ROAD RUNNERS
1970
1995
2013
2014
JOHN GURZO
ALAN RENCH
KRISTOFER CASTELLANES
PATRICK GRUBER
(B.A. History, ’70) is retired after a career that included working as the head baseball coach for Stockton University until 2002 and as director of the communitydevelopment department with the Borough of Red Bank in New Jersey. A member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America for many years, he remains actively engaged in the great outdoors.
(B.S. Biology, ’95) is a retired teacher of secondary science and math with a master’s degree from Walden University. After teaching for 21 years, he recently retired to northern Wisconsin with plans to tutor secondary and postsecondary science and math students seeking mastery of those subjects.
(B.S. Human Services, ’13) has been working for three years with Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners and the Colorado Crisis and Support Line as a crisis/opioid specialist. He said he is grateful for the amazing professors at MSU Denver who taught him everything he needs to succeed.
Fond farewell Cathy Lucas, who helped transform rate for undocumented students. Metropolitan State University of Denver “Cathy made great from a regional college into a renowned contributions to MSU Denver over urban university, stepped down July 1 two decades,” Davidson said. “She after 22 years. was integral to the growth of our The former vice president of brand from ‘college’ to ‘university’ STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATIONS Strategy and External Affairs served and, through her work on our CHIEF HELPED RAISE MSU Denver since 1999, leading strategic plan, positioned us for THE UNIVERSITY’S communication strategy and helping the next level.” PROFILE AND LAUNCHED shepherd the University’s trajectory Leading the award-winning AN AWARD-WINNING under Presidents Stephen A. Jordan, Strategy, Marketing and STORYTELLING Ph.D., and Janine Davidson, Ph.D. Communications team was a PLATFORM. “I started 2021 with two words: source of pride for Lucas. The refresh and recalibrate,” Lucas said. “Emerging from team has been recognized for its innovative branda global pandemic, losing my mom and caring for journalism approach and was named the 2019 my 89-year-old dad, I was pushed to slow down. As Public Relations Team of the Year by the Public a result, I reflected on the many great experiences Relations Society of America Colorado Chapter. I’ve had here and what could be next for me.” She also served as publisher of RED Magazine. During her tenure, Lucas led numerous Lucas was honored among the 2019 Denver policy and public affairs initiatives, including the Business Journal Outstanding Women in Business changing of the school’s name, gaining legislative — Communications and Media and the 2018 approval to add master’s degrees and securing Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce funding for capital projects. She also guided the Top 25 Most Powerful Women. She also received communication strategy when the University the 2017 PRSA Colorado Public Relations Person offered its now-lauded in-state resident tuition of the Year award.
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(B.S. Hospitality, ’14) and his wife, Kara, are the owners of Beachfront Foods, a Denver-based, islandthemed company. A food lover since childhood, Gruber launched the mission-driven business in 2020, making sustainable and delicious sauces and seasonings as well as merchandise available online and in select locations around the city.
2015
(B.A. Journalism, ’15) is a competitive snowboarder, a life coach at Highest Power Brands, a marketer with H² Marketing and the co-founder of NU Food, a source of tasty and healthy plant-based snacks. She has also partnered with Pivot 2 Power, a networking platform for women to showcase their power and educate, connect and empower women in the community. FRANCESCA SMITH
2020
(B.A. English, ’20) is proud to announce the publication of his debut novel “Predeceased Ascension,” which he worked on writing during his free time as an MSU Denver student. He said he is grateful to his professors in the Department of English for their guidance. LUKE KOVALCIK
