Award Bobby LeFebre (B.A. psychology ’04) is a social worker and an award-winning spoken-word artist and actor with Denver’s only Latino theater, El Centro Su Teatro.

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PHOTO DEIDRE BRUCKER

BOBBY LEFEBRE

STORY MINDY SINK | PHOTO EVAN SEMÓN

ometimes getting a degree is just the first step in finding one’s purpose in life.

Jeff Martinez is the first to admit that his degree in journalism and public relations from MSU Denver in 1995 did not foretell his current position as executive director of Brothers Redevelopment Inc. “I never made my living as a journalist,” he says. “I did get a lot of experience at Metro in the public relations vein, and it framed my career.” Martinez left high school with a low GPA, so he was ready to prove himself when he started college. “Opportunity led to transformation,” he says. “Metro’s j-school faculty and college communications staff didn’t just teach me to write press releases—they taught me how to think strategically and challenge prevailing notions. Doing so in my own career led me to look for an opportunity to better serve the community, which led me to Brothers Redevelopment.” After graduation Martinez, now 42, worked in public affairs at Kaiser Permanente, as a public information officer for the city of Aurora, and at private public relations agencies in Denver. Brothers Redevelopment became a client, and with his background in municipal government, Martinez was able to quickly understand the nonprofit's needs. “I valued their mission, what they stood for and how they went about helping people in the community,” he says. “I told them, ‘One of these days, I’d love to come

and work for you.’ In 2006, they took me up on the offer.” Brothers Redevelopment provides affordable housing and home-related assistance to low-income, elderly, and disabled Denver-area residents and homeowners. “Here, we’re transforming the lives and perspectives of the low-income, elderly and disabled residents who seek our services,” he says. “Whether they’re looking for help in maintaining or making their home safe, trying to hold onto their home and prevent a foreclosure or simply looking for some place they can call their home, Brothers has the power to change their outlook by preserving their most important investment or providing them some housing-related hope when they have no place to turn for assistance.” It was his exposure to the issue of affordable housing during his work in city government that Martinez credits for his ability to understand complex federal and state contracts for affordable housing. “Knowing that we’re an agency of last resort for so many people in need is something that energizes me. It’s also the kind of challenge—and opportunity—that compelled me to change my career path in the first place.” MSU Denver students volunteer with Brothers Redevelopment’s annual Paint-a-Thon (March through September) in the nearby La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood. LEARN MORE about Brothers Redevelopment Inc. or get involved at www.brothersredevelopment.org.

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People Alumni News + Notes the

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Ronnie Matterson (B.A. psychology ’71) of Golden, Colo., was a teacher in Denver for 33 years; he continued as a substitute teacher after retirement.

Christopher Daley (B.A. journalism ’80) is a U.S. Navy veteran. Now retired, he enjoys painting landscapes, still life, portraits, maritime, and air and space. Christopher resides in Westford, Mass.

1984

Jeff Streeter (B.S. criminal justice ’84) has been named chief of police for the city of Lone Tree, Colo.

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Christine Capra Kramer (B.A. journalism ’85) of Wheat Ridge, Colo., is program manager at Horticulture Therapy Institute and co-editor of the book “Horticultural Therapy Methods: Making Connections in Health Care, Human Services and Community Programs.” She also is editor of the online newsletter “HT Connections” and contributor to the Australian online magazine “Cultivating Wellness.”

1990

David Bloom (B.S. marketing and business management ’90) is CEO and vice president of Schlereth’s Green Chile Sauce, a company he runs with former Denver Broncos player and current ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth. David resides in Castle Rock, Colo. Andrew Vara (B.S. accounting ’90) of Denver is a senior accountant at High Sierra Energy, a leading gatherer, transporter and marketer of crude oil and natural gas liquids.

David McGrath (B.A. speech communications ’92) is vice president of marketing and promotions for New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

Dana McGrath (B.F.A. photography ’94) of Greenwood Village, Colo., is a photographer and owner of Dana McGrath Photography, a boutique studio specializing in portraits, weddings and corporate events.

1995

Walter Anthony Gillis (B.A. history ’95) of Denver is owner of AG Consulting. He earned an MBA at the University of Rochester in New York. He is the author of three novels and is a U.S. Air Force veteran. He married Alexandria Jones in September 2012. Megan Reyes (B.A. political science ’95) of Golden, Colo., is division director for Jefferson County Human Services. She is a grandmother and mother of three sons who all are either graduates or students of MSU Denver.

1999

Elizabeth Malagisi (B.S. computer information systems ’99) of Westminster, Colo., is IT director at Emdeon Business Services. She is looking forward to starting on her master’s degree in the fall of 2013. Elizabeth says she has come to love travel as part of her job and hopes to schedule more non-business travel in the future. Linda Small-Sadler (B.S. human services ’99) of Denver is a psychotherapist and owner of Small-Sadler Counseling Services. She also is a rhythm and blues singer.

Michael Wright (B.S. aviation management ’90) is chief technology officer at Denver International Airport. He also is the chief information officer for the City and County of Denver, where he works with other MSU Denver alumni.

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2001

2004

Judy George (B.S. management ’01) is vice president of Kirby Co. of Denver. She also is president of the MSU Denver Alumni Association board and has served on the Scholarship Committee, the Plain and Fancy Ball Committee and the Foothills Animal Shelter board.

2005

William DeRooy (B.A. English ’01) is owner of the company Intelligent Editing. He has edited and proofread more than 100 nonfiction books. He is married with a son and daughter; the family resides in Castle Rock, Colo.

Andy Nicholas (B.A. political science ’01) of Santa Monica, Calif., works as a major-gift coordinator for a homelessness services organization. After graduating, Andy moved to Australia, where he worked as an educational adviser within the U.S. Consulate General’s office, participated in community advocacy for Clover Moore (now Sydney’s Lord Mayor), and studied at University of Sydney, achieving a master’s degree in public policy.

2003

Aria Serena Vaughan (B.A. history ’04) is a lawyer for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in New York. She graduated with honors from MSU Denver and received a law degree cum laude from Fordham.

Chase Young (B.A. behavioral science ’05) of McKinney, Texas, is a second grade teacher. He received a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Texas (UNT) and obtained an M.S.Ed. from Walden University, specializing in literacy. He was named teacher of the year in 2009 and in 2011 was named UNT’s outstanding doctoral student in reading and education.

2006

Jennifer Bridges (B.A. speech communication ’06) of Denver is senior account manager for Digital Assets, a Web design company that develops sites by blending information, design, development and implementation.

Kimberly Angell (B.S. mathematics ‘03) of Longmont, Colo., works as a mission supervisor for DigitalGlobe, an operator of commercial earth-imaging satellites. She is married to Matt Angell (B.A. history ’05). Timothy Garvey (B.A. sociology ’03) of Denver is an associate attorney for Roberts Levin Rosenberg. After graduating from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2010, Tim clerked for Judge A. Bruce Jones before he became associate attorney. Gary Landeck (B.A. English ’03) of Atchison, Kan., was appointed by the governor of Kansas to a three-year term on the Kansas Information Network. He received his master’s degree from Emporia State University. Gary is the director of the Atchison Public Library.

PHOTO REEANNA LYNN HERNANDEZ

1971

2007

Yolanda Borders (B.S. computer information systems ’07) of Arvada, Colo., is a virtual assistant who advises partners how to create detailed spreadsheets from website analysis. She also was hired by Intuit (creators of QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks and Turbo Tax) to perform customer service consulting. Zack Gaddy (B.S. computer information systems ’07) of San Antonio is creator of Lucky Dad Media and the website coupondad.net. The site has grown to more than 1.5 million page views a month with more than 600,000 visitors. Christian Snyder (B.A. political science ’07) is director of Colorado Marrow Donor Program for Bonfils Blood Center. He is a U.S. Navy veteran. Christian resides in Westminster, Colo. Jennifer Strotman (B.S. biology ’07) is a museum technician at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. She is a U.S. Army veteran and also has been an invertebrate zookeeper at the Butterfly Pavilion and a caregiver at Best Friends Animal Society. Jennifer resides in Brentwood, Md.

2009

Joanne Littau (B.A. speech communication ’09) of Denver is owner and president of the nonprofit organization Gloves for Good, which sends durable work gloves to people in disaster areas such as the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado.

2010

Desirae Garcia (B.A. speech communication ’10) of Westminster, Colo., is a franchise owner at Juice Plus+. Desirae is engaged to be married. Don Harmon (B.S. finance ’10) is a personal insurance adviser for Taggart Insurance and has started his own real estate investment business. He also supports local sports teams and develops talent for FC Denver. Don resides in Longmont, Colo.

SHARE YOUR NEWS

Email your class note to magzine@msudenver.edu or submit an update online at www.msudenver.edu/magazine.

ROADRUNNERS, WHERE DO YOU ROAM?

BY LINDSEY DAY, ALUMNI CAREER SERVICES The philosopher Heraclitus said, “There is nothing constant except change.” Despite our best attempts at building our dream lives, change remains an inevitable part of life. When a career transition is unwanted or unexpected, it can leave you in a state of shock, limiting your ability to bounce back and embrace change. It’s important to take precautions before you need them. Invest in your own career insurance policy to protect yourself from unexpected change.

ASK YOURSELF REGULARLY IF YOU LIKE YOUR JOB

This may seem obvious, but the earlier you ask yourself these questions the better.

KNOW YOUR COMPETITORS

Build a professional network in your industry, rather than just at your company. These contacts will likely be the first people you call in the event of a layoff.

DON’T GET STALE

Know how your company compares with your industry as a whole. Your company may pay for your professional development opportunities. If not, it’s easier to invest in these opportunities when you have a steady income.

UPDATE YOUR RESUME 3-4 TIMES A YEAR

Sarah Sutherland (B.A. human development ’09) of Denver is a psychotherapist in private practice working primarily with children struggling with behavioral issues, autism spectrum disorders and sensory processing disorders. She earned an M.A. in clinical mental health counseling from Argosy University in 2011. She enjoys visiting campus, where she was involved in the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority and worked as a research assistant.

Keep a master list of all your accomplishments so you don’t forget them. Start learning new technologies like LinkedIn. You never know when you will have to start selling yourself.

Whether you roam afar or stick close to the nest, send us a photo of yourself in your old Metro wear. If we publish your image, we’ll send you some new MSU Denver gear. Be sure to include your full name (including maiden name), address, and degree or attendance information with all submissions. Email your high-resolution digital image to magazine@msudenver.edu.

Many people come out of an unexpected job change in a better position than they had before. Invest in your career insurance policy so you can better embrace change—planned or unplanned—when it inevitably happens to you.

SAVE FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS OF UNEMPLOYMENT If you don’t need it, great! But realize that job searches can be lengthy, and searching in a state of financial need may make you come across as desperate.

VISIT www.msudenver.edu/alumnicareers for more information about Alumni Career Services at MSU Denver.

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People In Memory the

Charles Branch, former dean of the MSU Denver School of Education, passed away on Feb. 11, 2013, after a long illness. He was 83. Branch started his professional life at MSU Denver in 1978 as dean of the School of Education. Over the years he held several other leadership positions, including chair of the Human Services Department, coordinator of the Center for High Risk Youth Studies and dean of the School of Professional Studies. He was a tenured professor of teacher education and human services. After retiring, he was named emeritus professor of education and returned to the University several

Charles Branch

Ken Phillips

02.11.13

02.22.13

times as special assistant to the provost, an affiliate faculty member in the Human Services Department and as a volunteer on the Alumni Relations History Project.

Ken Phillips, MSU Denver's first president, passed away on Feb. 22, 2013, after a short illness. He was residing in Pasadena, Calif., at the time of his death at the age of 93.

"He just loved the place ... It was his world," says his wife, Lucy, who met Branch at the University. "He just liked working, and that's why I believe he kept going back."

Phillips began at MSU Denver before it even opened its doors. He dedicated his time to promoting what was then called Metropolitan State College, and thanks in large part to his efforts, 1,189 students registered for the opening semester.

VISIT www.msudenver.edu/

magazine to read more about Branch and to contribute in his memory to the Charles Branch Endowed Scholarship Fund at MSU Denver.

Although Phillips resigned from MSU Denver in 1972, his passion for the University continued long after retirement, and at the age of 91 he shared his MSU Denver

experiences with the Alumni Relations History Project. “He was a kind and gentle man with tremendous enthusiasm for the original mission of Metropolitan State, which was to provide an affordable and excellent education to badly underserved students in the metropolitan area,” says History Department Chair and Professor Steven Leonard.

VISIT www.msudenver.edu/

magazine to read more about President Phillips and to contribute in his memory to the University’s General Scholarship Fund.

THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD CAN BE YOUR CLASSROOM. JOIN MSU DENVER ALUMNI AND FRIENDS ON THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME.

ITALY’S MAGNIFICENT LAKE DISTRICT > SEPT. 17-25, 2013 www.msudenver.edu/alumni/travel

hat to do after nearly two decades touring with a successful rock band? That’s 48-year-old Tom Payetta’s jam.

“Life without the band seems a little artificial, because I did it for 18 years nonstop,” says the former sound engineer with popular Denver band Opie Gone Bad. (The band pulled the plug quietly on Jan. 1, 2013.)

STORY DOUG MCPHERSON | PHOTO EVAN SEMÓN

He certainly has options. But it’s unlikely you’d guess what he’s thinking for an encore. It might be acting. His last role was the clownish manservant Grumio in Flaming of the Shrew. He’s played a doctor, a priest, a haberdasher and a drunken housemaid. He caught the theater bug in high school. Or, he could play guitar in a new band. Payetta (BS physics ’10), who grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, says his first musical influence was his dad. “He was a jazz drummer who made it seem fun and cool. He tried to teach me drums and clarinet, but I ended up taking to the guitar because rock ‘n’ roll was it.” Yes, lots of options: maybe return to sound engineering and make rock stars sound, well, like rock stars; be a guitar rock star; become a star on stage or even fall back on the physics degree he earned from MSU Denver and study actual stars. “I’m exploring options like that great gig in the sky as a physicist or scientist … putting my degree and educational investment to work.” Regardless of what his future holds, Payetta says his past—the one at MSU Denver—“changed the game for the better all around. I had amazing learning experiences … I really discovered a lot of myself in the process. And the challenge and the strife of being a physics major made the whole band thing seem like a beautiful, easy gift.” His fondest memories of MSU Denver? “Getting to know my professors and having access to their experience and guidance. And doing late night observations of active galactic nuclei, because I was so accustomed to rock ‘n’ roll hours as a lifestyle, that was legitimate fun.”

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LISA MAILLE AND DAUGHTERS JULIA (3) AND ANGELA (8)

STORY DOUG MCPHERSON | PHOTO EVAN SEMÓN

his is more than a story of survival. It’s a story of triumph and transformation in the face of the deepest despair imaginable. In the fall of 2006, Lisa Maille’s life was rich and full: She was working toward her marketing degree with a loving husband and three kids. It was also when she and her young family welcomed their newest member, Gracia—healthy, happy and named for her husband’s grandmother, Spanish meaning grace.

Maille began researching a niche that could nurture her new life. She found that unless a child has a wellknown disease or illness such as cancer or heart disease, sources of support are few. She switched her major to nonprofit management, and exactly two years after Gracia died, Maille opened For the Love of Grace, a nonprofit that now fills that hole— and honors Gracia.

Then change of the cruelest kind. At 10 weeks old, Gracia was hospitalized with kidney failure and a respiratory virus. During her six weeks in the hospital, other problems arose: strange eye movements, irregular heartbeats, swelling under her tongue. But still, no diagnosis.

The organization has helped 122 families throughout Colorado with gifts of food, clothing, rent, utilities and many other basic needs. While most of those families are in the Denver metro area, the program’s reach has extended as far as Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Fort Collins, Fort Morgan, Evans, Wiggins, Greeley, Craig and Delta.

Then a glimmer of hope: In her seventh week at the hospital, doctors thought the baby was stabilized enough to return home. But she didn’t make it. At only 4 months old, on Jan. 20, 2007, Gracia died.

For the Love of Grace raises money through fundraisers and individual donations. Fundraisers have included bake sales, craft fairs, garage sales, art shows—even tea parties.

“The pain is far worse than anything I’d ever imagined,” says Maille (B.A. nonprofit administration ’11). “You just wish you could go back in time and hold her for one more day. Losing a child is not something you ever get over. Instead, it is a new way of life and a new way of doing things.”

Maille’s advice for families with ill children: “Know you’re not alone. There is someone who understands. Connect with them. Know there are resources out there. You’re strong enough to endure the hardships that come along with having a seriously ill child. Just love them for as long as you have them.”

A megaton bomb of grief detonated point-blank in Maille’s heart. How to gather the pieces? For Maille, the answer was faith. “I remember praying and thanking God for the entire situation. I feel that one of my purposes in life was to have her and lose her to see what other families needed.” 32

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VISIT www.loveofgrace.org to

learn more about For the Love of Grace and get involved.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit 2965

Metropolitan State University of Denver Campus Box 14 P.O. Box 173362 Denver, CO 80217

Chrysalis Charcoal on paper, detail Image courtesy of Sandra Phillips Gallery

Colorado artist Anna Kaye, a former drawing professor at MSU Denver, explores transformation in a series of landscape drawings that emphasize fire as an impetus for change. “As the butterfly drifts, its large, majestic wings diminish the violence of the distant fire. Its proximity to the fire also heightens the butterfly's vulnerable attraction to the intense light,” Kaye says of Chrysalis. “Whether the butterfly is escaping the fire or moving towards it, Chrysalis presents a transformation. The fire is a cocoon for the new landscape.” Kaye’s Interwoven, another image in the series, is part of the MSU Denver collection on display in the Student Success Building.

Denver, CO