Metropolitan Denver Magazine - Fall 2019 by Metropolitan State University of Denver

>REDEFINING WORKING CLASS > H O S T I N G ‘S P O R T S C E N T E R ’ >HUMANIZING HUMAN SERVICES

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Never Second Best WHEN NCAA DIVISION I CAME KNOCKING, MSU DENVER CHOSE TO STAY IN DIVISION II – A WINNING DECISION FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES

FirstLook EYE ON THE STORM Metropolitan State University of Denver. Each summer, Professor Sam Ng, Ph.D., guides meteorology students across multiple states to measure wind, temperature, humidity and pressure generated by extreme storms.

PHOTO SAM NG

Tornadoes and thunderstorms are real-world teaching tools in the Field Observations of Severe Weather class at

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VOL. 7 NO.2 RED.MSUDENVER.EDU

METROPOLITAN DENVER MAGAZINE

PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

HOW’S THIS FOR A GOAL? Every college-level athletic program wants to win national championships, but the aim at Division II schools such as MSU Denver is about so much more. Dive in on Page 12.

08 12 18 F E AT U R E

REDEFINING WORKING CLASS

Nearly 80% of MSU Denver students work. Here’s how savvy undergrads are finding career-related work experience on campus.

02 THE FIRST WORD

Vice President of Strategy Cathy Lucas talks about the importance of strategic planning and shares some of the University’s recent successes.

03 IN YOUR WORDS

Alumni share the top three skills they learned at MSU Denver.

04 NEWS

ON THE COVER There is power in the Division II athletics experience. Just ask Roadrunners catcher Matt Malkin, who rode his power stroke all the way to the San Francisco Giants organization this year. Catch his story on Page 12.

MSU Denver continues to have an impact on and off campus.

F E AT U R E

NEVER SECOND BEST

When Division I came knocking, MSU Denver chose to stay in Division II – a winning decision for student-athletes.

22 SO YOU WANT TO HOST

‘SPORTSCENTER’? Alumnus and ESPN host Gary Striewski shares his strategy for capitalizing on opportunity before it’s back-back-back … gone.

24 TRAILBLAZER

How a Swiss-born Denverite brought her personal touch to local tourism – with winning results.

26 STRONG ON SAFETY

After serving in the Navy and FBI, alumnus Eric Williams returns to Denver to ensure that his hometown is a safe and welcoming city for all people.

F E AT U R E

HUMANIZING HUMAN SERVICES

MSU Denver’s Human Services and Counseling Department is leading the charge to solve Colorado’s most pressing challenges, one person at a time.

28 SOLUTIONS IN SOIL

Alumna Judy Daniels, Ph.D., digs deep to find answers to environmental issues.

30 PEOPLE

Alumni share news and notes.

31 PEOPLE IN MEMORY

We remember those who are no longer with us.

32 THE FINAL WORD

Dean of the School of Hospitality, Events and Tourism Christian Hardigree, J.D., is set to serve up success.

PHOTO THOMAS COOPER/LIGHTBOXIMAGES.COM FALL 2019

the

PHOTO DAVE NELIGH

FIRSTWORD Planning to succeed I continue to be amazed by all the great things that are possible with a degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver. The alumni featured in this issue of Metropolitan Denver Magazine embody that greatness. They’ve taken their passions and crafted careers at some of the highest levels of their respective fields. They are using the skills they honed at MSU Denver to advance not only their lives but those of people in the Colorado community and beyond.

such as being named College Partner of the Year by the Denver Scholarship Foundation in recognition of our outstanding commitment to students and Colorado. MSU Denver’s extraordinary faculty members, such as Meteorology Professor Sam Ng, continue to serve as public ambassadors and are regularly featured as experts in local and national media outlets and in our own RED digital newsroom.

Every student who walks through the doors of this University deserves the same opportunity – to take hold of their life and find the path to success in whatever way they define that. To make sure MSU Denver is in the best position to support its students, we launched our Strategic Plan 2025 initiative in January.

I’m excited that people across our state and country are hearing the incredible stories of our students, alumni and faculty and learning more about our innovative programs and partnerships. We are building our brand and enhancing the value of the MSU Denver degree.

I am co-chairing an 18-month planning effort with my colleague Matt Makley, Ph.D., professor of history, and working with a Strategic Planning Team consisting of esteemed faculty, staff and students. Our team has spent the past six months collecting as much data as possible from our alumni, local partners and industry leaders, as well as our internal community. All told, we have spoken with thousands of people and gathered their thoughts and ideas on how MSU Denver can be even better at what we do. This feedback will be essential in crafting themes and, ultimately, the goals and objectives that will serve as a road map on our journey to redefine what is possible in higher education. In our last strategic plan, one of the major themes was “Telling the MSU Denver story” in order to grow in recognition and demonstrate the excellence of our faculty, alumni and programs. We’ve had several recent successes in those areas,

Metropolitan Denver Magazine is published three times a year by the Metropolitan State University of Denver Office of Strategy, Marketing and Communications. © 2019 Metropolitan State University of Denver. All rights reserved. Address correspondence to: Metropolitan Denver Magazine, MSU Denver, Office of Strategy, 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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This fall, the University will continue to tell our story to the Colorado community and beyond with a new ad campaign that will launch in September. I hope you’ll keep an eye out for ads in light-rail cars, on billboards and at Denver International Airport. If you see or hear one of our ads, we encourage you to snap a selfie and share it on social media. And please continue to share your own story, too. Every time you let someone know that you are a proud Roadrunner, you help spread the word about what is possible with a degree from MSU Denver. Sincerely,

Cathy Lucas Vice president of strategy/chief of staff

Your WORDS In

We asked you this question on social media:

What are the top three skills you learned at Metropolitan State University of Denver that you still use in your career today? Jeanine Cowan | meeting

administration, minor in communications, ’93

Reverse planning, budgeting, group dynamics. I got a GREAT education at MSU Denver.

Also, I realized, communication and cultural competency.

Felicidad Fraser | social work, ’09 I learned: You’re never too old to return to school (I was the oldest in most of my classes), the need for networking and how to network (no man/woman is an island). I love what I do. It brings me joy.

Jesse Freitas | marketing, ’10

Communication. Leadership. Teamwork.

Lauren Granado | art history, theory and criticism, ’16

Top three skills: time management and deadlines, respecting differing perspectives and communicating with administration for success.

Ariadna O Magallanes |

Chicana and Chicano studies and modern languages (Spanish), ’16

Critical thinking, interpersonal communication/cultural awareness, leadership.

Shaun McGehan | behavioral

science, ’13

Observation and analysis of people, self-promotion and marketing, entrepreneurship and how to communicate effectively to large groups of people.

Al Hajka | civil engineering technology, ’85

I use my technical-writing skills and engineering knowledge learned through my coursework daily.

Katherine Hartzler | political science, ’92

Presentation of financial statements and negotiation. AND I loved every minute of the learning.

Barbara Holland | English and

social science, ’69

Discipline to complete assignments and projects on time or ahead of schedule, love of learning; research never gets old.

Melanie Jones | accounting, ’19

Lesley Marr | business, ’00

Heather Ward | biology, ’14

Ruth Morales | land use, ’13

Robert Weber | technical

Accountability, fun and fulfillment! These have taken me far both professionally and personally. Thanks, MSU Denver!

Public speaking, GIS, problemsolving.

Matthew Simpson | finance, ’11

Asking good questions, listening and listening.

Christopher Slaughter | civil

engineering, ’12

Top three skills – networking, using common sense and compassion.

Drake Cameron Sterling | human services, ’95

Networking with people not necessarily studying the same major, participating in conferences, computer skills.

communication, ’13

Collaboration. Writing. Organization.

Julie Winslow | computer information systems, ’02

Time management – working and going to school full time is a delicate balance. Focus – stay present during the class and don’t try to multitask during class, otherwise I’m even more behind! Dedication – stick to your goals and don’t let anything stop you!

Adriah Young | communication

Think outside the box, listen to what others have to say even if they have different opinions, and integrity.

Def some of the best years of my life. I too was one of the oldest in my classes. Critical thinking was a skill I learned and use every day. Also, group dynamics. I felt I belonged, and the acceptance increased my self-esteem. I went on to graduate school, but I will never forget my MSU Denver professors.

studies, ’18

Josh Menke | industrial design, ’07

Nan Rodrukkwun | computer

Note: Some responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

AutoCAD, problem-solving skills, ability to adapt to changes in work role.

Jeannie Palacios | criminology, ’16 Organization and patience with others.

Gretchen Parker | human services, ’01

Confidence. Fighting for what is right. Patience.

Relationship-building, communication and emotional intelligence!!

information systems, ’17

Learned collaboration, people skills and management.

Jennifer Sands | health care management, ’16, Master of Professional Accountancy, ’18

Time management, critical thinking (coming to my own conclusions through research) and public speaking.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Everyone has a story to tell, and we want to hear yours! Email us: magazine@msudenver.edu.

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News

MSU Denver continues to have an impact on and off campus.

PHOTOS JOHN ARNOLD

PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

PRESIDENT’S SPEAKER SERIES HOSTS … A FORMER PRESIDENT Former President of Mexico Vicente Fox and his wife, Marta Sahagún, were back at Metropolitan State University of Denver in June to celebrate a new partnership focused on community health. MSU Denver’s Health Institute will send students and faculty to participate in the work of Fox and Sahagún’s CRISMA Clinic in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, starting in January. The facility provides rehabilitation and therapy for underserved adults and children, and is supported in part by Vamos México, a nonprofit organization founded and run by Sahagún. The former first lady described the partnership as a win-win for the University and the CRISMA Clinic. “It’s good for students to come to Mexico to understand our culture, our soul, how Mexican people are good and talented and committed,” she said. “Sharing our compassion is important because the compassionate leader is the best, and to do that is to make the necessity of others our own, to make the suffering of others our own.”

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Fox and Sahagún’s time on the Auraria Campus included speaking with a Human Services and Counseling class and tasting food and drinks in the School of Hospitality, Events and Tourism. The former president also took the stage with MSU Denver President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., as part of a Q&A-style luncheon sponsored by the Colorado Business Roundtable and held in MSU Denver’s Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center. The visit culminated with a “fireside chat” featuring Fox, Sahagún and Davidson in the Center for Advanced Visualization and Experiential Analysis. The former first couple answered questions about the new health partnership, their other charitable work and the importance of education and leadership before a standing-room-only crowd. That event was part of the President’s Speaker Series, which brings renowned leaders and thinkers to MSU Denver to engage in dialogue with faculty, staff and students. Earlier in the spring, the series welcomed esteemed political strategists Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Leah Daughtry and Minyon Moore – authors of the recently published book “For Colored Girls Considering Politics.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF YORK SPACE SYSTEMS

MSUDenver TEDx MSU DENVER SET FOR SEPT. 12

GIVING NEW MEANING TO THE TERM ‘SATELLITE CAMPUS’ In May, York Space Systems launched its first satellite into space. The company’s team monitored the launch from its operation center in Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building. MSU Denver and York have been partners since 2017, when the company specializing in complete space-segment customer solutions and the manufacture of small and medium-class spacecraft established its innovative manufacturing facility on campus. That partnership paid immediate dividends for Francisco Hansen, who graduated from MSU Denver in December 2017 with a degree in astrodynamics and aerospace operations. In his final semester, he served as an intern with York, which led to a fulltime job offer shortly after graduation.

“My work is tied directly to the company’s first mission, to the first satellite we put in space,” he said. “Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?” Hansen may have been the first, but since then multiple MSU Denver student-interns have assisted with the design, testing and manufacture of the S-class satellite as part of their studies. These days, they are getting to see the kind of impact they’ve made – literally – by way of photos from the satellite (pictured). “How many universities can say their students are helping design, build and operate satellites on campus?” said Janine Davidson, Ph.D., president of MSU Denver. “We’re proud to say that we can.”

‘GAME OF THRONES’ SPINOFF IS COMING – WITH NEW CLASS This fall, students at Metropolitan State University of Denver can fill the “Game of Thrones”-size hole in their lives with a class inspired by the acclaimed television series, which wrapped its final season in May. Vincent Piturro, associate professor of English and Cinema Studies, developed the course as a culturally relevant way to teach students about the building blocks of film: story structure, character arcs, editing and sound design, among others. “‘Game of Thrones’ is a fascinating study subject because of its sheer breadth – in terms of budget, shooting schedule and the huge crew size,” Piturro said. “It is unprecedented on television.” Piturro isn’t the only one excited about the new course. Despite the divided response to the show’s final season, the class is already filled to capacity.

Metropolitan State University of Denver and TEDx Cherry Creek are teaming up to present “Reimagining Possibilities,” a daylong TED event, featuring “big ideas” from University faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters Sept. 12. Among the 15 presenters will be President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., who will break down myths about the college experience and discuss how universities must adapt to the needs of today’s students. The program will be held in the King Center on the Auraria Campus and is open to the public. Tickets are available here: events.msudenver.edu/TEDx-MSUDenver

News PHOTO SARA HERTWIG

GRADUATES READY TO PAINT THE TOWN ROADRUNNER RED May 17 was the best day of the year for many members of the Metropolitan State University of Denver community – Commencement day. Two spring ceremonies at the Denver Coliseum welcomed 2,419 Roadrunners to the alumni community – 2,200 undergraduate students and 219 graduate students.

LEGENDARY POLITICAL-SCIENCE PROFESSOR RETIRES

“It’s been a long road. Whether it took four years or 14, whether it was full of stops and starts or a simple, smooth ride, you are standing here now at the end of your college journey,” President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., said during her remarks. “I am truly honored to be standing with you, a witness to all you have accomplished.”

If you spent any time at Metropolitan State University of Denver in the past three decades, then you probably know Robert Hazan, Ph.D.

The morning ceremony featured keynote speaker Lauren Y. Casteel, president and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, and President’s Award Winner Saya “Ted” Richthofen. The audience at the afternoon ceremony heard from Russell Noles, an alumnus and recent addition to the MSU Denver Board of Trustees, and Provost’s Award Winner Monica Simpson.

Hazan taught in the Department of Political Science for 32 years and served as chair for 18 before retiring in July. He was known to his students and colleagues as an empathetic teacher, advisor and advocate. As an expert in his field, he was regularly featured on local media programs. He also had a well-earned reputation for showing up at campus events – always quick to share a smile and opinion.

MSU Denver’s Class of Spring 2019 included 934 students of color, 144 veterans and 1,170 bachelor’s graduates who were among the first in their families to graduate from college. The youngest graduate was 19. The oldest was 76.

Among the many reasons he stayed at MSU Denver for so many years, Hazan cites camaraderie with his colleagues and the inspiration he drew from students’ resilience. “They won’t give up,” he said. “Many come from difficult circumstances, and it gets frustrating – they’re bright students who can’t always put themselves together, but they come back and then back again, retaking classes until they make it. They have a passion for learning.”

“I’ll miss teaching students who’ve inspired me since my first class,” he said.

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PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

When asked what achievement makes him proudest, Hazan was quick to note his department’s growth and change through the years. But overall, he said he’s proudest of the students’ accomplishments.

PHOTO ELIZABETH MORENO-ROSALES

5 FACTS FROM THE OFFICES OF ALUMNI AND ADVANCEMENT GIVING AND ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS 2018-19

MEET COLORADO’S PR TEAM OF THE YEAR

The Public Relations Society of America’s Colorado Chapter announced the winner of its prestigious PR Team of the Year award in May – Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Strategy, Marketing and Communications team. “To be recognized as the Team of the Year from peers – not just in higher education but the entire public-relations field – is quite an honor,” said Cathy Lucas, vice president of strategy. “This speaks not only to the quality work we are doing in strategic communications, brand management, public affairs and community outreach but also the innovation, passion and dedication of the entire team. I couldn’t be prouder to lead and work with such an amazing group of people, who are moving the needle on MSU Denver’s brand and reputation on a daily basis.” Winners of this award are selected for their ability to work as a cohesive unit, delivering innovative and creative results while also making a positive impact on the communications profession. The MSU Denver team was honored in particular for its success in communicating the institution’s evolution from a local “safety school” known as “Metro” to MSU Denver – one of the leading public universities in Colorado. Among its accomplishments last year, the team designed and launched a brandjournalism platform called RED and scored nearly 3,500 media placements with a reach of over 1.8 billion. The team also redesigned the University’s admissions website, launched a Spanish-language admission site and redesigned 40 academicdepartment pages. Team members hosted a weeklong, nine-event Inauguration celebration for President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., that drew more than 2,000 people, won 14 other awards for their work and celebrated MSU Denver surpassing its brand-recognition goal with 84% of external respondents rating the University as “good” to “excellent.”

$1.5 MILLION gift received from Frank Day to establish the Day Leadership Endowment and the Day Leadership Academy for the School of Hospitality, Events and Tourism

$90,839 money raised from 532 donors on third annual Day of Giving

4,287 donors, the most ever in a single year

5,817 engaged alumni, a single-year record

$3.7 MILLION new planned gift commitments identified

WANT MORE? Keep up to date with MSU Denver news at red.msudenver.edu.

R E D E F I N I N G W O R K I N G C L A S S

NEARLY 80% OF MSU DENVER STUDENTS WORK. HEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOW SAVVY UNDERGRADS ARE FINDING CAREER-RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE ON CAMPUS. STORY MATT WATSON

Caroline Edinger has known for a while that she wants to be a teacher. She first realized her calling at age 14 when she scored a gig as a ski instructor. Since then, she has tried to find employment that advances her goal of becoming a teacher, she says. The early-childhood-education major at Metropolitan State University of Denver landed a part-time job last year as an assistant teacher at the on-campus Auraria Early Learning Center. “I’ve always thought, ‘Why waste my time doing anything else when I could be gaining experience working with kids?’” she says. While working during college is not new, Edinger represents a new norm in higher education, as the savviest students are increasingly taking on jobs that pay their bills while also providing valuable experience in a field related to their studies. And the

PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

Education student Caroline Edinger at the Auraria Early Learning Center. Edinger is one of 1,200 students who work on campus at Metropolitan State University of Denver while attending classes.

most innovative universities, including MSU Denver, are finding ways to make those jobs available on campus. Today, nearly 70% of college students are “working learners,” according to a recent report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. At MSU Denver, the data show that closer to 80% of the student body is active in the labor market while formally enrolled at the University. While earning income is essential for students paying tuition and bills, the estimated 14 million student workers – 9% of the U.S. workforce – are also essential to the economy, according to the Georgetown report. And when those students find work that relates to their field of study, a job goes from being a source of income to a transformative force in the student employee’s life. “To be valuable and propel workers up the career ladder, work experience should relate to the student’s

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PHOTO NAM PHAN

field of study and include reflective learning on the job,” the report recommended. “Reflective learning on the job … is essential because it empowers working learners to think intentionally about their future career trajectory and development, identify potentially relevant skills to develop and develop a lifelong learning disposition.” Why students need to work Today’s students might not believe it, but there was a time when the cost of college and the federal minimum wage allowed for a student working a summer job to earn enough to pay for a full year of tuition at a public four-year school. Forty years ago, the national average for tuition and fees at public four-year schools was $690 annually; a student working at the federal minimum wage could work 22 hours per week for 12 weeks and be set for the year. (See chart on Page 11.) “The days when you could work as a lifeguard for the summer and pay for college are long gone,” says MSU Denver President Janine Davidson, Ph.D. “And that’s in large part due to the rising cost of public education as states continue to disinvest in higher education.” Consider Colorado: As recently as 2000, the state paid for 68% of a student’s cost of attending a public college or university. By 2008, students were splitting the cost with the state 50-50. Today, the equation has flipped entirely: Students are paying nearly two-thirds of the cost of college, while the state kicks in 37%. (See chart on Page 11.) The rising cost of living in metro Denver has compounded the problem further for MSU Denver and its students.

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Brewing-sciences major Kyle Warren works full time in his field as a brewer at Tivoli Brewing Co. on campus. The combination of these factors is why most Roadrunners need to work while they attend college.

not do the same thing on campus, which will also help with student retention?”

“That’s the reality for the majority of today’s students,” Davidson says. “So why not get them into internships, apprenticeships or jobs that will help hone their career skills? And why

MSU Denver’s recently launched Classroom to Career (C2) Hub initiative aims to expand hands-on learning opportunities available to Roadrunners on and off campus.

YO U C O U L D N ’ T A S K F O R ANYTHING BETTER (THAN WO R K I N G O N C A M P U S AT T H E T I VO L I B R E W I N G C O. ) . I T ’ S F U L L-T I M E B R E W I N G E X P E R I E N C E , A N D I G E T TO TA K E EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY CLASSES AND A P P LY T H E K N OW L E D G E I N M Y E V E R Y DAY L I F E .”

- KY L E WA R R E N

AVERAGE TUITION AND MINIMUM WAGE IN THE U.S.

Average tuition/ Federal fees at public minimum four-year wage2 institutions1

40-hour weeks of minimum wage needed to pay tuition/fees

1978-79

$690

$2.65

1988-89

$1,580

$3.35

1998-99

$3,250

$5.15

2008-09

$6,600

$6.55

2018-19

$10,230

$7.25

C O S T O F E D U C AT I O N I N C O LO R A D O

1998-99

2008-09

2018-19

Cost of attendance funded by the state of Colorado1

68%

50%

37%

Colorado average tuition/fees (public four-year institutions)2

$2,618

$4,461

$10,907

MSU Denver tuition/ fees

$2,185

$3,242

SOURCE: State of Colorado Joint Budget Committee Staff Budget Briefing on Department of Higher Education 2 SOURCE: The College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges 1

Making school work for working students As part of the C2 Hub initiative, the University recently charged a task force with examining and enhancing its 1,200-strong student-employment program. The goal: continuing to encourage and develop flexible studentemployment opportunities on campus in a diverse array of fields and studies. Aspiring teacher Edinger’s employment at the AELC is an ideal match for both parties: She has taken enough classes and spent enough hours in classrooms to earn her early-childhood teaching certification, and the center hires year-round, maintaining flexible scheduling for its teachers while preserving low student-teacher ratios. “They understand (student schedules) because they only hire students for this position at the Auraria Early Learning Center,” she says. “There was a whole wave of us who were early-childhood majors taking classes together, and we all said, ‘Why are we working halfway across town? We should just work here.’” Edinger works 30 hours a week on average but sometimes puts in just one or two hours a day after class. Last spring, when she needed to dedicate more time to

$7,666

SOURCES: College Board, Annual Survey of Colleges; NCES, Digest of Education Statistics; NCES, IPEDS SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division

1 2

her field placement – a graduation requirement – she was able to scale back her work hours without issue. She even took six weeks off during the summer for a study-abroad trip before returning to work 40-hour weeks for the rest of the summer. “It’s super-convenient,” Edinger says. “Not a lot of preschools will accept assistant teachers to work really random hours.” Mechanical-engineering major Ryan Comeaux made pizzas for Domino’s for a decade before landing a learning-assistant job at the University. In the position, created by a 2016 pilot program aimed at reducing the failure rate in college algebra courses, Comeaux mentors peers and facilitates group work in math classes he already passed. He also earns a pedagogy class credit, a permanent indication that he has learned to educate others. “The process of teaching is universal,” Comeaux says. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re teaching someone how to make a pizza, which I did for 10 years before coming to school, or learning how to use the Pythagorean theorem to solve a basic triangle problem.” Kyle Warren, a brewing-sciences major, works full time in his field as a brewer at

Tivoli Brewing Co. on campus. He started as an intern and was promoted to a fulltime brewer in the span of a single semester. “You couldn’t ask for anything better,” Warren says. “It’s full-time brewing experience, and I get to take every single one of my classes and apply the knowledge in my everyday life.” The list goes on: Working for Met Media, the student media organization at MSU Denver, can get you paid, portfoliobuilding experience on your way to landing a full-time job in your field before you even graduate. Majoring in events and meeting management? Get paid to plan events for the Office of Student Activities. How about aerospace? Take a paid internship to work on York Space Systems satellites without even leaving campus. Getting paid to get career experience pays off. Just ask Comeaux. “I no longer work at Domino’s, because I get to spend my time on campus teaching math instead of running to sling pizzas and then going home to do my homework,” he says. “I get to stick with math all day. That’s what I’m learning in my degree program, and that’s also where I make my money.”

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PHOTO LANCE WENDT

WHEN DIVISION I CAME KNOCKING, MSU DENVER CHOSE TO STAY IN DIVISION II – A WINNING DECISION FOR STUDENTATHLETES. STORY ROB WHITE

There is more to college athletics than making it to basketball’s Final Four or playing in the football national-championship game.

And while many athletic departments across the country are hellbent on achieving the sort of glory that comes with those pursuits, others such as Metropolitan State University of Denver focus on developing student-athletes with holistic goals, a balanced blend of academics and athletics that creates a more positive atmosphere and molds a more productive person. That philosophy was among the factors that led MSU Denver to turn down a recent overture from the Western Athletic Conference to transition to NCAA Division I. “In Division II, there’s a healthy balance between high-level athletics and a commitment to academic success,” says Anthony Grant, Ph.D., MSU Denver’s director of athletics. “You really have an opportunity to develop the student-athlete with a well-rounded perspective.” FALL 2019

ROADRUNNER FAMILY

AT WHAT COST?

Most mid- and lower-tier Division I programs are relegated to setting team goals at the conference level rather than chasing national championships. Power is concentrated among the five most influential conferences, and few other programs are able to maintain long-term success. “In Division I, conference alignment affects your ability to go deep in NCAA tournaments. In Division II, you see a lot more parity,” says MSU Denver volleyball coach Jenny Glenn, a former Division I assistant who is attempting to guide the Roadrunners to a 20th consecutive appearance in the national tournament. “Division II emphasizes being a great student, citizen and athlete. And you still get to compete at a high level.” MSU Denver’s history of success is well-established. The men’s basketball program has the best winning percentage in Division II history. The women’s soccer program, like men’s basketball, has won two national championships. Virtually all of the 16 sports in the program have been near their peak in the past five years. Meanwhile, the school’s outdoor athletic facilities at the Regency Athletic Complex – for baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s tennis – are among the best in Division II and are the envy of many Division I programs. The Auraria Event Center, home to basketball and volleyball, is getting a face-lift with new bleachers ahead of hosting the Division II volleyball nationalchampionship tournament in December. Athletes and coaches throughout the department believe in the Division II model. “I think kids get a better experience in Division II,” says men’s basketball coach Michael Bahl, a former Roadrunner player and assistant coach. “Everyone sees what they see on TV – the College World Series, the NCAA (basketball) Tournament or the BCS games (football playoffs) – but you’re only seeing 5% of Division I athletes. The other 95% have a really hard time at that level. It’s not all rainbows, sunshine and butterflies in Division I.” Women’s basketball coach Tanya Haave, one of the best players in the history of the revered Tennessee program and a former Division I head coach, compared the high-stakes world of Division I with the Division III level, where there are no athletic scholarships. “In the big picture of the NCAA, Division II is kind of the sweet spot for athletics. Studentathletes can compete at a high level, they can get their education paid for, and yet you still have the purity of the sport.” MSU Denver coaches point to the increasing win-at-all-costs mentality that has permeated Division I athletics. That puts pressure on coaches, who transfer that pressure to the student-athletes. STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE 16

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Cassandra Porter has inherited a family trait.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROADRUNNERS ATHLETICS

While increased institutional exposure is a benefit that comes with competing in Division I, it also comes with a cost: A consultant projected that MSU Denver’s Athletics Department budget would have to increase by $4.5 million by 2024-25 just to be at the midpoint among schools in the WAC, which ranks somewhere near the middle of Division I in terms of strength.

After a year at Fort Lewis, and a year off spent working in California, the trackand-field studentathlete became the fifth sibling in her family to enroll at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “We love MSU Denver,” Cassandra says. “My parents had eight children. Once one sibling went there, it got good reviews, then another. It’s been over 10 years now. We’ve seen how it’s grown and what it’s done for our family.” Not only have members of the Porter family become Roadrunners, they’ve also met spouses who have graduated from MSU Denver. First was Gabrielle Porter, who met her husband, Paul Zastrocky, on campus. Then came Luke Porter and his eventual wife, Julia. Sam Porter played basketball for MSU Denver, where he met his wife, volleyball All-America selection Brandi Torr. “Our whole family was athletic until Brandi entered it, and now she’s the most athletic by far,” Cassandra says. Next came older brother Jesse, who still attends MSU Denver after playing two seasons of college basketball elsewhere. Cassandra is on campus now too, and maybe younger brother Dallas will follow after high school. “Everyone is really, really serious and passionate about being here,” Cassandra says. “After taking a year off from college like I did, you don’t take your education for granted anymore.”

WORLD-CLASS BALLERS Metropolitan State University of Denver has the best all-time winning percentage in the history of NCAA Division II men’s basketball. And the program continues to have a global impact at the next level. In the past year, 19 former Roadrunners have played professionally. The list includes a near takeover of Australia’s National Basketball League Grand Finals and the MVP Award won by Brandon Jefferson in France’s Pro B League.

PHOTO ED JACOBS

FASTEST COP ALIVE Anthony Luna is living proof that you shouldn’t try to flee on foot from the police. A member of the New Mexico State Police, Luna says he once gave a flight-minded suspect a 10-second head start before chasing him down. “The guy said, ‘Holy crap, you must be the fastest cop alive,’” Luna says. It’s good to be a former national champion 800-meter runner. Luna was a high school star and 800-meter state champion in Westminster, with Division I interest and an opportunity to run for Division II power Adams State. But when he was a high school senior, his girlfriend was pregnant, and Luna decided he needed to focus on fatherhood. So he hung up his spikes and became an apprentice electrician. At the same time, Metropolitan State University of Denver was restarting its track-and-field program after a 20-year absence in 2005. Luna was recruited by new coach Pete Julian. At the University, Luna found that he could be a father and resume his running career.

THAT GIRL IS ON FIRE

He ran his way to prominence while on campus and was inducted into the MSU Denver Athletics Hall of Fame last fall.

The 6-foot shooting guard on the women’s basketball team tied an NCAA Division II record by making nine consecutive 3-pointers in a single game as the final part of a night when she made 11 long-distance shots to shatter school and conference records.

Student. Athlete. Jonalyn Wittwer excelled as both in her fouryear career at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROADRUNNERS ATHLETICS

When not busy with her duties as a three-year starter on the basketball floor, Wittwer compiled a 3.95 GPA while majoring in biology. She was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Academic Player of the Year for her combination of on-court and off-court success. Within the MSU Denver Athletics Department, Wittwer was named the academic student-athlete of the year as a junior and a senior. “It feels good to be acknowledged for the work that I’ve put in, not just on the court but in the classroom, too,” Wittwer says of that honor. “Because for me, personally, that’s a really big deal. It’s something I take pride in, and I always have.”

Yet another former MSU Denver All-America player, Patrick Mutombo, is an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors after a long overseas playing career.

really. You come (to MSU Denver), work hard every day. Preparing to win at basketball is like work.”

Past players continue to credit their time at MSU Denver as being instrumental in their professional success as players and people.

Kay and Mitch McCarron (who played in the NBL Grand Finals for Melbourne United) were Academic All-America selections during their MSU Denver playing careers, while Jefferson and McCarron were back-to-back national players of the year in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

“(MSU Denver is) the reason I have a job that I love,” says forward Nick Kay, an All-NBL player for the Perth Wildcats and one of five Roadrunners to play in that league’s championship series. “I learned the groundwork and foundations of life,

“The best memories from playing at MSU Denver are the friendships,” says Jefferson, a guard for Orleans Loire Basket. “The basketball part was great, but I made some lifelong connections. The daily interactions I had with people at MSU Denver – from the janitors, professors, mentors and other coaches to the students – are things I’ll never forget.”

Left to right: Nick Kay, Mitch McCarron and Jesse Wagstaff, players in Australia’s National Basketball League.

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“There’s more coaching at the Division II level,” says MSU Denver baseball coach Ryan Strain, a former Division I assistant. “It’s not so much, ‘Let’s recruit as many guys as we can and see who sticks, and if they aren’t good enough, we just tell them to move on.’ There just isn’t the patience for player development from administration, coaches and players in Division I.”

go to job fairs and meet professionals so that I have opportunities when I graduate.”

ROADRUNNERS REAP THE BENEFITS Restrictions on sport-specific time demands for players and coaches are more stringent in Division II. That leads to more opportunities for student-athletes.

“Baseball is amazing here,” says Draven Adame, a senior catcher from Lamar, an all-region honoree and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president who will be the first in his family to graduate from college. “Without a scholarship, who knows where I’d be. It’s helped me grow as a person and gotten me to where I am today.”

“Having the opportunity to come here and play volleyball was awesome,” says All-America player Santaisha Sturges, from Parker. “The coaching staff and academic advisors have helped me, given me opportunities to

Student-athletes get to develop critical skills such as time management, leadership, accountability and teamwork in their sports and in the classroom.

PROFESSIONAL POWER

HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE When Matt Malkin took his first batting practice at Metropolitan State University of Denver, he started by banging a couple of pitches off the scoreboard in rightcenter field.

PHOTO THOMAS COOPER/LIGHTBOXIMAGES.COM

Some student-athletes at the Division II level are more easily able to do part-time work to help make ends meet. Others branch out with more on-campus activities.

He never stopped. A Broomfield native who transferred home for his senior season, Malkin became the MSU Denver baseball program’s first-ever first-team AllAmerica selection.

The Regency Athletic Complex at Metropolitan State University of Denver was fully completed in 2015. The $24 million facility is home to Roadrunners baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s tennis.

• I n addition to the sports facilities, the 20,000-squarefoot Cohen Center for Athletics houses locker rooms for each sport’s team, along with a state-of-the-art weight room and athletic training room. The building also features a student-athlete lounge and meeting rooms.

The Roadrunners catcher set the team’s single-season home-run record when he hit his 18th in the 23rd game of the season, part of a streak in which he hit 15 homers in 14 games. Not bad for a guy who was unceremoniously cut by Alabama after being a part-time starter. “Being able to come home and play in a town I love meant a lot to me,” Malkin says. “I was able to rekindle my fire after going through what I did. There’s a great spirit around campus, and I was glad to be a part of it.”

“When he came to us, he was at the point where he was thinking about hanging it up and not playing anymore,” coach Ryan Strain says. “But he got himself going again.” He went on to have a storybook season, capped by a home run in his final collegiate at-bat. And the story continues. Malkin agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants organization as a free agent and is playing minor-league baseball.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ROADRUNNERS ATHLETICS

Malkin was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s co-player of the year. He ranked second in NCAA Division II in homers (25), home runs per game (0.49) and slugging percentage and was third in RBIs per game (1.35) and fourth in total bases.

• MSU Denver began playing tennis at the facility in 2013, with the soccer teams beginning play in 2014 and the baseball and softball programs in 2015.

“People want to hire athletes because they’ve had that experience, had to multitask, just like in the real world,” Strain says. Senior men’s tennis player Joey Tscherne recalls winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship as a key athletic moment, but it was the team celebration that stands out. “Winning the RMAC title, it came down to the last point, and when we won it, we all ran onto the court and it was the best moment of our lives,” Tscherne says. “It’s not all about tennis; it’s about creating friendships, maintaining lifelong friendships with the people you have class with.” Don’t misunderstand, though. Coaches and administrators across the department want to win, too.

•T he Regency Athletic Complex was the main site of NCAA Division II’s Spring Sports Festival in 2016, hosting national championships in softball, tennis and lacrosse (the golf championship was also in Denver).

• The softball nationalchampionship tournament returned to the Regency Athletic Complex for a second time in 2019, with Augustana (S.D.) winning the eight-team, double-elimination event. MSU Denver will also host the softball national championship in 2021 and 2022.

Being successful at what you do is another life skill. And there have been many successes in the past year. MSU Denver has had conference players of the year in baseball (Matt Malkin), women’s soccer (Reigna Banks) and women’s tennis (Tabitha Porter) and league freshmen of the year in men’s soccer (Jaime Gutierrez), men’s indoor track (Nick Nowlen) and softball (Rebecca Gonzales). Malkin, Gutierrez, Nowlen and Gonzales are all from metropolitan Denver. And many Division II programs around the country compete at a higher level than the bottom third of Division I’s 347 institutions. Some could hang with the bottom half of Division I and may even be better. “Across the board, Division II has good, quality athletics,” Grant says.

• MSU Denver athletics programs host summer camps at the Regency Athletic Complex for youngsters to improve their skills. And for the first time, MSU Denver this year will have an all-sports youth camp for baseball, softball, men’s soccer and women’s soccer.

• The Beer Garden is one of the attractions that come with attending MSU Denver athletic events at the Regency Athletic Complex. For $250 in annual donations to the Athletics Department, fans are entitled to up to four beers per contest day. (Recent graduates are required to donate only $50 multiplied by the number of years they have been out of school.) The beer is donated by MSU Denver partner the Tivoli Brewing Co.

PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

Human Services alumna Jamie Ray (left) is a care manager at Second Chance Center, an Aurora nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated people reintegrate into society.

MSU Denver’s Human Services and Counseling Department is leading the charge to solve Colorado’s most pressing challenges, one person at a time. STORY CORY PHARE

Humanizing

HUMAN SERVICES Colorado is in crisis. The number of overdose deaths involving opioids in the state has steadily climbed from fewer than 200 in 2002 to 578 in 2017, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The greatest rise occurred among heroininvolved deaths, with a nearly fivefold increase from 46 cases in 2010 to 224 cases in 2017, and hospital admissions statewide involving the drug were up 127% between 2011 and 2015. “We have a huge crisis in regard to the opioid epidemic, especially in the outskirts of Colorado,” says Tricia Hudson-Matthew, Ph.D., associate professor of Human Services and Counseling at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “For a long time, we saw the drug problem as being mostly concentrated in the inner cities. Now, it’s everywhere.” Add one more sobering statistic contributing to the opioid crisis: Colorado is facing an approximately 35% shortage of addiction counselors, HudsonMatthew says, citing information from the state’s Office of Behavioral Health. How do we begin to tackle the complex challenge of addiction? By humanizing it.

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EXPERIENCE AS CORNERSTONE One reason Jamie Ray is a good care manager at Second Chance Center, an Aurora nonprofit assisting formerly incarcerated people reintegrating into society, is that she has lived through many of the issues her clients face. “Growing up, I had many family members who were incarcerated,” says Ray, a 2018 Human Services graduate with a concentration in addiction studies. “Going through that and having the personal experience (of battling opioid addiction) made me want to get involved, to make a difference.” Operationalizing her motivation started with therapy and transitioned to education. She found the Human Services program at MSU Denver, where she also got involved with student organizations that assist others who share similar experiences to her own. “That definitely changed my life,” Ray says. “I realized that what I was doing in the past wasn’t equivalent to what I wanted to do in my future.” Another reason Ray is succeeding at Second Chance Center is that she came to the care-manager position with experience in the field. As part of her degree, she interned at a mental-health clinic where she learned about the therapy side of treatment. Then, she landed an internship at Second Chance Center, where she excelled. When the nonprofit received a grant to expand staffing, it hired her full time.

“If you’re a Licensed Addictions Counselor, you can bill insurance,” Butler says. “That means you can help more individuals. It also means you’re more likely to get promoted in the field and have a good wage.” Students in the department’s workforce pipeline are also provided with the tools required to approach complex problems such as addiction with the sensitivity and empathy they demand. “When you’re dealing with issues like substance abuse and trauma, other areas like mental-health counseling and working with high-risk youth are often so closely linked that you can’t extricate them,” Butler says. Rather than attempt that extrication, Human Services and Counseling students have an opportunity to integrate learning across multiple specializations: addiction studies, mental-health counseling, high-risk youth studies, nonprofit studies or fire- and emergency-response administration. NEW DEGREES, NEW VALUE For better and for worse, opportunities in the human-services field grow along with Colorado’s population. Consider fire- and emergency-response services, Butler says. A busy firehouse gets around 3,500 calls annually. The Denver Fire Department’s Tower 4 routinely fields north of 6,000 every year.

“The bottom line is

“I was able to stay here for two internship semesters and build good relationships with the staff and participants,” she said. “Without the internships, I wouldn’t have been close to understanding what I could do or where I could work.” Ray’s success highlights a critical element of MSU Denver’s Human Services and Counseling program: applied field experience.

that the human services save lives because they humanize people and their pain.”

“A lot of those calls are mental-health-related,” she says. “The city and county look at highresource utilizers – those individuals or locations, like shelters, that call 911 a lot – and we’re working with them to address some of the underlying issues.” The complexity and volume of the issues facing first responders are also moving departments to favor candidates and promote managers with an MSU Denver Human Services and Counseling degree. Take the high-volume – and competitive – DFD. Though a diploma isn’t required to land a job with the department, an MSU Denver degree in Fire and Emergency Response Administration provides a distinct advantage for applicants, says Brian Bagwell, Psy.D., associate professor and director of the FERA program.

Each of the department’s bachelor’s degree recipients leaves the University with a - Lynann (Annie) Butler, Human Services minimum of 1,000 hours across practica and Department chair and professor internships, enough to meet the state’s Certified Addictions Counselor Level 1 requirement. Graduates of the forthcoming Master of Science in Clinical Behavioral Health will earn their Licensed Bagwell is a 20-year veteran of the Aurora Fire Rescue Department and Addictions Counselor state licensure and, if they complete internship also logged five years in New York City providing psychological services requirements, be eligible to be Licensed Professional Counselors. to NYPD personnel following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He has helped grow the University’s FERA program from 12 students in its first year in “We’re positioned as the only institution in the state to do that,” says 2012 to more than 80 this past academic year. Lynann (Annie) Butler, department chair and professor. “Rigorous field experience is a cornerstone of all our Human Services and Counseling Modeled after the National Fire Academy’s Fire and Emergency Services programs.” Higher Education curriculum, the FERA program produces graduates with 14 Federal Emergency Management Agency certificates and the The increased professionalization of a Human Services degree doesn’t skills and knowledge to serve as the next generation of emergency just help address unmet societal needs – it also helps graduates get jobs responders. and advance their careers. 20

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PHOTO SARA HERTWIG

PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

Above: Jamie Ray, a 2018 Human Services graduate with a concentration in addiction studies, helps a client on the computer at Second Chance Center.

Above: Human Services alumnus Jairo Tiscareno signs his “oath of office” certificate at the Denver Fire Department’s May 23 graduation ceremony.

PHOTO SARA HERTWIG

Right: Fire and Emergency Response Administration student Andrew Lutz installs a new fire alarm in a Denver home as part of a service-learning project in partnership with the American Red Cross. Applied field experience is a cornerstone of MSU Denver’s Human Services programs.

The proof of that is in the classroom. New DFD firefighter Jairo Tiscareno is a recent graduate, while current student and South Adams County Fire Protection District Chief Kevin Vincel has hired two Roadrunners for inspector and investigator positions, Bagwell says.

Thalia Acosta Lozano takes this approach to heart every day in her work as a youth-programs specialist at Mi Casa Resource Center, a Denver nonprofit educating, training and supporting youth and adults for success in education, employment and entrepreneurship. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival recipient, North High School salutatorian and 2019 MSU Denver nonprofit-studies graduate strives to ground her work in empathy while empowering the city’s Latino community with the same developmental resources she took advantage of herself.

“You’ve got fire chiefs both teaching classes and in the classes as students,” he says. “You can’t have a better testament to a program than that.”

“The understanding of why people are the way they are affects the work you do so much,” she says. “When I interact with kids, I have to always keep that in mind – to be sensitive to what they’ve gone through.”

PARADIGM-SHIFTING EDUCATION

The ethic, empathy and experience that graduates such as Acosta Lozano bring to their respective fields is why employers love MSU Denver Human Services graduates, Butler says.

“I don’t know of another four-year degree program in the country that is working this closely with the fire community that our students are going to work in,” he says.

Humanizing the complex challenges facing the state and nation also requires educating trauma-informed professionals. The key, Butler says, is shifting the approach to those who have experienced trauma from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” That shift is part of a strength-based model that helps people start to see themselves as agents empowered to make changes. “The paradigm of only seeing the wrong with someone – the ‘what’ – is easier than putting the time in to find out the ‘why,’” she says. “We’re not looking at things through rose-colored glasses, but if you only focus on what’s broken, then you get what you focus on.”

The department’s success has led to an interesting paradox: Because the undergraduate curriculum already incorporates so many graduate-level texts (especially in cognitive behavioral and ethics classes), the department has had to raise its game even more while launching the master’s program. It’s a challenge they’re up to. After all, they’ve built a pretty stellar track record over 50-plus years. “The bottom line,” Butler says, “is that the human services save lives because they humanize people and their pain.”

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So you want to host ‘SportsCenter’? ALUMNUS AND ESPN HOST GARY STRIEWSKI SHARES HIS STRATEGY FOR CAPITALIZING ON OPPORTUNITY BEFORE IT’S BACK-BACK-BACK … GONE. STORY CORY PHARE

| PHOTO SARA HERTWIG

The set lights go up. The theme song culminates in its familiar refrain: da-da-da, da-da-da. Gary Striewski is live. “Hosting ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter’ has been my dream since sixth grade,” says the 2010 graduate of Metropolitan State University of Denver. “And though I’ve never been so nervous, it’s something I’ve prepared for my whole life.”

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Snapchat springboard Two million views per episode. Over a quarter billion total in 2018. Those are some of the stratospheric stats from ESPN’s Snapchat channel, one of several platforms Striewski has a hand in steering for the international sports-media company, and his springboard to “SportsCenter.” “The (Snapchat) numbers are incredible; the engagement is on a whole other level,” he says. “I still try to make it a point to interact with everyone, though.”

His rise via social media is one example of how the media industry continues to evolve ever faster and is almost unrecognizable from what it was when he studied speech communication at MSU Denver. “If you asked me even one or two years ago, I would’ve scoffed if you said I’d be here now – I was a TV guy,” Striewski says. “But this is the way the viewership of the future consumes content. Every outlet and employee needs to be able to roll with it.” Striewski began rolling with social media at MSU Denver, where in 2008 one of his professors had students sign up for a justlaunched platform called Twitter.

“My experience (at MSU Denver) gave me a great real-world connection to set up my career,” he said. “That’s a heck of a start – and one of the best decisions of my life.” Opportunity knocks So, how does one get from the suburbs of Denver to ESPN’s big show? “Never say no to an opportunity,” Striewski says. “If you do, there’s always 150 people behind you just waiting to take their shot at it. It’s up to you to take that break and turn it into something big.”

He launched his broadcast career making public-address announcements at Thornton Middle School. At MSU Denver, he worked with Met Media and interned at local Fox affiliate KDVR with sports anchor Chris Tanaka, a mentor he stays in touch with to this day. Postgraduation, Striewski cut his TV teeth at a CBS affiliate in Cheyenne, Wyoming; earned an Emmy for his work as a Red Sox sideline reporter at New England Sports Network; and woke up at 2:30 a.m. to co-host “Morning Dose” on Dallas-Fort Worth CW affiliate KDAF. Looking back, his road to ESPN was one that makes sense when you know where you’ve

come from – and trust that you have what it takes to get where you’re going, Striewski says. Who knows? Saying yes to opportunity might even lead you to hosting “SportsCenter,” following in the footsteps of luminaries such as Stuart Scott, Kenny Mayne and Scott Van Pelt, people you grew up watching on a screen as a kid. And you’ll be ready for it, he says. “Once those lights came up and the music was playing, those nerves were gone,” Striewski says. “It was a moment that was 20 years in the making.”

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Trailblazer HOW A SWISS-BORN DENVERITE BROUGHT HER PERSONAL TOUCH TO LOCAL TOURISM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WITH WINNING RESULTS. STORY MARK COX

| PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

It was love at first hike. When Kathrin Troxler visited Colorado 18 years ago, she was so smitten that she decided to stay. Despite coming from a country – Switzerland – that’s known for its impressive mountains, she was blown away by the Centennial State’s natural wonders. So perhaps it’s little wonder she fell into the tourism industry. She started on that path with a marketing degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver. While her studies were challenging at first – she wrote primarily in German at the time – she persevered. “Getting my degree was part of my big learning curve,” she says, “and the first step in a larger journey that brought me to where I am now.” After graduating in 2005, Troxler worked as a German-speaking tour guide in the western United States. But ultimately, she felt the call of her Mile High home. “All that traveling eventually wears you down,” she says. “I missed the intimacy of my friendships and regular life back in Denver. But I also knew that I wanted a bigger career, and launching my own tourism company seemed like the obvious choice. So, I thought, ‘Why not do that right here?’” Friendly tours Thus, Aspire Tours was born. From humble beginnings in 2014 – initially offering private tours in a used Mercedes SUV – the company grew quickly. That was thanks largely to Troxler’s trademark style, perfected during her own guiding days, of providing small-scale and informal tours: “kind of like a friend was giving them.” As the company grew, Troxler – along with her business and life partner, Brian Erdner – worked hard to maintain that cozy, personal ethos by keeping tour groups small and tailoring activities to suit people’s needs.

Free spirits A quick peek at the company website shows a dozen tour guides who incorporate a dizzying mix of ages, interests and experiences. There is no “typical” model. So how does Troxler choose them? “I look for free spirits who have lived a little and aren’t afraid to try new things because they tend to be better at connecting with others,” she says. “I don’t need by-the-book people. One of our best guides was a barista when we found him, but we just knew he had the right stuff.” And when it comes to deciding the best places to visit, Troxler has another trick up her sleeve – no fixed itinerary. “Our mantra is to avoid the crowds and go against the flow,” she says. “So if one place is busy, our guides are free to improvise and select other routes that ensure everyone finds some solitude and amazing views. For us, it’s more about the experience than just visiting a destination.” Off the beaten track Happily, business is booming. “Denver has turned into a real destination city these past five years – I was in the right place at the right time,” she says. “Now I just need to keep innovating and doing new things to stay ahead of the competition.” And as for the future? Rather than build a huge business empire, Troxler’s long-term goal is simply to have the freedom to occasionally pack up her family and go off the beaten track for a few months. “My two young kids have already traveled a lot and had interesting experiences, and that’s important to me,” she says. “Hopefully, they will have their mom’s wandering spirit.” SEE TROXLER’S RECOMMENDATIONS for five great Colorado sites to experience: red.msudenver.edu/2019/5-great-waysto-explore-colorado-this-weekend.html READ MORE ABOUT Aspire Tours at aspire-tours.com.

Still, creating just the right laid-back atmosphere is trickier than it sounds. “We often have 80- and 20-year-olds in the same tour group,” Troxler says, “so you really need good guides with the intuition to read situations and the wishes of each person, to ensure everyone goes home happy.” FALL 2019

Strong on safety AFTER SERVING IN THE NAVY AND FBI, ALUMNUS ERIC WILLIAMS RETURNS TO DENVER TO ENSURE THAT HIS HOMETOWN IS A SAFE AND WELCOMING CITY FOR ALL PEOPLE. STORY DOUG MCPHERSON

| PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

The stack of to-dos on Eric Williams’ desk is tall – and accomplishing each is critical to keeping Denver a safe and thriving metropolis. In his role as deputy director of the city’s Department of Public Safety, he’s charged with managing first responders, 911 communications, jail administration, community relations, employee ethics, youth programs and gang reduction, among other priorities. Williams is up to the task. He is an attorney and U.S. Navy veteran who returned to his hometown in May 2018 to take on the deputy-director position after working for more than a decade at the FBI in Washington, D.C. During his time in the bureau, Williams served as an advisor to FBI Directors James B. Comey and Christopher A. Wray. As a supervisory special agent in the Office of Congressional Affairs, he was detailed to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee as counsel, advising members on methods to combat public corruption, terrorism and color-of-law violations.

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His experience at the FBI reinforced teamwork and integrity; the Navy taught him how to bridge divides among people and gave him a front-row seat to view just how big the world truly is. But when it comes to achieving his goal of opening doors for Denver’s marginalized communities, Williams harks back to his experience growing up in the metro area and his education at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “I know what it’s like to overcome tremendous obstacles with minimal guidance and connections,” he says. Williams grew up in Park Hill, but his mother opted to send him to Cherry Creek Public Schools beginning in sixth grade. He spent those middle- and high-school years straddling divergent neighborhoods – he and his mother lived in Aurora while his father and grandparents remained in Park Hill. “It was two different worlds: Park Hill was more diverse, Aurora less so at that time,” he says.

After Williams completed his freshman year at Smoky Hill High School, he and his mother moved back to Denver; however, he continued attending the same high school. His schooling began well before class during his 50-minute commute from his apartment in Denver to Smoky Hill. Williams recalls passing drug dealers, gangs and prostitutes on his walk to the RTD bus stop at East Colfax Avenue and Syracuse Street. “You name it, I saw it there,” he says. As he worked through high school, Williams recalls watching several of his Park Hill friends lose their way – turning to drugs, crime and gangs in an attempt to cope with their environment. He stayed on his path and worked hard to avoid those traps in an effort to not disappoint his mother, he says. That path ultimately led him to MSU Denver. “The University allowed my passions, which include seeking justice and serving as a voice for others, to transform seemingly lofty goals into action,” says Williams, a 2001 cum laude graduate who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminology and criminal justice.

“I learned to set action plans – creating a goal, identifying the steps needed to achieve it and relentlessly executing those steps.” Studying under professors with experience in the field bolstered his belief that he too could find a role in improving his corner of the world. “Learning from practitioners who personally understood the complexities of working in the justice system fortified my belief that I could help make the system better,” he says. It isn’t lost on Williams that today, as he tackles Denver’s most pressing problems, he embodies the potential that was lost by so many of his peers. He often looks back to his youth in thinking about how to help young people, he says. The first thing he sees is lives filled with value and potential. “Too many of these kids are encountering the justice system, and we can’t allow that,” he says. “They’re smart, thoughtful and resilient – there’s a life ahead of them, and we have to pave paths to help them get there.” FALL 2019

Solutions in soil ALUMNA JUDY DANIELS, PH.D., DIGS DEEP TO FIND ANSWERS TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. STORY LYNNE WINTER ’17

| PHOTO ALYSON MCCLARAN

Geospatial soil scientist Judy Daniels, Ph.D., doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty in the name of improving the environment. “Soils are the determining factor for the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the biodiversity of an area and more,” says Daniels, founder and CEO of Soil Sage LLC and founder and chief technological officer of Terrestrial Systems LLC. “One teaspoon of soil contains more organisms than there are human beings on this Earth, directly relating soil to overall ecosystem health.”

Colorado farmers had a head start on the hemp boom thanks to the 2012 passage of Amendment 64, which in addition to legalizing adult-use recreational marijuana legalized industrial hemp, defined as a variety of cannabis with less than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the plant’s psychoactive ingredient. Last year, Colorado farmers dedicated 21,578 acres to hemp cultivation, according to Hemp Industry Daily. By the end of 2019, Department of Agriculture projections put that figure at roughly 50,000 acres.

After graduating from Colorado State University-Pueblo in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and environmental health, Daniels wanted to learn how to use technology to describe complex environmental processes for practical problem-solving. She enrolled in Metropolitan State University of Denver and within a year earned a B.S. in geographic information systems and remote sensing.

Even with the head start, Colorado farmers are realizing there is a lack of research to draw from as they attempt to benefit from this new crop option, Daniels says.

“I’ve always loved maps, so it is easy for me to see the world spatially,” she says of learning to use GIS as a tool for analyzing data to examine space and organize layers of information into maps. “Everything can be broken down into a layer. Our surroundings are simply one layer on top of another.”

Daniels is working with 10 farmers across Colorado and in a personal research plot comprising 20 varieties of hemp in the San Luis Valley.

Daniels started her career as a contractor with the National Park Service through Colorado State University as an environmental scientist and GIS manager. Using GIS, she mapped invasive species in national parks across the country, studied their movement patterns and impact on native species, and worked with the Soil Resources Inventory to map, preserve and protect the soils as a park resource. Now, Daniels’ work with soil has positioned her on the front lines of a new American agricultural commodity predicted to be worth $2.6 billion by 2022: industrial hemp.

“Hemp is being grown in large swaths outside in diverse soil conditions,” she says. “Understanding hemp’s moisture and nutrient use will be key to long-term success.”

“Hemp is an amazingly diverse plant. It is a wonderful resource for food, fiber and fuel, and it can even be used as a substitute for plastic,” she says. Daniels is excited to help Colorado farmers find success growing hemp and predicts that using regenerative agriculture methods will improve the soil health. She also hopes her use of GIS in this booming agricultural commodity helps others develop an appreciation and awareness of soil as a vital resource. “Soils are not easily understood,” she says. “GIS allows us to address issues like erosion by wind and water, and soil-salinity issues, by creating a visual representation, which provides a strong foundation for telling the soil’s story.”

A provision in the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill passed last December removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, resulting in tens of thousands of acres of land being dedicated to this onceoutlawed industry. FALL 2019

People Alumni News + Notes 1968

Chick Todd (B.A. English and biology, ’68) is a retired United States Air Force service member living in Kapaa, Hawaii. Todd worked in clinical laboratory services in the Indian Health Service agency and provided accreditation, quality management and performance-improvement management for IHS and Hawaii Home Infusion Associates.

1976

Judith Sara Gelt (B.A. elementary education, ’76) is an author whose writing has appeared in The Denver Post, the Nashville Review and the Iron Horse Literary Review. The University of New Mexico Press recently published her debut memoir, “Reckless Steps Toward Sanity,” which was the No. 1 paperback nonfiction bestseller in the Denver area during the week of its release, according to the Tattered Cover Book Store. William Johnston (B.S. chemistry, ’76) moved to the mountains after graduating and became a chemist for a power company. He later joined the fire department and worked his way through the ranks, ultimately becoming fire chief. Johnston

became interested in hazardous-material emergency response and formed a regional Level A hazardous-material team. He is retired and lives in New Castle.

1985

Christine Capra (B.A. journalism, ’85) is the co-author and co-editor of the newly released “The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy” by CRC Press. The first new textbook in the field in over 21 years, it is a comprehensive guide to the foundational theories horticultural therapists use for their practice and provides wide-ranging illustrative programming models. Capra is a program manager at the Denver-based Horticultural Therapy Institute, a nonprofit offering adult education for the past 17 years.

1987

Lt. Kenneth D. Chavez (B.S. criminal justice and criminology, ’87) has worked for the Denver Police Department for 40 years and is in charge of providing police security services at Colorado Rockies games.

1991

2011

1997

2013

Jeffrey T. Yon (B.S. criminal justice and criminology, ’91) served in the United States Army for 36 years. After retiring in February 2018, he is enjoying life in North Carolina.

Teri Ritthaler (B.A. speech communication, ’97) worked at Great-West Financial for 19 years before becoming a quality engineer software tester at Alteryx Data Analytics Co. in Thornton. She got married in June and recently purchased a home.

2004

April O’Hare (B.A. art, ’04) is a Denver photographer focused on business branding and school head shots, weddings and family portraits. She skated for the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls for 12 years.

2008

Carlyn Brown (B.A. psychology, ’08) is a mortgage-servicing quality analyst at Phoenix Trading Mortgage Services Analytics in Denver.

Anthony James (B.S. business management, ’11) is an associate broker for Keller Williams Real Estate in Denver.

Kassie R. Tibbott (B.A. modern languages, ’13) was elected by classmates to be the student class speaker when she graduated from Vermont Law School in 2018. Sworn in to the Vermont Bar last fall, she works as coordinator of the Community Legal Information Center – the state of Vermont’s sole public law library, housed in the Julien & Virginia Cornell Library on the Vermont Law School campus. Tibbott provides pro bono legal assistance to individuals with petitions for criminal-record expungement and recently began working as the expungement research fellow for the Center for Justice Reform at Vermont Law School. She is also the co-editor of a book of poetry written by incarcerated women in Vermont.

SHARE YOUR NEWS Email your class notes to magazine@msudenver.edu

ALUMNI SURVEY SAYS … In 2018, Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Alumni Association sent a survey to graduates asking them about their student and alumni experiences. Nearly 1,450 Roadrunners responded, providing valuable information about how alumni perceive MSU Denver, how they prefer to stay engaged and what the University can do to meet their needs.

Of those who responded, 93% rated their overall experience as either good or excellent. The survey revealed that alumni valued their time at MSU Denver and believe the education they received positively affected their future. Those positive experiences corresponded to the professional value of an MSU Denver education, with 75% of respondents stating that their education prepared them for employment, future academic endeavors and/or obtaining a past or current job. While the vast majority of respondents described having had a beneficial student experience, nearly 41% reported feeling disconnected from MSU Denver since graduating. Key findings showed that alumni are seeking the University’s help with professional development, networking opportunities, continuing education and career support.

People In Memory ROADRUNNERS WRITE IN This past spring, Metropolitan Denver Magazine received the email testimonial below from Roy W. Wilson, Ph.D. “In 1969, I entered then-Metropolitan State College (of Denver) as a high-school dropout. Over the next seven years, faculty and staff gave me many opportunities. I finally graduated (in 1976) with a double major in mathematics and philosophy. This led to advanced study, an SCI security clearance and earning a good income. Without (MSU Denver), it is unlikely I would have achieved any of these outcomes.”

Share the story of how MSU Denver transformed your life: magazine@msudenver.edu.

1980s

Harold G. Garwood (B.S. entrepreneurial business management, ’86) November 2018

1990s

Susan D. Wong (B.S. human services, ’93) moved on to grander adventures after passing away March 22. She used her MSU Denver degree to serve communities in need for the remainder of her professional career. She left a legacy of compassionate, dedicated service to others.

2000s

Kathleen Theresa (Rafferty) Petrocco (B.A. hospitality management, ’03) July 2019

2010s

Megan Nelson was an MSU Denver student enrolled in online health caremanagement courses. She passed away in February. The Alumni Relations team is working diligently to meet those needs with newprogram development. Alumni wanting to grow their networks closer to home now have the opportunity to attend 25-Mile Engagement Campaign events across metro Denver. An on-staff career specialist is available to help alumni with resume and cover-letter review, jobsearch strategies and interviewing skills. And in the fall, all MSU Denver alumni will receive a free subscription to LinkedIn Learning, giving them access to over 13,000 online courses.

FACULTY & STAFF

Kenneth C. Curtis, Ph.D., former dean of admissions and records, was an administrator during then-Metropolitan State College of Denver’s infancy. He joined the staff in 1969 and actively promoted the new college – seeing enrollment increase considerably from 1969-74. Curtis was responsible for processing and registering students and formed a registration team, including a registrar and support staff. Curtis was known as a team-builder and for his passionate support of the MSU Denver staff. He passed away April 10. Frederick C. Doepke Jr., Ph.D., a former professor of philosophy, joined the MSU Denver team in the 1980s and served as department chair for four terms before retiring in 2003. Doepke helped develop the Philosophy Department and was the first at the University to attain the rank of professor of philosophy. He died March 8 in Khon Kaen, Thailand, where he lived for many years. John Hua Yee was an educator for more than 20 years. He taught history and social studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver, the University of Denver and Aurora Public Schools. He died in March at 97.

Now is the time for MSU Denver alumni to build a bridge from their student experience to their time as an active alumnus. Visit msudenver.edu/ alumni today and explore the ways the Alumni Association serves the Roadrunner family.

FALL 2019

the

FINALWORD

about her personal story and plans for educating professionals in one of Colorado’s top industries.

How did you land in hospitality? As a junior, I transferred to the University of Nevada Las Vegas, which did two things really well: basketball and hotel management. I studied hotel management because I had worked in the industry, had a service mentality and enjoyed making people happy. The program was close to the Strip, so there were many opportunities for hands-on research and employment. I particularly enjoyed hospitality law and passed the bar exam at 25 in order to remain in the hotel sector as in-house counsel for one of the resorts.

Founding dean set to serve up success in School of Hospitality, Events and Tourism. STORY CORA ZALETEL | PHOTO MARK STAHL

hristian Hardigree, J.D., founding dean of the School of Hospitality, Events and Tourism, is tenacious, hardworking and always ready for a challenge. Raised in rural Georgia by parents from different socioeconomic backgrounds, Hardigree learned to believe in the transformative power of education and hard work. These values have made her a successful student, student-athlete, litigator and educator – and a wonderful new addition to the Roadrunner family. Metropolitan Denver Magazine caught up with Hardigree to learn more

The human-resources director at the Mirage told me he had never had a candidate with the practical experience, degree and legal training I had, but he said, “Come back in 10 years because I can’t turn over a $20 million department to a kid.” Disappointed, I thought that meant I needed to go in a different direction. I applied for and was selected as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I was set to go to Quantico when my dad died, requiring me to reboot and reimagine my life. I began trial litigation and gained experience defending hotels, restaurants and nightclubs all over the Strip on a variety of premiseliability cases. I also began teaching law part time at UNLV, and that started my academic

pathway. In 2012, Kennesaw State University hired me to start a Culinary and Sustainability Hospitality Program, where I served as director through 2018.

Why MSU Denver? I was attracted to MSU Denver for a number of reasons – the talented faculty and staff, the exceptional facilities and the opportunity to affect the lives of future industry leaders through innovative, relevant curriculum and experiential learning. At MSU Denver, there is a supportive and collaborative environment, an entrepreneurial spirit and a guiding principle of “do what’s best for the students.” The beauty of being at a young institution is not being entrenched in a historical context of “we’ve always done it this way,” which means being able to pivot easily, to be nimbler and more innovative.

What do you hope to accomplish? My goal is to offer the most innovative curriculum possible, rooted in high-impact practices, to develop the most competitive “product” on the market: our graduates. I don’t view students as consumers, but rather, the industry is the consumer and the students are the product. The better the product, the more desirable they are, and the more the industry will pay them. Education is about empowerment – we are empowering our students with the knowledge, skills and abilities to be the hospitality leaders of the future.

HOMECOMING FALL 2019

Community, events and awards!

r a e y s at thi

Excit

m r o f w ing ne

6 . T C 0–O

3 . T P E S

SAVE THE DATE!

Make plans to join us for these special events on

SATURDAY, OCT. 5

• ROADRUNNER 5K RUN • ANNUAL ALUMNI AWARDS • ROADRUNNERS ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY

Learn more about events scheduled for the week

msudenver.edu/homecoming

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RELEVANT. ESSENTIAL. DENVER. red.msudenver.edu