RED Magazine Winter 2020

ALSO: Revolutionizing 911 response Miss Black Colorado speaks out

M AG A Z I N E | WINTER 2020

Stamping out book deserts

CHANGE Gen Z and millennials reimagine the movement for racial justice M E T R OP OL I TA N STAT E UN I V E R S I TY OF DEN VER W INTER 2 02 0 | RED MAGAZINE

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R E L E VA N T. ESS ENTI AL. D ENVE R.

CONTENTS WINTER 2020 | red.msudenver.edu

FEATURES

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Z change

Gen Z and millennials reimagine the movement for racial justice.

10 STAR alternative A new program is revolutionizing response to behavioral health and other 911 calls.

14 Deep impact An urban university provides Colorado’s economy with big bang for its buck.

18 Career ladder Firefighters return to the classroom to advance their skills and lives.

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First word

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News

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Pageant platform

Miss Black Colorado raises her voice for racial justice.

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Care across a lifetime

A husband-and-wife doctor duo help their community realize whole-person wellness.

26

Of cooking and community

Fetien Gebre-Michael built an Ethiopianfood empire in the Mile High City, growing a community that is sustaining her business through challenging times.

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Roadrunners

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In memory

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Good read

MSU Denver alumna Janet Damon brings access to books to underserved children and communities. on the cover:

MSU Denver students

AMANDA SCHWENGEL

Agazi Abay and Chantel Merriex

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Painting by panel Students in the popular Community Painting: The Mural class, taught by renowned artist and Professor Carlos Frésquez, were forced this year to adapt their collaborative approach to the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of working together on one large mural, each of the six students in the class was responsible for a single panel, which they could create while social distancing. The panels came together to form a striking cityscape, which the class assembled in the University’s Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building. “It’s another way to learn and teach this process,” Frésquez said, “and it’s been a positive challenge.

It forced me to rethink how to teach.”

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PUBLISHER

Catherine B. Lucas, APR EDITOR

John Arnold

A pivotal moment

ART DIRECTOR

Scott Surine P U B L I C AT I O N D E S I G N E R

Aldrich Design

2020 has been unlike any year we’ve seen in our lifetimes. We’re living through a devastating pandemic, civil unrest, economic turmoil and, of course, a contentious and divisive presidential election.

I am thankful to all of you who exercised your right to vote, despite the challenges we face with the pandemic. Our students have long been recognized as among the most civically engaged college students in the country. This year, we continued to demonstrate our commitment to the ideals of democracy during a pivotal election, while turmoil and uncertainty have FIRST weighed on all of us.

WORD This issue of RED Magazine is dedicated to how our community is responding to the challenges of 2020, especially the racial and civic unrest that has gripped the country for months. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and others at the hands of police have reignited a movement and inspired critical conversations about racial injustice that are long overdue.

At MSU Denver, we recognize there is much work to do in our country, in our community and on our own campus. I am committed to meaningful antiracist change, and so are the University’s faculty, staff and students, who earlier this year established a Sustainable Racial Justice Committee. In September, the Board of Trustees followed that lead and established a committee by the same name, which will provide oversight to MSU Denver’s efforts to eradicate systemic racism. This includes taking steps to address racial bias at the University and to improve representation of people of color at all levels of leadership.

MSU Denver students, faculty and staff are also

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part of the Auraria Campus Police Department Community Advisory Board, an independent committee that is identifying opportunities to foster a safe environment that is diverse, equitable and inclusive. Our respected Criminal Justice and Criminology program is part of the conversation as well. Police-reform advocates have long called for a college-educated force, with officers holding bachelor’s degrees or higher, and MSU Denver will continue to educate Colorado’s future officers with a balanced approach to understanding systemic problems in our criminal justice system.

But as you’ll read in our cover story, “Z change,” it is our students who will make the most meaningful and lasting change that the racial justice movement inspires — not only on campus but across the country.

Generation Z and millennials, some of whom you’ll meet in these pages, overwhelmingly support the racial justice movement and Black Lives Matter. And they’re acting on their convictions — organizing and leading peaceful protests, volunteering to lift up their neighbors, engaging in critical dialogue and, yes, voting and participating in the political process.

I am proud of our students, our alumni and others in our community who are not content to sit on the sidelines during this pivotal moment but are inspired and motivated to lead us to a better, more equitable future.

Sincerely,

COVER DESIGN

Sean Parsons EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Debora Gilliard, professor of management Brian Gunther, School of Education communications manager Jamie Hurst, assistant vice president of strategic engagement Sam Ng, professor of meteorology Lynne Winter, engagement coordinator and advancement writer Kip Wotkyns, professor of journalism RED Magazine is published three times a year by the Metropolitan State University of Denver Office of Strategy, Marketing and Communications. © 2020 Metropolitan State University of Denver. All rights reserved.

Send correspondence and address updates to magazine@msudenver.edu.

The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the policies and opinions of Metropolitan State University of Denver or 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

JANINE DAVIDSON, Ph.D.

President Metropolitan State University of Denver

origin, sex, age, sexual orientation or disability in admissions or access to, or treatment or employment in, its educational programs or activities.

NEWS

On the record

AMANDA SCHWENGEL

Grammy-nominated cornetist, trumpeter and composer Ron Miles joined forces with legendary label Blue Note Records in October to release his latest album.

“Rainbow Sign” explores the metaphorical connections made by rainbows.

“There’s this idea of rainbows being a highway from heaven to earth, and that we can go back and forth to visit,” said Miles, musician-in-residence at Metropolitan State University of Denver. “Now, it also means inclusion and love and courage … and to meet the test to be positive, vigilant and still love in the face of negativity we constantly encounter.”

Miles composed the majority of the album in summer 2018 as his father passed away. Its nine tracks span a spectrum of emotion and compassion, from the delicately airy second single “The Rumor” to the bouncing kinetic romp “Custodian of the New,” a tribute to Miles’ father — himself a custodian.

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NEWS

ALYSON McCLARAN

MSU Denver alumna Tracy Fielder analyzes a water sample near the Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility in Adams County.

Studying sewage for COVID clues Front Range sewage is a source of critical data in Colorado’s fight to stop the spread of COVID-19.

This past summer, the state launched a one-year, federally funded pilot program to test sewage at Front Range wastewater treatment facilities for the coronavirus. The study is being run by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, with Metropolitan State University of Denver and Colorado State University conducting laboratory testing.

While symptoms of coronavirus don’t appear for five to 14 days, those infected begin shedding it in their excrement within days of infection, said Tracy Fielder, a 2019 MSU Denver Biology graduate serving as an associate researcher on the project. By studying sewage, Fielder and her fellow biologists can collect data that provide a clearer picture of how many COVID-19 carriers are in a community.

“The whole goal is developing a system of early warnings,”

she said. “If the detected (COVID-19) signal starts to rise, we can respond by alerting officials to respond accordingly.”

Fielder is working alongside Rebecca Ferrell, Ph.D., professor of biology at MSU Denver. Wastewater is collected in a 24-hour “snapshot” from a facility and sent to labs, including one run by Ferrell.

If the lab finds a big spike in the virus, researchers can notify leaders, experts and hospitals so they can prepare staff to respond to a potential surge, Fielder said.

Jim McQuarrie, director of comprehensive planning and innovation with the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, who helped coordinate 16 wastewater utilities involved in the project, credited the CDPHE’s leadership and Ferrell’s advocacy to advance the project as a “grassroots stand-up.”

“We’re all on the same side when protecting the public health and our environment,” he said. “And today, this kind of information is contributing to improving that in a 21st-century way.”

“If the detected (COVID-19) signal starts to rise, we can respond by alerting officials.”

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COVID-19

In safe hands

COVID-19

Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Chemistry Department and Beer Industry laboratory teamed up in the summer to manufacture, test and distribute nearly 50 gallons of hand sanitizer to be used in Auraria Campus facilities.

Andrew Bonham, Ph.D., chair of MSU Denver’s Department of Chemistry, said the University community can have confidence in the product his team cooked up.

They started by researching recommendations for hand sanitizer from reputable health organizations. To make sure the product MSU Denver chemists created met those standards, it sent the sanitizer to the MSU Denver beer program’s Quality Analysis and Quality Control Laboratory. The lab measured ethanol percentages to ensure that the hand sanitizer was effective.

Katie Strain, the lab manager, called the sanitizer “a really great, topnotch product.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-based hand rub is a simple and effective way to prevent the spread of pathogens and infections. Bonham said the moment that studies came out showing that high alcohol content was effective at fighting the coronavirus, the Department of Chemistry set up space in its unused lab to manufacture the product.

“I think it shows the speed at which our faculty and staff were able to respond,” Bonham said. “In March, there was no hand sanitizer commercially, and we could pivot our labs and get that hand sanitizer produced.”

Hand sanitizer products should contain concentrations of

80% ETHANOL

source :

OR

75% ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

U.S. Pharmacopeia

“There is a difference between ‘I made hand sanitizer. I hope it works’ and ‘I did the due diligence to make it the right way and to verify it in the right way.’ ”

Introducing UndocuHub Angelica Prisciliano understands the obstacles immigrant families face in trying to build a sustainable foundation in the United States.

Her mother brought her to Colorado Springs when she was 12 to escape the violence of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. As she pursued her education, “I believed Resources available I was alone in my journey,” on UndocuHub: Prisciliano said.

LEGAL Now, Colorado’s HEALTH CARE immigrant and undocumented HOUSING populations can access the FINANCIAL legal, health care, housing, EDUCATION financial, education and EMPLOYMENT employment information they need through a single statewide bilingual phone and digital resource: UndocuHub. The initiative launched in September and is a collaboration among Metropolitan State University of Denver, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition and the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center.

Families “will benefit from having access to many resources that are languageaccessible and led by (immigrant) community members,” said Prisciliano, a spring 2020 MSU Denver Political Science graduate who is a community organizer with the Colorado People’s Alliance.

UndocuHub is funded by a $272,000 oneyear grant from an anonymous donor and is housed at the University, said Gregor Mieder, director of Immigrant Services at MSU Denver.

It’s currently in an introductory phase and is slated to scale up by the end of 2020.

National, state and local organizations are already doing important work to provide various resources for the immigrant community, Mieder said. UndocuHub for the first time provides a single, user-friendly access point to all of it.

— ANDREW BONHAM, PH.D., CHAIR OF THE MSU DENVER DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

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CHANGE Gen Z and millennials reimagine the movement for racial justice

BY A L FO N ZO P O RT E R /

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P H O T O S B Y A LY S O N M c C L A R A N

Africana Studies major Agazi Abay poses in front of a mural of 19-year-old Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Salau, a Black Lives Matter activist who died earlier this year.

Salau’s impassioned work on behalf of the movement inspired many young activists who have vowed to continue fighting for racial justice in her name.

Like millions around the world, Agazi Abay watched on television as George Floyd was slowly choked to death by a Minneapolis police officer last May, so desperate as he lost consciousness that Floyd cried out for his deceased mother.

The powerful emotions that welled within Abay’s soul could not be contained — shock, disgust, dismay and horror among them.

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Business student Chantel Merriex poses in front of the Colorado state Capitol.

“I was mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted, but at least something was being done on a micro level to stop the police from hurting us as we exercised our First Amendment rights to peacefully protest,” Abay said.

That Abay, an Africana Studies major, is at the forefront of the anti-racism movement isn’t surprising. Polls show that Generation Z and millennials — teenagers and adults ages 13–39 — overwhelmingly support it. A survey conducted by the social networking app Yubo found in June that nearly 90% of Gen Z respondents support Black Lives Matter and believe Black Americans are treated differently from others. In another survey by marketing research firm YPulse, millennials listed civil rights as the cause they’re most passionate about.

They’re backing up their beliefs with action, participating in protests and using social media to expand their reach and to organize.

“Organizers have been creative in using online platforms like Instagram to reach our generation,” said Chantel Merriex, a senior entrepreneurship major at MSU Denver. “We can participate in various campaigns, post our support, patch in to ground-level activities, donate or volunteer. Not only that, we can keep the movement going and not let the effort die out.

That’s very important.”

REIMAGINING THE MOVEMENT

“I was angry that something like this could actually happen,” Abay said. “I had to do something. That’s when I decided to join the local peaceful protests and committed to stay involved until changes were made.”

It wasn’t long before those peaceful protests turned violent.

Police, in an attempt to quell the uproar, responded with force by deploying tear gas, pepper spray, flash-bang grenades, rubber bullets and beanbag shotguns. But it only escalated the situation.

Abay, a student at Metropolitan State University of Denver, was one of four Denver residents to file a lawsuit against the City of Denver, alleging their constitutional rights were violated by excessive use of force. On June 5, Federal Judge R. Brooke Jackson issued a temporary restraining order against the Denver Police Department, restricting police from using projectiles and chemical agents against peaceful protesters. Later that month, the city agreed to limit how officers can use force against protesters as the case winds its way through the courts.

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Colorado state Rep. James Coleman of Denver agrees that sustainability is critical. He has supported and participated in peaceful protests, urging young people to get involved.

“We don’t need another death to maintain momentum,” Coleman said. “This generation does not simply watch the news.

They are creating, participating and living it. At the core of these protests is their intent to finally address 400 years of gaps — wealth, education, opportunity and dignity.”

And Gen Z members are addressing those gaps not just by participating in protests. They’re volunteering in their communities, helping to lift up neighbors who struggle with poverty, food insecurity, homelessness, unemployment and other social problems that studies show are worsened by systemic racism.

When Xan Bennefield, a visual-design and marketing student at MSU Denver, attended racial justice protests in Denver in June, she spent part of her time distributing food to homeless residents who congregated in the area where protesters gathered.

“This generation does not simply watch the news. They are creating, participating and living it.”

— COLORADO STATE REP. JAMES COLEMAN

Bennefield also volunteers with the African American Youth takes a historical view to help students understand the chronology Leadership Conference, a nonprofit organization that strives to of events that have brought the African American population, and empower and educate young people to become critical thinkers the country, to today’s social realities. In other words, how did we and responsible citizens and to embrace the traditions and cultures get here? of their communities.

“It was important to lay a foundation by reviewing the pre- and “History will continue to repeat itself if people don’t educate post-civil rights years and the rise of both civil disobedience and themselves,” she said. nonviolent protesting,” Wright said.

Gen Z is reimagining the movement for social justice in a toxic Social justice is also a key focus of MSU Denver’s Criminal Justice political environment. and Criminology program, which takes a balanced approach to Activists say that this, along with the killing of unarmed Black understanding systemic problems in the criminal justice system, men and women at the hands of police, including 23-year-old Elijah said department Chair Henry Jackson, Ph.D. McClain in Aurora, substantiate the Black Lives Matter movement, Pointing to research that shows college-educated officers which emerged after the death generate fewer citizen excerpt: of Trayvon Martin in 2012 and the complaints and are less likely msu denver board of trustees killing of Michael Brown in 2013. to use force, police reform june 2020 resolution Yet, coursing just beneath the advocates have long called for surface, an interesting dynamic a college-educated force, with has begun to take root this officers holding a bachelor’s This moment is testing all of us — MSU Denver as an academic institution and our society as a whole.

But it is an year, said Quincy Shannon, a degree or higher. However, open-note test that we will not fail. community activist in Denver. A only about a third of officers younger generation of multiracial nationally have attained that leaders is beginning to move in a different direction, he said. level of education, according to a survey from the National Police “They are beginning to organize events on their own terms, Foundation. and they are reimagining what peaceful protests look like. And “This is a good opportunity for the University and our they may not necessarily mirror those of the past,” Shannon said. department to continue educating future officers,” Jackson said.

“For them, it is bigger than police reform. They are seeking a more MSU Denver has a solid record of achievement as a pioneer and comprehensive cultural shift.” trailblazer in diversity and inclusiveness. It launched the Africana Studies Department in the 1960s, the Chicano Studies program POWER THROUGH PERSPECTIVE in the early 1970s and the LGBTQ Center in the 1990s. It is also The level of systemic change that young activists demand may be classified as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. farther out on the horizon than they might presuppose, said Devon In June, the University’s Board of Trustees issued a resolution Wright, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Africana committing MSU Denver to the “anti-racism work necessary to Studies at MSU Denver. create systemic change.” Faculty, staff, students and the board also “I’m not sure whether protests, in and of themselves, will lead established committees on sustained racial justice to address issues to the widespread change we seek,” Wright said. “Black people of inequity at the institution. have been reporting these kinds of police incidents for decades, “It is our aim to dismantle systemic racism in higher ed, starting if not centuries.” with our own house first,” said Trustee Albus Brooks.

Wright is teaching several courses on the BLM movement as it But it may be a new generation of young adults that makes the relates to current and historical events. biggest difference when it comes to racial justice in the U.S. A new course offered this fall, BLM and COVID-19, explores “For me, I want regular people to realize that they have power,” the Black Lives Matter movement in the context of the ongoing Abay said. “They have a voice.” pandemic, including how systemic racism leads to health disparities.

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MSU Denver graduate Chris Richardson is associate director of criminal justice services at the Mental Health Center of Denver.

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“There are times when having a mental health provider along can make all of the difference.”

TWO MSU DENVER ALUMNI ARE WORKING ON A NEW PROGRAM IN DENVER THAT’S REVOLUTIONIZING RESPONSE TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND OTHER 911 CALLS

ALYSON McCLARAN

By Doug McPherson

S TA R

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AM ASSISTED R E

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innie Cervantes and Chris Richardson are reimagining the role of first responders.

The Metropolitan State University of Denver alumni in June helped launch an alternative emergency response service for mental health, substance use and other public health emergencies in Denver. Dubbed STAR (Support Team Assisted Response), the service is dispatched through the city’s 911 communications center and designed to divert such calls away from police and toward mental health and medical professionals.

“I think this program is incredibly important as we see a reinvigoration of the national conversation about police violence and creating alternatives, as well as being in the midst of a pandemic and economic crisis that will lead to increased evictions and homelessness, substance use, and mental health crises,” said Cervantes, a co-founder and organizing director of the Denver Alliance for Street Health Response (DASHR), a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing alternatives to policing and jail for crisis response.

Richardson is associate director of criminal justice services at the Mental Health Center of Denver, where he helped launch a beta version of STAR in 2016; that program paired police and MHCD clinicians to respond to 911 behavioral health calls. The STAR pilot program on Denver streets today pairs a licensed social worker from MHCD and a paramedic from Denver Health.

The addition of medical professionals is critical to improve outcomes for those in distress, said Richardson, who serves as a STAR clinician.

“We’re able to triage and plan next steps on the scene and provide connection to appropriate services,” he said.

STAR is years in the making — the result of collaboration of community organizations and service providers, including the MHCD, DASHR, the Denver Justice Project and Denver Homeless Out Loud. Their work was united under the banner of Caring for Denver, a nonprofit founded in 2018, when voters passed the Caring for Denver ballot initiative funding mental health and substance use remedies.

Though they’re both Roadrunners, Cervantes and Richardson only met in 2019 on a trip to Eugene, Oregon, to learn about a

SP

*

*

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STAR precursor called Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets (CAHOOTS).

Denver’s STAR program is garnering national attention as the next iteration of community-based, police-alternative response services, said Richardson. So far, it’s responding to an average of six calls per day, and that on-the-groundexperience is providing him and fellow first responders with “a ground-level understanding of what’s needed and how we can most effectively help the community,” he said, citing some examples of STAR’s recent work: A man’s wheelchair broke. After learning he was a veteran, STAR connected him to Veterans Affairs, which had been searching for him. He’s now housed and receiving VA benefits.

An unresponsive man suffering from opioid withdrawals was cared for at Denver Health and the MHCD. An inebriated person who was transported to detox called his STAR clinician the next day for help. STAR took him to a walk-in crisis center for sobriety support.

A man reported the theft of his wallet. A STAR paramedic noticed the victim’s hand was swollen and appeared to be infected. The man was admitted to a hospital for two weeks and treated for a life-threatening infection.

A man reported his air conditioner was broken. STAR learned the man’s wife was bedridden and nonverbal and couldn’t communicate her discomfort. The husband was under incredible stress over her discomfort. A STAR rep contacted building maintenance, and the AC was fixed within an hour.

For Cervantes, the philosophies and models undergirding programs such as STAR and the work of nonprofit DASHR began in conversations at MSU Denver.

“As a student organizer, (it’s) where a lot of these ideas were explored and that have since influenced me in starting DASHR,” he said.

ALYSON McCLARAN

“I think this program is incredibly important as we see a reinvigoration of the national conversation about police violence and creating alternatives.”

Now, his alma mater is expanding its coursework to prepare students for the evolving nature of the field-based care embodied by STAR. Mental health practice is about meeting people with respect and dignity where they are, said Annie Butler, professor and chair of MSU Denver’s Department of Human Services and Counseling. STAR exemplifies the skill required to establish rapport in the moment to de-escalate a situation.

“Police serve an important role,” she said. “There are times when having a mental health provider along can make all of the

Vinnie Cervantes is organizing director of the Denver Alliance for Street Health Response.

difference, and that partnership is needed with the kinds of calls our emergency responders are seeing in Denver.”

The department is evolving to prepare students for this fieldwork because programs such as CAHOOTS and STAR are viewed as national models, Butler said.

That’s welcome news for Cervantes and Richardson.

“I’m hopeful that what we learn here in Denver can help similar programs,” Richardson said. “I’m proud of Denver.

It’s progressive and has taken strides to look internally and figure out ways to best meet the needs of its citizens.”

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> An urban university provides Colorado’s economy with big bang for its buck through spending, taxes, jobs, alumni contributions and giving back.

BY MATT WATSON INFOGRAPHICS BY SEAN PARSONS

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In a state that is 48th in the nation in per-student public spending on higher education, Colorado universities punch well above their weight when it comes to their contributions to the local and state economies, a new analysis commissioned by Metropolitan State University of Denver shows.

MSU Denver alone contributes hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs every year, an impact that is especially important to communities near the University’s downtown campus, said Kishore Kulkarni, Ph.D., a professor of economics at MSU Denver.

“MSU Denver sitting in downtown Denver clearly has an advantage in terms of economic impact, not only graduating people who are already working there but graduating people who immediately get a job in the downtown area also,” he said.

$562.7 million Economic impact on 10-county metro area

$140.7 million

GREENTANA/ISTOCKIMAGES

Economic impact beyond metro Denver

DEEP I M PAC T

STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT

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ECONOMIC IMPACT

$703.4 million

During the 2019 fiscal year, MSU Denver turned its $225 million budget into a $703 million economic impact on local and statewide economies.

$703M $704M $600 $16.8M Other Revenue Revunue Other $400 $58.3M State Funding

$225M $200 $149.8M Tuition Tution & Fees $0 UNIVERSITY BUDGET

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Beyond its impact on the local job market — the majority of the University’s 95,000 alumni live within 25 miles of campus — MSU Denver last year turned its $225 million budget ($58.3 million of which comes from the state) into a $703.4 million economic impact on local and statewide economies through expenditures on operations, capital projects, wages, the spending of students off-campus and the spending of campus visitors, according to the study, conducted by Parker Philips Inc. The University, its suppliers and related constituencies contributed an estimated $35.5 million in tax revenue in fiscal 2019 — meaning an amount equal to about 60% of the state funding for MSU Denver goes right back to local and state tax bases.

Add to that an estimated $2.4 million in charitable donations and 372,000 hours of volunteering from MSU Denver faculty, staff and students, and you have a public university providing exponential return on investment for its neighborhood, city and state, said MSU Denver President Janine Davidson, Ph.D. “These numbers are a testament to what so many Coloradans already know — that an investment in MSU Denver is an investment in the long-term economic success of our state and the vibrancy of our diverse communities,” Davidson said.

The MSU Denver study is part of a growing body of evidence showing how anchor institutions — universities, medical centers and other large organizations with deep roots in their communities — are important economic engines in the communities they serve.

COMPARISON OF MONEY COMING INTO MSU DENVER, WHICH IS LARGELY TUITIONDEPENDENT, AND THE EXPONENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT

“These numbers are a testament to what so many Coloradans already know — that an investment in MSU Denver is an investment in the long-term economic success of our state and the vibrancy of our diverse communities.”

— MSU DENVER PRESIDENT JANINE DAVIDSON, Ph.D.

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Tony Sorrentino, an assistant vice president at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, said the geography of an urban university amplifies its impact, like an optimally located cog in a well-oiled machine. Like MSU Denver, Penn is a member of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities.

“The economy is a machine with gears turning, and we put Penn in the middle — it’s not the biggest gear, but it’s centrally located,” he said. “When it turns, lots of other gears get caught up in our threads and then they turn too.”

Like Penn, MSU Denver’s location and flow of high-quality graduates also help attract other employers to Denver, beyond the University’s already-broad impact on Colorado, said Sam Bailey, vice president of economic development for the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp.

“Sitting across the street from what has been ranked the No. 1 economy for three years in a row by U.S. News & World Report, MSU Denver is fueling the economic might of a thriving economy,” he said.

Bailey likes that MSU Denver focuses on staying adaptable and relevant to a dynamic city, creating hubs for specific industries such as advanced manufacturing. The EDC, an affiliate of the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, points to MSU Denver when it recruits corporations to come to the city.

“When clients of the Metro Denver EDC come to our region to consider relocating or expanding their business, having MSU Denver and other university partners at the table is a competitive advantage,” Bailey said.

JOBS

ALUMNI IMPACT

$134.9 billion

MSU DENVER

25 miles

Total wages earned

by MSU Denver’s 95,000 alumni, averaged over a 35-year career.

65,000 alumni live within this distance from the University.

GIVING BACK

$6.5 million Estimated value of annual charitable donations and volunteer hours.

$2.4 million Estimated charitable donations made by MSU Denver faculty, staff and students annually.

372,000

Annual hours of volunteer work, valued at $4.1 million.

TAX REVENUE

7,250

The amount of jobs that the University sustains throughout the state.

2,429

supported by student spending.

506

from visitor spending.

4,315

directly created by MSU Denver operations.

$35.5 million

The estimated amount the University, its suppliers and related constituencies contributed to local and statewide tax bases.

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Michael Vos at South Metro Fire Station 32 in Centennial.

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C A R L ADDER E R M FIREFIGHTERS RETURN TO THE CLASSROOM T O A DVA N C E T H E I R SKILLS AND LIVES

By Joseph Rios Photos by Alyson McClaran

ichael Vos has spent much of the past three decades in firehouses, answering the call to help others.

Now, the veteran firefighter is also spending time in the classroom at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he’s working toward a bachelor’s degree that he hopes will help take his alreadyaccomplished career to new heights.

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Vos worked for Littleton Fire Rescue until 2019, when the department merged with South Metro Fire Rescue — a fire department that covers 300 square miles in Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties.

Littleton Fire Rescue didn’t require a college degree for the captain position he held in the department. But now, as the temporary battalion chief for South Metro Fire, Vos is enrolled in the University’s Fire and Emergency Response Administration (FERA) program to earn his degree, an achievement he hopes will help him become the full-time battalion chief. The department requires a college education for the position.

“The fire service is becoming a much more educated occupation than it was in the past,” Vos said. “Thirty years ago, it was very blue-collar, and there wasn’t a whole lot of education required. It’s interesting because it’s still bluecollar in that we work with our hands, but the occupation has become much more education-driven.”

Like Vos, veteran firefighters in Colorado and across the country are returning to college to earn degrees that will

“The skills you can pick up in college researching and analyzing all play an important aspect of firefighting.

Education is one of the most important aspects of the fire service.”

— KEVIN VINCEL, SOUTH ADAMS COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF

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help them advance in their careers, bolster their skills and prepare them for life after the fire service. Others are enrolling to build a foundation that will help them start a career in firefighting, said Brian Bagwell, Psy.D., an associate professor in MSU Denver’s Department of Human Services and FERA program coordinator.

“Some folks are (enrolling in college) because they have aspirations of promoting within their department,” Bagwell said. “Other firefighters know they are really one call away from an injury that can end their career. The education opens up some doors should they be injured or when they retire.”

For years, firefighters could rise in the ranks in their departments based on experience and training. But departments are increasingly requiring education, especially for leadership roles, that goes beyond “putting the wet stuff on the red stuff,” Bagwell said.

His program includes courses in administration, personnel development, disaster planning and control, incident management, and political and legal aspects of the profession. And demand for the degree is growing. When the FERA program launched in 2012, there was one class with 12 students in it, but now the program offers 10 classes a semester, with nearly 100 students enrolled.

A number of departments across the U.S., including South Metro Fire and Aurora Fire Rescue in Colorado, require at least a bachelor’s degree to promote to battalion chief or higher, Bagwell said. But even in departments that don’t have that requirement, seasoned firefighters are choosing to return to the classroom.

Take Kevin Vincel, for example. The South Adams County Fire Department chief enrolled at MSU Denver simply to further his education.

Vincel, who earned an associate degree from

Red Rocks Community College in 1999, graduated from MSU Denver’s FERA program in the spring. While he wrapped up his degree, Vincel juggled his coursework with running a 100-personnel fire department. Despite that challenge, Vincel said attending MSU Denver was worth the time and money he invested.

“As time evolves, education plays an important role,” said Vincel, who has 25 years of experience working as a firefighter.

“The skills you can pick up in college researching and analyzing all play an important aspect of firefighting. Education is one of the most important aspects of the fire service.”

Having veteran firefighters on campus benefits not only those returning to finish their education but also students who hope to enter the profession.

Vos helped one of his classmates get a job with South Metro Fire Rescue and guided him through the hiring process.

“If they can get (a college degree) before they become firefighters, it’s so much easier than trying to do it while working,” said Vos, who works 56 hours a week while taking three classes. “The vast majority of students in my class are right out of high school. A lot of them are still living at home and going to school, and I think that’s the easiest way to go.”

South Adams County Fire Department Chief Kevin Vincel.

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PAGEANT PLATFORM Emma Dickson surprised even herself when she applied to be Miss Black Colorado 2020.

The 2018 Metropolitan State University of Denver graduate is EMMA DICKSON, MISS BLACK pursuing an MBA and plans on opening a wellness spa focused on COLORADO 2020, PLANS serving the Black population. She was scouring the internet for scholarship opportunities when she learned about Miss Black USA, ON EARNING AN MBA AND a scholarship pageant celebrating beauty, culture and identity. She OPENING A WELLNESS SPA. applied for its Miss Colorado competition on a whim.

“I gained a lot of confidence in myself and my story,” Dickson, BUT FIRST, SHE WILL RAISE 25, said of winning the title. “I want to put myself out there and HER VOICE AT THE MISS become the voice that I never had growing up.”

Dickson was adopted as an infant by white parents, raised in BLACK USA PAGEANT. Highlands Ranch in a loving home and afforded a great education.

But there were also times in her youth when she endured racist criticism about her appearance.

“I grew up with everything I ever wanted,” she said. “But I definitely lacked that racial-identity factor in my life.”

Her search for that identity took her from Colorado to Howard University, where she began her college career. She then went to MSU Denver, earning a degree in Speech Communication while working at Sephora, a retailer specializing in personal care and beauty products.

Her passion for Black wellness was sparked at that Sephora, where she witnessed the extent to which the beauty industry neglects the needs of Black people. She began studying Black skin and hair and soon cultivated a regular clientele of Black women. After graduation, she enrolled in Denver’s School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics and is on the cusp of earning her professional license as a medical esthetician, which she plans to pair with an MBA in her quest to open a wellness spa.

But first, she will compete for a $5,000 scholarship in the Miss Black USA pageant, which was postponed from June until February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having advocated for racial justice for many years, Dickson said she plans to seize the pageant platform to advance that work.

But more than finding a platform on which to speak out, Dickson said, she and millions of Black women need an audience that will hear them.

“More people want to talk to me; more people want to hear my voice,” she said. “That’s the first time that’s ever happened. I want our stories to be told by us, and I want white people to just listen.”

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CARE ACROSS LIFETIMES The husband-and-wife team of Annaliese Stone, D.O., and Jie Casey, D.O., have the health of their Cascade Mountain community covered from womb to tomb.

Both are family doctors of osteopathic medicine with Kittitas Valley Healthcare in Ellensburg, a central Washington hamlet about 100 miles east-southeast of Seattle. Casey specializes in pediatrics, obstetrics and osteopathic manipulation. Stone’s focus is on geriatrics, a branch of medicine that focuses on the health and care of older adults. But both treat patients of all ages.

“As general practitioners, being able to see everyone makes us useful in a small town,” Casey said. “The idea was always to ‘train to remain’ — to stay and serve in the community we were learning in, together.”

“Together” is a common theme throughout Casey’s and Stone’s careers.

The 2011 Metropolitan State University of Denver graduates met while studying what is now integrative health care. They married after graduation, and both completed their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees at Rocky Vista University in Parker. When they each received a residency-placement opportunity in central Washington, they jumped at the chance to practice medicine in rural Ellensburg — together.

“Practicing together feels really natural,” Stone said. “We finished our undergraduates together and went through medical school together — and even though we might be on different sides of the office, there’s a level of understanding that comes with that.”

Doctors of osteopathic medicine regard the human body as an integrated whole rather than treating for specific symptoms only, according to the American Osteopathic Association. Stone helps elderly patients and their families through tough conversations, such as determining the best ways to decrease medication burden or dealing with end-of-life care decisions and incurable illnesses. Casey, meanwhile, cares for pregnant women and their children.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with older people,” Stone said. “They have the best stories — they’ve lived and seen so much.”

Casey vividly recalled delivering his first baby and described his work as “getting paid to go to birthday parties for a living.” While specializing in pregnancy and pediatrics, Casey treats people of all ages “using manipulation, cupping, needling and injections.”

The whole-person approach to wellness that Stone and Casey cultivate is at the center of MSU Denver’s interdepartmental Health Institute and is reflected in the newly introduced lifestyle-medicine major — the first bachelor’s degree offering of its kind in the country.

“I’ve always been focused on health care — not just disease care,” Casey said. “It’s about treating the individual, womb to tomb.”

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A HUSBAND-AND-WIFE DOCTOR DUO HELP THEIR CENTRAL WASHINGTON COMMUNITY REALIZE WHOLE-PERSON WELLNESS

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OF COOKING AND COMMUNITY The rich fragrances and flavors of misir, gomen, injera and niter kibbeh always connected Fetien Gebre-Michael to her Ethiopian roots.

Today, those dishes are also connecting and supporting Colorado communities through the pandemic and protests for racial justice.

Gebre-Michael is the chef/businesswoman behind Konjo Catering, the Ethiopian Food Truck and Konjo Ethiopian Food. When the pandemic decimated the hospitality industry and racial justice protests rocked streets, the communities her cooking always supported came together to sustain her and her businesses, which she runs with business partner Yoseph Assefa.

“I literally cannot thank our community enough. That’s really the main reason we are still afloat,” the 2013 Metropolitan State University of Denver graduate said.

Gebre-Michael’s parents and oldest brother immigrated from Ethiopia to Lakewood when she was 3. As the oldest daughter among 12 siblings, she spent much of her childhood at the stove with her mother, and what began as a chore turned into a gift.

She started her first company, Konjo Promotions, in 2007 while pursuing a business marketing degree at MSU Denver. The Sunday reggae nights it hosted were renowned for the Ethiopian bites Gebre-Michael cooked up, and it wasn’t long before she was catering for nonprofits and community fundraisers from her home kitchen.

After graduating, Gebre-Michael took on business partner Assefa, incorporating the catering company in 2014 and putting the Ethiopian Food Truck on the street in 2015. In November 2019, the empire expanded to the Edgewater Public Market, where the fast-casual Konjo Ethiopian Food was an immediate hit.

Building a business in Colorado as a Black woman wasn’t easy, Gebre-Michael said, recalling racism and prejudice she experienced at food-truck rallies, banks and networking events.

The Black Lives Matter movement is a massive victory for Black people, she added, so long as everybody understands that the fundamental issues of racial justice and equity predate social media.

“They’re issues we already knew about in the Black community that are just coming to the forefront for everyone else,” she said.

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FETIEN GEBRE-MICHAEL BUILT AN ETHIOPIANFOOD EMPIRE IN THE MILE HIGH CITY — AND IN THE PROCESS GREW A COMMUNITY THAT IS SUSTAINING HER BUSINESS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE.

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ROAD RUNNERS

1974

(B.S. computer and management science, ’74) is a veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserve and the vice president of information systems at Colorado Medical Systems Inc., a medical billing system and service bureau.

BERT SMITH

1975

(B.A. philosophy, ’75) retired from Boeing in 2008 after 27 years as a technical writer and systems analyst. The author of “Exploring the Gap Between Science and Religion,” Wimberly is currently writing four books on philosophy from his home in Aurora.

LEE WIMBERLY

1981

(B.A. early childhood education, ’81) is enjoying retirement in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after dedicating her professional life to a career in education.

DEBORAH HOSWELL

1985

(B.S. computer and management science, ’85) is retired after a successful 25-year career with IBM. JOHN STOUFFER

1988

Ph.D. (B.S. business education, ’88) was named president of Western Wyoming Community College in 2019, bringing 15 years of higher education leadership experience to her most recent position. After KIMBERLY KUSTER DALE,

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graduating from MSU Denver, Kuster Dale went on to earn a master’s degree at the University of Colorado Denver and her Ph.D. from Colorado State University.

1994

(B.S. health care management, ’94) is a senior analytics engineer with Performant Financial.

DONNA LANDWEHR

1998

(B.S. social work, ’98) filled many roles during her 25-year career dedicated to child welfare in Colorado. As a caseworker and supervisor in foster care and adoptions, elder care and more, she worked in communities of all sizes around the state.

Wagner is currently an off-site supervisor for undergrad and graduate students participating in internships as part of MSU Denver’s social work program.

BRENDA WAGNER

2006

(B.S. aviation technology, ’06) is an air traffic controller at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center in Longmont. Since 2008, he has taken pride in ensuring that airliners are safe at cruising altitudes and during arrivals and departures at Denver, Colorado Springs and ski-country airports.

KILLIAN GRANDCHAMP

Job complexities include handling aircraft emergencies and helping pilots avoid hazardous weather such as thunderstorms, turbulence and icing conditions.

Grandchamp encourages others to consider entering the field and said he was well-prepared for his career because of his aviation major and meteorology minor at MSU Denver.

2009

(B.S. management, ’09) is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and an associate system administrator with L3Harris.

JASON KLINGENSMITH

(B.S. environmental science, ’09) is a senior consultant and environmental scientist specializing in air quality with WSP Global. While an MSU Denver student and for a short time after graduating, DiMarco worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, assisting with habitat restoration. He has worked in environmental consulting for the past nine years.

CHRIS DIMARCO

2010

(B.A. political science, ’10) is the national policy director for the National Vote at Home Institute. The Colorado native directs policy and research efforts to bring data and experience-based solutions to states seeking to modernize AUDREY KLINE

their election systems. After graduating from MSU Denver, Kline worked in the Colorado Senate and became the political director for Colorado’s AFL-CIO Denver central labor council before moving on to larger campaigns and private consulting.

Following the 2016 election, she switched to nonprofit and nonpartisan leadership development, focusing on campaign finance and elections compliance. Kline is passionate about civic engagement and good governance and is excited to share her home state’s groundbreaking voting model with the rest of the nation.

2012

(B.S. political science, ’12) is the director of intergovernmental affairs and legislative liaison for the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration.

There, government agencies focus their resources on delivering quality services to Colorado citizens and collaborate with employees, agencies, vendors and citizens to develop innovative, cost-effective solutions to further the state’s ability to conduct business.

AARON “JACK” WYLIE

2016

(B.S. biology, ’16) is a full-time caregiver aide with Project Chimps in Morganton, Georgia. Since FERNANDA MORA

IN MEMORY

graduating from MSU Denver, she has worked in outdoor education and animal husbandry with Walking Mountains Science Center in Avon and River Valley Raptors in Buffalo City, Wisconsin. Mora always dreamed of working with primates, and now she cares for 78 chimpanzees at Project Chimps. Her team feeds the chimps, cleans their living quarters and develops enrichment programs as part of their overall chimphusbandry plan. She says her daily interactions with the chimps constantly teach and astound her.

2017

(B.A. journalism, ’17) is the operationmanagement specialist for Catholic Charities and is working on her master’s degree in organizational leadership at Regis University.

THERESA COLE

CHRISTOPHER SIMMONS

(M.A. teaching, ’17) is a physicaleducation teacher with Denver Public Schools.

2018

(B.S. computer information systems, ’18) is a technical-relationship manager with S&P Global Market Intelligence.

SPENCER WINSTANLEY

Faculty & Staff Ph.D., died May 17 at age 86 of pneumonia related to COVID-19.

Wall taught in the MSU Denver Department of History from 1968-2002. As an educator and historian, he focused on the study of World War II, particularly the enduring relevance and impact of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany.

Wall will be remembered for his kind and gentle nature, his skill as an educator and his passion for studying history.

DONALD DALE WALL,

and international law. She was a mentor to many of her students, encouraging them to present their research on the ethics of ending wars at professional conferences. Eckert will be remembered for her dedication to teaching, research and service.

Ph.D., former dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and JOAN M.C. FOSTER,

associate professor, electrical engineering technology, died Aug. 20 at age 64. Swigert joined MSU Denver as an affiliate faculty member in 2001, and fellow Roadrunners quickly recognized his intellect, humor, energy, generosity, thoughtfulness and friendly, caring nature. Working for the Western Area Power Administration, Bell Labs, AT&T, Avaya, Lucent Technologies and Celestica during his career as an electrical engineer gave him a wealth of real-world experience and made him a skilled educator.

Swigert will be missed for his approachable personality and outstanding devotion to his students.

DUANE SWIGERT,

AMY ECKERT , Ph.D., professor of

political science, died July 30 at age 49. Eckert left behind a large community of family, friends and colleagues, along with numerous academic contributions to the fields of international relations, ethics and law. A devoted educator and researcher, Eckert focused on international relations, particularly international ethics

projects, including a successful 10-year approval of accreditation.

After retiring from MSU Denver, Foster became very active in her community, using her leadership skills in her homeowners association and as part of Denver’s Council on Aging. Foster will be remembered as a smart, savvy and compassionate leader who dedicated her creativity and strong work ethic to the MSU Denver community.

former interim provost, died Aug. 1 at age 82. Foster was loved and respected by faculty, staff, administrators and students and will be missed. She accepted an administrative position at MSU Denver in the early 1980s.

After leaving to teach at another institution, she returned to MSU Denver later in the decade as an assistant dean in the CLAS. Foster was promoted to dean of the CLAS in the early 1990s and served in that capacity until her retirement in 2008. During her tenure as interim provost, Foster distinguished herself by overseeing many campuswide

PROFESSOR EMERITUS

J.D., died in September at age 90. Odden received his law degree from the University of Denver and his license to practice law in the ARTHUR ODDEN,

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IN MEMORY

continued state of Colorado in 1962. In 1975, he shifted focus from practice to education, joining the faculty at what was then Metropolitan State College of Denver. During his time at MSU Denver, Odden taught securities law, bankruptcy law and contract law. A dedicated educator, he was named Professor Emeritus of Management in 2004 and continued to teach Legal Environment of Business in the Department of Management until his retirement in 2009. Odden will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor, graciousness and intellect.

Ph.D., former professor of Africana studies, died Sept. 23 at age 80. White joined the MSU Denver Department of Africana Studies in 1985 and served as the department chair from 1995 until his retirement in 2004. He taught courses in African American sociological issues. During his tenure, White made significant contributions to the campus by serving as an active member of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award Committee and by organizing the Annual Black World Conference for many years. White will be remembered for inspiring students and colleagues as a kind and caring professor.

C.J. WHITE,

Ph.D., a professor of history, died Oct. 14, PAUL SIDELKO,

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at age 53. A beloved son, uncle, brother, friend, professor and colleague, Sidelko taught courses on medieval Europe, Islamic cultures and the modern Middle East. A dedicated academic with a passion for history, Sidelko spent more than 20 years in higher education. He accepted a position as an assistant professor with MSU Denver in 2006 and was promoted to full professor in August 2019.

Sidelko dedicated himself to developing study-abroad opportunities, and his own work took him to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Israel, Morocco, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Sidelko also served as the treasurer of the Fulbright Association of Colorado and was a member of the Mediterranean Seminar, the Medieval Academy of America and the Middle East Studies Association. He was also fundamental in helping to shape the Individualized Degree Program at MSU Denver. He helped countless students carve unique paths to IDP degrees.

Alumni & Students (B.A. history, ’77) died Feb. 6 at age 82 after a battle with cancer. A memorial service for Munds was held at Fort Logan National Cemetery in southwest Denver, complete with ceremonial rifle shots and the TOM MUNDS

traditional folding of an American flag. Following retirement from 21 years of military service in the U.S. Air Force in 1976, Munds completed his journalism degree at MSU Denver. In 1977, he was hired to report on and photograph high school sports, and in 1986 the city of Englewood became his assigned beat. Munds will be remembered for loving the community he covered for more than 30 years as a reporter for the Englewood Herald.

(B.A. human performance and sport, ’08) died Aug. 22 at age 34. Damian had a passion for civic engagement, serving as a mentor for Colorado Youth at Risk and on the Young Professionals Board for the Latin American Educational Foundation. She loved spending time with family and friends, hiking 14ers, snowboarding, traveling and leading her loved ones on adventures. Her lessons in love, independence, perseverance, success, selfawareness, confidence, wisdom and fun will live on forever in the hearts of her loved ones.

KATRINA DAMIAN

(B.S. human nutrition/dietetics, ’14) died April 15 at age 30. After graduating from MSU Denver and becoming a certified dietitian, Wiener worked with patients suffering from spinal-cord injuries at Craig AARON WIENER

Hospital. He was passionate about spending time in the great outdoors, where he skied the backcountry and summited many of Colorado’s 14ers. Wiener will be remembered as a beautiful person inside and out who loved people and living his life to the fullest while touching countless others’ lives.

MSU Denver student and entrepreneur major MASON KIRSCHNER died Aug. 27 at age 21. He loved his family and friends; his dog, Skooter; his cat, Zoots; and exploring everything nature had to offer, including rock climbing, mountain biking and camping. Kirschner will be remembered for his generous heart and willingness to do anything to help others.

MSU Denver student and psychology major KEENAN PUGH died Aug. 6 at age 29. He was determined to succeed in multiple fields of life, from graduating from Grandview High School in 2009 with an exceptional soccer career to pursuing his degree at MSU Denver. Athleticism was one of Pugh’s strong suits, and his interests included skateboarding and bike riding. He was also a loving and caring father to his cat, Soccera.

Homecoming during COVID-19 Jaela Richardson, left, and Kiely Rasmussen volunteer at Food Bank of the Rockies as part of the Roadrunners Rise Homecoming experience.

JOHN ARNOLD

“We show up by taking care of each other and our communities.”

With COVID-19 disrupting pretty much everything in higher education, some colleges postponed or outright canceled the parades, parties and football games that have been at the heart of university homecoming celebrations in the United States for more than a century.

Other higher ed institutions, however, found new, creative ways online to move full steam ahead with the fall tradition that they deem critical to keeping graduates engaged with their alma maters.

Add Metropolitan State University of Denver to the list of universities making the most of digital homecoming events, which ran Sept. 28 – Oct. 3.

Without a football program or on-campus living, MSU Denver has always taken a creative approach to Homecoming, said Brandi Rideout, director of Alumni Relations at MSU Denver. This year’s celebration, the Roadrunners Rise Homecoming experience, focused on community service and cultivating inclusivity and school spirit.

The week kicked off with a day of service and sharing how Roadrunners give back. Each subsequent day provided opportunities for digital and in-person involvement, including philanthropy, legislative advocacy and social justice.

Members of the University community spent part of the week volunteering at organizations fighting food insecurity — including Food Bank of the Rockies and Food For Thought.

“We’ve never been traditional — we don’t have the same culture of tailgating and dorm life,” Rideout said. “What we kept coming back to in conversations, though, was the Roadrunner spirit. We show up by taking care of each other and our communities.”

Those communities include 65,000 MSU Denver alumni who live within a 25-mile radius of campus, and “home” is a place that’s literally always close to their hearts, said Jamie Hurst, assistant vice president for Strategic Engagement at MSU Denver.

“For us, it’s about how to strengthen our connections and get involved with things that move us forward together,” she said.

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MSU DENVER ALUMNA JANET DAMON BELIEVES READING CAN CHANGE

Q&A

LIVES. SHE’S MADE IT HER MISSION TO BRING ACCESS TO BOOKS TO UNDERSERVED CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES.

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B Y M AT T WAT S O N

Do you think of libraries as quiet, sterile museums for ancient texts? Janet Damon says think again.

As a library services specialist for Denver Public Schools, the 2000 Metropolitan State University of Denver graduate strives for students to see libraries as active vehicles for changing lives.

Here’s how Damon curates culturally responsive reading collections for the 92,000 students — 75% of whom are people of color — in the state’s largest school district and what she’s doing to stamp out book deserts.

AMANDA SCHWENGEL

Good Read

What does “culturally responsive” mean in relation to books or curriculum? A key focus area in schools right now is culturally responsive curriculum, or curriculum that honors the identity of our students and allows for them to have a higher level of engagement.

Our district tracks which students have lower engagement with schools, and one reason students say they’re not engaged is “I don’t see myself.” We want to increase how students see themselves related in the curriculum.

DPS has one of the premier school libraries in the nation that is culturally responsive, curated around identity and affirming student experiences. Our Collection Development team curates collections that are really timely, so we have an anti-racist student collection — a collection of historical texts that share the stories of all ethnicities. We constantly have an ear toward what can help people find the highest-reviewed and -regarded text in a topic area. If we can center the community that has not been able to see themselves represented well during story times and in books and in activities, we can create so many incredible experiences that are lifelong in terms of the relationship with reading.

How has technology helped bring access to books to underserved communities? Last school year, DPS circulated over a million resources in our e-book collection, which is phenomenal because students can access e-books and audiobooks via their phones or the Chromebooks that have been sent out. During the summer, when we usually see a real drop in usage, there was still a lot of circulation, and we had our highest-ever

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August circulation in 2020. But we still see this incredible need to make sure that students have access to print books as well. With so much remote learning this year, we’ve seen this light shine on the fact that not everyone has internet access at home or Wi-Fi hotspots near them.

What does your group Afros and Books do? There are four of us, all librarians around Denver, who came together to have a conversation about how to uplift and amplify African American authors and books that have central characters that are diverse and have identities that we can affirm. We curate lists, do professional development and do workshops with families. We’ve partnered with the Black Child Development Institute, Project Proud Fatherhood, African dance troupes and other organizations to provide culturally affirming activities for kids. Our intention is to make libraries a source of strength in our communities and help kids develop lifelong relationships with books and reading.

How important is it for people to read outside of a school setting? If a student has at least 80 books in their home, we can see a strong correlation to their literacy attainment. We know that people who are lifelong readers — who read for pleasure or to get more access to information — can have the same knowledge as someone who graduates with a bachelor’s degree but never reads for pleasure.

SARA HERTWIG

Diyonus “Dee” Walls, an MBA student and goalkeeper for the MSU Denver women’s soccer team, practices with her team at the Regency Athletic Complex. While most fall sports seasons were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, student-athletes practiced throughout the semester while following safety guidelines such as wearing masks. The women’s soccer team plans to play a reduced game schedule during the spring semester.

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