Regis University Magazine - Spring/Summer 2024

Twin biology majors follow in the footsteps of their mother, a Regis alumna and physician p.24

10 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Regis experts weigh the pros and cons of explosion in generative AI.

16 A FIELDHOUSE FIT FOR (A) QUEEN

When Freddie Mercury and company made their U.S. debut at Regis, they weren’t even the headline act.

22 BUILDING COMMUNITY

Regis vision would bring new, thriving gathering spaces to north Federal Boulevard.

24 F AMILY TRAITS

Twin biology majors hope to follow in the footsteps of their mother, a Regis alumna and physician.

28 WHEN NURSE BECOMES PATIENT

Alumnus Justin Regan, who works with cancer patients, overcomes the disease himself.

36 PEAK PERFORMANCE

Rangers basketball star Diana Lopez to take her place in the RMAC Hall of Fame.

Regis University Magazine is published biannually by Marketing and Communications for the University community of alumni, benefactors, faculty, staff, students and families.

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Cassandra Grady

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Sheryl Tirol

EDITOR

Karen Augé

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Marcus Knodle

ART DIRECTOR

Nichole Atwood

EDITORIAL STAFF

McKenna Solomon

Sara Knuth

Eric Heinz

ILLUSTRATION

Dan Alarcon Jr.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Thoren Hyde

Connor Legge

CONTRIBUTORS

Laura Bond

Hadley Jenkins

Noelle Williams

ON THE COVER: Twin biology majors follow in the footsteps of their mother, a Regis alumna and physician.

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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

To a student who attended Regis in the 1960s or 1970s, walking across our campus today likely would feel much like coming home.

Main Hall still gracefully oversees our verdant quad, and Carroll Hall continues to exude its stately, scholarly presence. Although the Field House no longer resonates with the sounds of Queen or Jimi Hendrix (read about our lively concert history on page 16.) Its polished and upgraded hardwood floors still pulse with the excitement of Ranger sports.

Alumni returning to Regis would find comfort in the University's steadfast commitment to its core mission. Regis’ future is bright because of the special relationship faculty and staff have with students. This relationship is the foundation that has shaped countless lives. Our dedication to providing a transformative education deeply rooted in our Jesuit values remains unwavering.

As a Jesuit university, Regis is not merely adapting to change—we are actively driving growth. Our vision for transformative change reaches beyond our students to encompass the broader community. We are excited to announce Regis Village, an ambitious initiative designed to enrich our community. This project will develop a vibrant, functional mixed-use area adjacent to the University, creating a bustling hub for local businesses, residents, students, faculty, and staff. This expansion aims to rejuvenate North Federal Boulevard, enhancing community engagement, placemaking, and economic vitality in the area. To learn more about Regis Village, see the story on page 22.

As we approach our 150th anniversary, just four years away, the Regis community embraces innovation and deeply cares about the mission and the meaning and importance of our work. Regis’ future is bright as we work to ensure that Regis is on solid footing and that our vision is inspiring as we move forward into our next century and beyond. I am confident that a 2024 graduate returning to Regis in 50 years will find comfort in their memories while feeling immense pride in our progress and achievements.

Kindly,

Salvador Aceves President

CONGRATULATIONS, DEAN WINTERROWD!

Erin Winterrowd, Ph.D., has been named Dean of Regis College. Winterrowd, a licensed psychologist, holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology, as well as a graduate certificate in women’s studies. Since joining the Regis faculty in 2016, Winterrowd has served as director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program, and cofounded and co-chaired the Queer Resource Alliance. In addition, she has received numerous campus awards, including Student Body Advisor/Moderator of the Year and the Regis College Service Award.

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

James Beard Award-winning food writer Adrian Miller gave Regis a taste of soul food — and a healthy serving of history — during February’s Black History Month observance. Miller, an attorney by trade, is a certified barbecue judge and author of Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine One Plate at a Time; The President’s Kitchen Cabinet and Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. His first and third books won James Beard Foundation Book Awards. At Regis, Miller described soul food as having a West African base, seasoned by British colonizing forces and steeped in the American South.

SPRING BREAK WITH PURPOSE

In March, the Regis Outdoor Adventure program took its first spring break trip since COVID-19. But it wasn’t all fun and games. In Costa Rica, eight students, Assistant Director of Student Life Aly Granholm and Associate Director of Recreation Gretchen Weber Goode went whitewater rafting, climbing and rappelling at waterfalls. But, unlike average tourists, the Regis group also took time to leave the area a little better than they found it. They planted trees along the Pacuare River, in an effort to counteract some of the deforestation the area’s popularity with tourists has caused. “I think with any tourist group, you just want to make sure that you leave a good impact and not take away,” Weber Goode said.

DATA SCIENCE FOR THE WIN

Congratulations to Anderson College of Business and Computing’s Master of Science in Data Science program! The website and podcast TechGuide ranked Anderson's Online MSDS Program seventh in the country for 2024! That puts the Regis program in the venerable company of Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Northwestern universities, and ahead of the Ivy League's University of Pennsylvania.

RANGERS ON THE FAST TRACK

Next spring, Rangers will be running, jumping and throwing things – and winning cheers and probably medals in the process. Regis athletics will add women’s indoor and outdoor and men’s outdoor track and field programs, beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. “The addition of track and field will strengthen our athletic department in many different ways... and it will serve Regis immensely for years to come,” said Senior Vice President Senthil Kumar, D.B.A. So next year, when we say, “Go Rangers!” we’ll mean it literally!

SHE SAW, AND MADE, MEDICAL HISTORY

Dr. Antonia Novello, M.D., made history as the first woman and first Hispanic U.S. Surgeon General, serving from 1991 to 1993. She witnessed history, too, as the nation’s top doctor during the AIDS crisis and as New York’s state health commissioner after 9/11. In March, she visited the Northwest Denver Campus to share insights and lessons from her groundbreaking career, and to launch her new book Duty Calls: Lessons Learned from an Unexpected Life of Service.

Professor listens to trees, to benefit humans

John Sakulich, Ph.D., has a lot of old stumps in his office. And those stumps have a lot to say.

To scientists who know how to listen, the stumps, or rather the rings within them, tell stories about the lives the trees once lived and about the Earth those trees lived on.

Sakulich, a Regis associate professor of environmental science and environmental biology, not only hears what tree rings have to say, but he also interprets their messages to help communities like Denver better understand and mitigate climate change.

One hunk of fallen tree in Sakulich’s collection dates to a time when humans were starting to domesticate cattle and turn the grain they were just starting to cultivate into beer.

But most fell more recently, and their messages are environmental cautionary tales. “Trees respond to the conditions they grow in. They are faithful recorders of environmental conditions,” Sakulich said. “When trees have a good growing season they grow nice fat rings. During drought or harsh years, the rings are narrow. And all trees within the same region show the same patterns.”

Those patterns tell scientists about fire conditions in past centuries. So, Sakulich and his Regis students work with Denver Mountain Parks reconstructing what fires looked like in the past. During the summer or over spring break, Sakulich takes students to pine forests near Morrison, Colo. to collect pieces of fallen trees. Then students help prep the samples in order to compare current and historic fire patterns. With that knowledge, the city can determine the best places to thin out brush to mitigate fires.

Sakulich himself got interested in environmental biology as an undergraduate at Penn State. “I was trying to decide on a major, and I took a class in biogeography, loved the class and had a great professor,” he said.

His work is a reminder of the changing climate. A century ago, fires were few. Decades ago, they were seasonal. Now fires are virtually year-round.

Climate change is altering the landscape in other ways as well, Sakulich said. When the Hayman Fire burned more than 138,000 acres in 2002, it was the largest fire in Colorado’s history. In the 22 years since, three fires have eclipsed its size. And, scientists have tracked regrowth in the burn area. “We’re not seeing much tree regeneration,” Sakulich said. Because of prolonged drought, grasses and brush are emerging on the charred landscape where evergreens once thrived.

Lately too, like many of their human counterparts, Colorado’s trees are getting into mountain climbing, inching their way further up, past the tree line. Sakulich said. While tree cover may be pretty, it’s bad news for creatures, like the pica, who make their homes in the clouds. “It’s kind of an escalator to extinction,” he said. One that, thanks to the work of scientists like Sakulich, humans may be able to put the brakes on. –KA

Photo: Connor Legge

Some evolving eels glow their own way, professor and students find R

egis biology Prof. Mike Ghedotti, Ph.D., borrows eels the way some people borrow library books.

Studying the evolution of creatures who live in the darkest ocean depths is quite a task in landlocked Colorado. Luckily, Benjamin Frable, who oversees the eel collection at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, allows Ghedotti to borrow and use specimens at Regis.

This eel-sharing has paid off for Ghedotti and for his students. Ghedotti teaches in the undergraduate program and in the Master of Science in Environmental Biology program at Regis, and specializes in researching the anatomy, evolution, and diversity of marine and freshwater fishes. Recently, he began focusing on deep-sea, ultra-black eels.

Ghedotti and his students found that deep-sea gulper eels have been evolving independently from one another and developing the ultra-black pigmentations that were discovered in 2020. Ghedotti explained that the ultra-black pigmentation occurs when the skin cells release especially small bundles of melanin, allowing the skin of these eels to absorb more light than normal and appear very dark.

His findings were published last summer in the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes. Two undergraduate students, Kandice Agudo and Flor Gonzalez, who assisted with tissue sampling and photography, also were credited on the paper.

“We actually were in a biology laboratory on the Regis campus studying the light producing structures on the gulper eels by using a process called histology that looks at the specific tissue-level of structure,” said Ghedotti, “When looking at the eel light organs we ended up puzzled by the structures in the skin that did not look at all like the usual skin pigment cells ... We were not initially planning on looking at this, it was just another unknown thing we found by chance.”

The gulper eels’ coloration “likely evolved repeatedly in the ancestors of the lure-waving pelican eels and swallower eels, and separately in the bobtail eels, snipe eels, and sawtooth eels. In the deep habitats where these eels live, most light is very dim and is produced by animals, so that ultra-black coloration can provide especially effective camouflage,” said Ghedotti.

There are nearly 1,000 species of eels; some live in fresh water, many others live deep in the dark regions of oceans. Nearly all are predators.

Ultra-black camouflage is effective to eels as predators. The dark environment of the deep ocean provides excellent cover for them, especially those that use their glowing tails to lure prey.

Creating the opportunity for undergraduate students to conduct research is something Ghedotti prioritizes. He said involving students can be incredibly fun and rewarding, and also promotes the cura personalis Regis strives for by helping students gain skills and experiences they can use in the future.

This summer, he hopes to submit for review research on eels’ anatomy and histology, and is working with students on the anatomy of other bioluminescent and deep-sea fishes. Ultimately, he hopes his findings increase understanding of and respect for deep-sea marine environments. –HJ

Faculty Feats

Celebrating research, scholarship and creative works

Meghan Sobel Cohen, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Communication and in the Master of Development Practice, is co-author of a new book on press freedom in East Africa. Cohen collaborated with Karen McIntyre Hopkinson, Ph.D., associate professor and director of graduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture, to research and write Press Freedom and the (Crooked) Path Toward Democracy: Lessons from Journalists in East Africa. The book explores press freedom in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.

Professor and Assistant Dean of Physical Therapy Ira Gorman, Ph.D., was selected as a 2024 Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association. Considered the highest honor conferred by the profession, the award recognizes frequent and sustained contributions to the profession through leadership, influence and achievement.

Full Body Burden, a documentary by HaveyPro Cinema based on Mile High MFA instructor Kristen Iversen’s book Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats will premiere this summer.

Wladimir Márquez Jiménez, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, contributed a chapter to the book Netflix’ Spain: Critical Perspectives, edited by Jorge González del Pozo and Xosé Pereira Boán. The book examines the impact of Netflix as a distributor and creator of content on Spanish culture. Márquez Jiménez’s chapter is “A Global Narco Culture: Streaming Scenes of Respect and the Illusion of Justice.”

M.D. Kinoti, Ph.D., professor of development practice, management and leadership at Anderson College of Business and Computing, has written a new book, Making Peace with Fire Published by Lexham Press, the book offers strategies to help sharpen leadership skills while developing practices to enhance trust and active listening, all designed to transform conflict into opportunity.

A new book by Christopher Pramuk, Ph.D., University Chair of Ignatian Thought and Imagination and professor of theology, has been published by Cokesbury. All My Eyes See: The Artistic Vocation of Father William Hart McNichols explores the life and artistic inspiration of McNichols, who went from ministering to men dying of AIDS in Manhattan in the 1980s to becoming a renowned Catholic iconographer.

An excerpt from The Ringer, a novel by Mile High MFA instructor Jenny Shank, is included in Reading Colorado: A Literary Road Guide, edited by Peter Anderson. The anthology is a finalist for a Colorado Book Award.

“Twisted Up,” an essay by Mile High MFA faculty member Rachel Weaver, was published March 28 in the online literary journal Medicine and Meaning.

David Heska Wanbli Weiden, a Mile High MFA faculty member, was selected the Indigenous Artist in Residence at Brown University for 2024. He also has been named editor of the Native Edge series, which will publish Indigenous fiction and nonfiction, at the University of New Mexico Press. The first book in the series, The Indians Won, by Martin Cruz Smith, was released March 1, 2024.

Associate Prof. Trudi Wright, Ph.D., co-chair of the music department, is a contributing editor to Sound Pedagogy: Radical Care in Music, released in February by the University of Illinois Press. The essay collection provides strategies for bringing “transformative learning and engaged pedagogies to music classrooms.”

Photo: Connor Legge

FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO PHYSICAL THERAPY:

“I finally found a physical therapist who really changed my life,” Cunningham said.

Not only did physical therapy help resolve her pain, it also inspired a new career. After working with her physical therapist, Cunningham decided to become one herself. The decision meant shifting from a paralegal who had worked for the U.S. State Department to a student in the Regis Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

“I … just decided that this was something that was really interesting and brought me passion,” Cunningham said. “I had always geared my career towards helping other people, and I really felt like this was the next step. I felt like this is just a way I can give back, especially to people … who have chronic pain.”

Four years later, Cunningham is preparing to graduate from the program and embark on a new career.

STUDENT’S NEW CAREER PATH LEADS TO REGIS

“A BIG PART OF MY JOB IS ADVOCATING FOR MY PATIENTS. REALLY ADVOCATING FOR THEM IS SOMETHING I SEE MYSELF STILL DOING.”

Aryn Cunningham was working for an immigration law firm, helping people come to the United States, when her back and hip started hurting.

The pain was debilitating, and lasted for years. So, she started looking for solutions. At the time, she thought physical therapists provided pretty much the same treatment for everyone. But she was desperate to find relief.

After graduation, Cunningham will head to Duke University for a neurology residency. Her goal is to become a neurologic physical therapist, working with patients who have diseases or injuries to the nervous system, such as strokes, traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.

Regis courses in the specialty sparked Cunningham’s interest. She also served as co-chair of the Regis Neurologic Special Interest Group, which brings in guest speakers to expand on neuroscience topics.

Cunningham grew up in Alaska and is fluent in Spanish — she learned the language, and Portuguese, in high school and as an undergraduate at the University of Arizona — and put those skills to use throughout her career. She previously worked in immigration

law as a paralegal and interpreter, assisting people trying to immigrate to the United States. After that, she worked for a nonprofit that assisted immigrant victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.

Most recently, Cunningham served as the chief of American Citizen Services at the U.S. State Department offices in Paraguay. There, she represented Americans abroad, providing emergency services to incarcerated U.S. citizens and in parental child abduction cases.

Despite differences in her former careers and her new one, Cunningham said service remains at the heart of her work.

“My former careers, at least the first two, were really driven towards representing underrepresented populations,” Cunningham said. “(I was) trying to represent the best interests for people and advocating for people, and I see myself doing that in physical therapy.

For one, trying to figure out what is the best next step for a person. When a person sits down in front of you, they have all these problems, what do we need to focus on in that moment?”

In her first year at Regis, she and another student to created a course focused on medical Spanish, covering terms practitioners might encounter caring for patients. The goal was to set practitioners up to help make Spanish-speaking patients feel more comfortable. She also served as faculty liaison, representing student interests in meetings with faculty members. Her advocacy continues.

“A big part of my job is advocating for my patients,” she said. “Really advocating for them is something I see myself still doing.” —SK

QUESTION

What is the most interesting or amazing thing you've learned this semester?

What is the most interesting or amazing thing you've learned this semester?

I’m taking a class called Community as Art, and I’ve learned a lot about communities and ecovillages, and how people come together around the foundation of art and social justice to build communities.

Ben Hizer

CLASS OF 2024

Everything in my Organizational Communication class! It's interesting learning about different types of leadership, what to do if there is workplace conflict and how to best succeed in a professional setting.

Kobi Cannata

CLASS OF 2024

In my English class with Dr. Frank McGill, he has explained books in a depth that I’ve never really explored before, and it causes me to reflect a lot, personally.

Abigail Blanner

CLASS OF 2025

That it’s OK to branch out and meet new people, and that your friends won’t hate you when you do.

Madeline Bulger

CLASS OF 2027

I have a Conservation Biology class, and I found it interesting that to change the world, the whole world will need to come together and it's not just one country’s responsibility.

Grant Mueller

CLASS OF 2026

I’ve learned how to write a screenplay for my Creative Writing class with Dr. [Kate] Partridge! Jade Jalbert

CLASS OF 2024

INTELLIGENCE ARTIFICIAL

By Sara Knuth

REGIS EXPERTS WEIGH THE PROS AND CONS OF EXPLOSION IN GENERATIVE AI

INTELLIGENCE

A CLASSROOM, GENERATED BY AI. WHILE EDUCATORS DON’T THINK AI SPELLS THE END OF LEARNING, THEY’RE WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS OF ITS USE IN THE CLASSROOM.

Ask ChatGPT where Regis University was founded, and within seconds, the artificial intelligence tool provides the correct answer, with information seemingly pulled from the University’s website.

“Regis University was founded by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), a Catholic religious order, in 1877. It was originally established as Las Vegas College in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Later, in 1884, it was renamed as Sacred Heart College and moved to Morrison, Colorado. Finally, in 1921, the name was changed to Regis College, and it became known as Regis University in 1991 when it attained university status.”

But ask the chatbot, “are you sure?” and the program backtracks immediately.

“My apologies for any confusion. Regis University was indeed founded by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), but it wasn't founded as Las Vegas College. Instead, it was originally established as Las Vegas Academy in 1877 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.”

So, how do users know what information to believe?

As Regis experts would say, don’t believe everything you read from Artificial Intelligence, or AI.

In the past couple of years, generative artificial intelligence chatbots have exploded in use, with user-friendly tools that make creating anything from art to computer code to essays as easy as typing a prompt. ChatGPT, a chatbot created by tech company OpenAI and released to the public on Nov. 30, 2022, has become a buzzword for all things AI. Viewed as a helpful, diverse tool by many and an ethical Pandora’s box by others, the technology has

pushed its way to the forefront of discourse on the internet, in living rooms, and lately, in higher education.

Hugolin Bergier, Ph.D., associate professor of Computer Science in Anderson College of Business and Computing, has studied artificial intelligence for years. His dissertation focused on logic, AI and how philosophy may impact it. In 2022, Bergier collaborated with Paris’ Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence in the context of InterPARES, an international research project on AI and Archival Science.

Bergier attributed the rise of attention given to AI to the user-friendly, easily accessible tools.

However, as Bergier and Heidi Blair, Ph.D., the University’s former associate provost for Academic Affairs and Instructional Design and Technology, pointed out, artificial intelligence is not new.

Three Types of AI

Blair, who teaches community workshops on generative AI, including for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Denver in partnership with Regis, said she often starts sessions by explaining that AI already exists in most of our everyday lives.

“Any recommendation you get on any shopping platform, that's artificial intelligence that's making that. Netflix — that's artificial intelligence that's making the recommendations. Half of your banking stuff, making flight reservations (involves AI),” she said. “The generative part is when we're asking the tool to produce something.”

three types of artificial

intelligence

01 PROBABILISTIC

These programs use math and statistics to make educated guesses when there's incomplete or uncertain information. They're good at dealing with situations where there's no single right answer, but instead, multiple possibilities with different likelihoods. Think of them as programs that can weigh the odds and make informed decisions based on the available data.

02 LOGICAL

These programs work based on strict rules and logic, similar to how a human "would solve a math problem or play a game like chess. They follow a set of instructions and use logical reasoning to arrive at conclusions or make decisions. They're great for situations where there are clear-cut rules and definite right or wrong answers.

03 NEUROSCIENTIFIC

These programs try to mimic how the human brain works by creating artificial neural networks. Just like our brains have interconnected neurons, these programs have interconnected nodes that can learn from data and experiences. They're particularly good at recognizing patterns, like identifying objects in images or understanding spoken language. You can think of them as programs that can learn and adapt, just like humans do.

Bergier said AI can be classified into three types: probabilistic, logical and neuroscientific. Probabilistic programs, he said, include machine learning and don’t attempt to understand humans. Instead, he said, they rely on data about humans in order to imitate them. Neuroscientific models study the brain and attempt to recreate it as AI programs. Bergier said he prefers logic-based systems, which would take advantage of philosophy, logic and linguistics to make decisions, because it considers what makes humans human. The other types have issues, he said.

“I was interested in philosophy. Looking at these two other versions — a human being is not a brain,” he said. “And a human being is not just probabilistic — we don't make decisions based on probability … I don’t buy this shampoo to maximize my profit or whatever. No, I usually don't make decisions by ranking things with numbers.”

As for the “are you sure?” prompt, Bergier said it represents a common issue. Because the technology pulls from vast amounts of data — and doesn’t use logic to find the answers to questions — it can give users answers, but it can’t explain the why or how behind the answer.

“You are going to get an answer. There is no way you can trace that back,” Bergier said. “There's no way you can actually say, ‘hey, ChatGPT,

can you actually show me the reasoning steps you went through?’ There is none because it's just the aggregation of a very large amount of probabilities put together to reach that point.”

In addition, the program has a difficult time portraying the truth.

“If you're just asking for straight up information, it'll give it to you,” Blair said. “Now, it may not be right, because it pulls from the whole internet, except for anything behind a paywall, and what's behind the paywall? All the academic literature, peer reviewed academic literature.”

Generating Solutions

As many concerns as educators may have, AI programs like ChatGPT — which stands for generative pretrained transformer — also provide

“If give it it pulls a paywall, literature, <

you're just asking for straight up information, it'll it to you,” Blair said. “Now, it may not be right, because pulls from the whole internet, except for anything behind paywall, and what's behind the paywall? All the academic literature, peer reviewed academic literature.” />

opportunities for educators and students alike. Blair pointed out that AI chatbots are here to stay — and there are plenty of ways to put them to use.

Educators, for instance, might use ChatGPT to ask for scenarios that students can use in class as they think through the ways a concept might be applied to real life. Creating scenarios may be time-consuming, she said, but ChatGPT takes that burden away.

For students, AI may also provide assistance — if used carefully, and honestly. Blair said that in some cases, AI might be used as a starting point for an idea or thought partner.

And with the existence of ChatGPT comes the need for different ways of teaching and learning — including engaging students in more conversa-

tions about content and information sources, and asking students to complete presentations. Bergier is in favor of asking students to complete more oral exams. None of those options allow AI tools to become the sole source of content creation.

“We have to change practice,” Blair said. “We can't keep doing the same things and expecting, in the world of this new technology, for that to work.”

Since the explosion of AI tools has reached campus, Regis has worked toward creating guardrails for the use of generative AI in the classroom. If students use text generated by AI, Regis policy requires that they cite it. If they use AI as a tool to generate ideas, students are asked to make a statement about how they used it. In each course syllabus, faculty

members include a statement about their expectations when it comes to the use of AI.

Beyond the classroom and the explosion of the past few years, Bergier has studied AI throughout his career. His recent work with the Sorbonne Center for Artificial Intelligence used AI that focused on logical reasoning to help making searching archives easier.

Bergier, who moved to Colorado from France, also works for a startup, Phase Change Software, that applies AI to the source code of software applications. AI, for instance, can be a powerful tool for helping software developers quickly find bugs and solve issues.

When it comes to generative AI, some remain skeptical.

Artificial Intelligence's versions of Main Hall created with Adobe Firefly. Prompt: "Red brick university building with cupola and cross; mountains in the background."

A Legal Quagmire

Outside of academia, the technology poses issues for people in creative professions.

Cath Lauria, a writer and graduate of the Regis Mile-High MFA program, said she isn’t necessarily against artificial intelligence — in fact, she sees it as a tool for fields like the sciences — but she is concerned about the ethical implications that come into play when chatbots pull

The rise of AI poses problems. But it will never replace the most important aspect of art: human connection.

Artists have sued generative AI programs Midjourney and DALL-E, accusing the companies of copying their artwork.

“I think in the arts, what it has become is a legal quagmire and a solution for a problem that didn't exist,” Lauria said. “The argument against that often is, ‘well if it's publicly available, then it's in the public eye,” … (But) ‘publicly available’ does not mean ‘without copyright.’”

For Lauria, the rise of AI poses problems. But it will never replace the most important aspect of art: human connection.

from work by existing authors. Last year, Lauria presented on a panel about AI at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference.

“This was going on during the writers’ strike in Hollywood,” Lauria said, referring to the strike in which writers demanded protection for their work against AI, among other things. “So, it felt very pertinent at the time.”

In addition to the headline-grabbing and historic Hollywood strikes of 2023, Lauria follows court cases involving AI closely. In 2023, a group of 17 famous authors, including George R. R. Martin, Jodi Picoult and John Grisham, filed a lawsuit against ChatGPT creator OpenAI, arguing that the program used their copyrighted works without their permission, according to the Associated Press. Also last year, The New York Times sued the company and Microsoft, accusing both of using millions of the newspaper’s articles to train the program.

“None of us would do anything else. Even if some AI-generated books did replace or became competitive with human books, I would still write books because I love it so much,” Lauria said. “I feel like that human connection with art is really important. And, currently, AI is very novel, and it can give you a lot of different things very quickly, but I am interested in other people's art because I'm interested in other people's opinions on the human condition.”

Ready or Not

Are we ready for AI? It’s a question Bergier often asks in his computer science ethics course, where philosophy often comes into play. Because Regis instills Jesuit values into its education, Bergier said, students have the opportunity to ask questions they might not ask anywhere else.

Often, Bergier uses philosophers like Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas to ask students whether a fully evolved version of AI, a version beyond the types we use today, may be considered an agent of the world, similar to a human being, who can think and act in the world.

“I think it's really a Regis thing. It's this freedom to be completely open to the craziness of the world, and if AI is the thing, we're going to go ahead and teach AI. We're not going to hide from it, but (we’ll have) this unique Catholic perspective on it.”

The pros and cons of ChatGPT –from ChatGPT itself

As higher education finds ways to embrace a new AI reality, experts are weighing the risks and benefits of the easily accessible tech. ChatGPT, for its part, can easily list out other pros and cons of the service.

FIELD HOUSE FIT FOR (A)

WHEN FREDDIE MERCURY AND COMPANY MADE THEIR U.S. DEBUT AT REGIS, THEY WEREN’T EVEN THE HEADLINE ACT. OR THE MOST FAMOUS GROUP TO ROCK THE CAMPUS. By Karen

Auge

IN 1974, HE WOULDN’T YET HAVE PERFECTED THAT PREENING, POWERFUL PRESENCE THAT WOULD ELEVATE HIM TO ICON STATUS. BUT WHEN FREDDIE MERCURY, FRONTING QUEEN, TOOK THE STAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UNITED STATES, HE WOULD HAVE HAD THAT VOICE.

So, some in the audience that April night probably would have sensed they were watching a legend in the making.

That audience, and that stage, where Queen made their United States debut 50 years ago this April, was none other than the Regis College Field House.

Queen playing the Regis Field House may seem incredible today. But, in fact, concerts were a common occurrence at the Field House from the late ‘60s through the 1970s.

Regis students and their neighbors throughout the area were treated to some big-name acts in those days: Fleetwood Mac. The Kinks. Dire Straits. Cheap Trick. Traffic. Dolly Parton. The Beach Boys performed at Ranger Day one year. And in 1968, fans paid a whopping $3 to hear the undisputed rock guitar king: Jimi Hendrix.

There were some not-so-memorable groups, too: Humble Pie, which didn’t last long but did include Peter Frampton; America, whose biggest hit involved boasting about riding around on a horse they’d neglected to name. Even Peter, Paul and Mary, best known for singing about a dragon, headlined the Field House. So did the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, whose Regis appearance, like Mott the Hoople’s, is most notable for its opening act: a young comedian named Steve Martin.

Most acts came courtesy of Barry Fey, founder of Feyline Productions, who at the time was the biggest name in rock promotions, in Colorado and much of the Rocky Mountain West.

In the early ‘70s, Rubey was an accounting and economics major, student government officer – and campus empresario. “I’d started booking bands in high school,” back in Illinois, he said. So, taking up what was becoming a campus tradition seemed natural. Besides, he said, “Accounting was boring.”

Nevertheless, when he graduated from Regis, Rubey took a job as a tax accountant at Ernst & Young. Eventually, he found his way back to entertainment, launching a career that included working in the Los Angeles area as a television executive before founding his own company, Rubey Entertainment.

Psychedelic, folk rock, glam rock – it hardly mattered and they pretty much all sold out, said John Rubey, class of ‘73. It didn’t matter that the Field House acoustics were “about what you’d expect in a basketball gym,” he said.

If Freddie Mercury, Queen and the Rocky Mountain region’s only Catholic college seem an unlikely mix, Regis leaders at the time didn’t seem too worried, Rubey said.

“It isn’t like we were booking Insane Clown Posse,” he said. Of course, the Posse didn’t mount up until 1989, but his point is nevertheless clear.

The concerts, and the film series the student government also hosted, made money “easily in the thousands” each year, Rubey said.

The only ones not making money were the students who volunteered to work the shows.

“The semis [carrying the bands’ equipment] would pull up and we got to work,” said Tony Lee, Regis class of ’81. “We were the roadies. Fifteen to 20 guys unloaded the truck, then after the show, we’d roll it all back in again.” Just like Jackson Browne described.

The first order of business, though, was always securing a tarp across the gym floor, Lee said. He recalled that the basketball coaches often hung around during concerts, worried about damage to the precious Field House hardwoods.

Queen at Regis University, Poster, 1974

Not without reason, as Lee recalled. “The biggest issue was always people getting drunk and throwing up,” he said. That was particularly a concern when the concerts capped off an enduring Regis tradition. “Ranger Week always had a concert. So, people were out on the Green drinking beer in the sun all day, then they’d go into the Field House for the concert.” You don’t have to be a nursing major to guess how that turned out.

It was the concerts that drew Lee to Regis. The Dallas native attended a Jesuit high school there, and was looking for a Jesuit college, so he visited Regis. During that visit, the Kinks performed. “I went and saw the Kinks and said, ‘This is where I want to go to college.’"

He double majored in political science and communications, was editor of the Brown and Gold, and went onto a career in journalism that included a couple decades at the Wall Street Journal. But he still has his Field House concert ticket stubs, and the free T-shirts student volunteers got at each performance.

Neither Rubey nor Lee recalled any outrageous behavior by any of the acts they booked. But the legends about rock stars and their odd backstage demands –those apparently are true.

Lee recalled that The Outlaws (Boomers: remember “Green Grass and High Tides”?) demanded M&Ms, but only brown ones.

But when it comes to weird requests, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic win. “They asked for two dozen goldfish,” Lee said. Not the crackers, actual fish. Despite some concern about the fate of those fish, the students complied.

What Clinton actually did with the fish, no one could have guessed. “He had these giant platform boots. He filled the platform part with water and then put the goldfish in there and went on stage with goldfish in his boots.”

During Regis’ heyday as a concert venue, the payoff for student music fans like Rubey and Lee wasn’t just access to the concerts on campus. In those pre-Ticketmaster days, kids were known to camp out overnight, or longer, to secure seats at big-time shows. But local promoters were inclined to reward venues like Regis for hosting some of their lesser-known acts by offering on-site ticket sales to concerts by the huge acts.

Vintage concert tickets from Regis Field House, courtesy of Tony Lee's collection

“When The Who or Jethro Tull or the Rolling Stones came to town, we wanted an allocation of tickets to sell in the [campus] bookstores,” Rubey said. “If you were hosting other acts the promoters were backing, you’d get those tickets” to sell.

It didn’t hurt that there weren’t a lot of local venues back then.

And, in 1974, one of the area’s larger concert venues, Red Rocks Amphitheater, was still enforcing a ban on rock concerts. That edict was issued in 1971, after a couple thousand fans who wouldn’t take “sold out” for an answer tried to storm their way into a Jethro Tull show. The result was a full-on riot, complete with tear gas, police cars set on fire, and hundreds of arrests. Shell-shocked city leaders wouldn’t lift the ban on Red Rocks rock until 1975.

Regis was more than happy to fill some of the void. In the end, Regis student leaders learned that Barry Fey giveth, and Barry Fey taketh away.

That was true of most Field House shows, Rubey and Lee recalled, including the Queen debut.

G. Brown, former Denver Post music critic and the Doris Kearns Goodwin of Colorado rock history, records Queen’s Regis debut in his book, Colorado Rock Chronicles. At first, the Regis audience didn’t know quite what to make of this latest British invader, whose lead singer strutted around in nail polish and body-hugging satin pants. “The English newcomers were received rather quietly at first,” Brown wrote.

"THE DELIGHT WAS HEARING THE AUDIENCE CHEERING. AND THEN WALKING AROUND BACKSTAGE AFTER THE SHOW AND SEEING EVERYONE SMILING.”

- JOHN RUBEY, REGIS CLASS OF '81

During his junior year, Fey invited Lee to his office, and told him that he was opening his own concert venue – it would become the storied Rainbow Music Hall on west Colfax Avenue. Consequently, he wouldn’t be booking any more bands at Regis.

But the leaders of Regis student government didn’t give up without a fight. “We made calls all over East Coast and I finally found a promoter who said, ‘Yea I’ve got a band who will be out your way in the fall of ’80. You’ve never heard of them, but they’re really good.”

They booked them. And that unheard-of band was Dire Straits.

Angry at his former partners’ chutzpah, Fey booked a Jimmy Buffet concert in Denver for the same night. As Lee remembered it, both sold out.

Queen was still largely unknown in the United States. The band had just released their second album in the United Kingdom and were two years away from “Killer Queen,” their first U.S. hit.

The better-known group that night, the band Regis students probably had shelled out an outrageous $7.50 to see, was Mott the Hoople. That band is remembered by music fans, if they’re remembered at all, for their recording of David Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes.” But in 1974, the Hoople – for the record, a hoople is either a town in North Dakota, a basketball hoop, a drunk or a fool, depending on which website you consult — was riding high.

The website udiscovermusic.com notes that Queen’s set list that night started as that year’s Queen II album did, with an instrumental song, “Procession,” and included such still-obscure songs as “Father to Son,” “White Queen (As It Began),” and “Ogre Battle.”

The band also played their first UK hit, “Keep Yourself Alive” and covered Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock.”

By the end of their set, Brown writes, Queen had won over the Regis crowd. “Mercury’s outrageous onstage theatrics had set a new standard for rock showmanship.”

Rubey, for his part, won’t say which of the many acts he helped bring to Regis was his favorite. “I love all my children,” he joked. “They all had their moments. But the delight was hearing the audience cheering. And then walking around backstage after the show and seeing everyone smiling.”

class Congrats

Photos: Thoren Hyde

class of 2024

BUILDING COMMUNITY REGIS

VISION

WOULD BRING NEW, THRIVING GATHERING SPACES TO NORTH FEDERAL BOULEVARD

It’s been a golf course, a bustling Kmart and, most recently, home to a one-stop shop for all Ranger gear needs.

Now, Regis leaders and community partners are pursuing a vision that will transform the 27 acres along Federal Boulevard between 53rd Avenue and 50th Avenue (Regis Boulevard) into a thriving, vibrant and inviting space that will serve as an anchor in the community.

Current plans call for retail spaces, mixed-income housing, likely including student housing, health care, beautiful outdoor gathering spaces, and office space. It all adds up to a project that will be a win for the community and a win for Regis.

As Regis University President Salvador D. Aceves, Ed.D., put it, “This development will both serve our neighborhood’s needs and the needs of the University, providing an income stream in rentals and leases for the foreseeable future. We see the development serve as a catalyst for continued investment in our community.”

"The broad outline of the project currently is undergoing what Mark De La Torre, deputy director of Denver operations for MIG, said is the City of Denver’s LDR, or large development review process.

MIG is a firm that provides strategic community planning services for clients in states throughout the west.

As the plans wind through municipal departments and planning stages, De La Torre said Regis is well-positioned, particularly with respect to Regis’ attention to housing diversity and the care the University is taking regarding job displacement.

De La Torre said he could not predict how long the city’s review process might take. But, he did say he is optimistic. “The University is in a great position; they are not the average private developer but a faith-based organization,” de la Torre said.

This development will both serve our neighborhood’s needs and the needs of the University, providing an income stream in rentals and leases for the foreseeable future. We see the development serve as a catalyst for continued investment in our community.

- SALVADOR ACEVES, ED.D., PRESIDENT

According to Aceves, Regis Village “will carry its own identity but link to the University in welcoming spirit and feeling.” That link will go beyond spirit and feeling, to include a connection to the Regis campus in appearance. As envisioned, the space also will be an extension of the University’s mission. The assortment of uses planned will align with Regis academic programs, such as health care, an extension of Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions, and entrepreneurship, as exemplified by curricula within the Anderson College of Business and Computing.

Regis Village has been a gleam in the eyes of Regis leaders for several years.

De La Torre, who began working with Regis on a master plan for Regis Village in 2016, said he has enjoyed working with the University on a project that supports its Jesuit mission. “I’ve found it very enticing, very endearing,” he said.

That is all part of the vision.

“We expect Regis Village to become a destination for our community – both residents and non-residents,” Aceves said. He hopes both will be “drawn to a location that benefits from being next to a University, but at the same time has its own identity.”

For more than three decades, a Kmart was within walking distance of the Denver Campus. The Kmart was demolished in 2006 to make way for additional parking and sports facilities on campus.

In the 1950s, students and neighbors enjoyed visits to Golf Land, the Federal Boulevard golf course that included a driving range, 18-hole miniature golf course and putting green.

FAMILY TRAITS

Twin biology majors hope to follow in the footsteps of their mother, a Regis alumna and physician

By Sara Knuth

When Isabella and Katelyn De Leon look at each other, it’s as if they’re looking into a mirror. Literally. That’s because, officially, they’re what’s known as mirror twins. Although they’re considered identical twins — so much so that their professors and acquaintances have a hard time telling them apart — they’re different in key ways. For example, as children, when one twin’s molars started growing in on the left side, her sister’s grew in at the same time — on the right. In some ways, it’s as if they’re living in parallel universes.

Isabella and Katelyn — Bella and Katie to their friends and family — both graduated in May with degrees in biology. They took every course together and they participated in

most of the same activities, including the Regis Honors Program. And now the new Regis grads are both applying to medical school, following in the footsteps of their mom, Luz Maria Jimenez, a 1992 Regis alumna and pediatrician.

But don’t let that fool you. The sisters are not the same. Even though they have gravitated toward the same careers they arrived at them for different reasons. Katie decided, for instance, that she wanted to study biology in seventh grade, when her science class learned about genetics and took care of a fish tank at school. Bella, on the other hand, was drawn to biology because of her love for all things slimy and slithery.

In elementary and middle school, Bella would visit a creek in their backyard and investigate frogs and snakes, “showing them to Katie, which really freaked her out,” Bella said. “My mom too. They're very freaked out about my passion.”

Katie was firm in her decision to pursue a career in medicine and follow in the footsteps of her mom by becoming a pediatrician. Bella wasn’t thinking about studying biology precisely because she wanted to be different from her mom and sister. But when the family took a trip to Belize — and snorkeled with sharks — Bella quickly changed her mind. She was fascinated by the creatures, and while her mom and sister were afraid of the sharks, Bella couldn’t wait to learn more about them and other lifeforms.

It's a story that illustrates so much of the sisters’ paths to and from each

other. As children, Katie loved dressing head to toe in pink and doing gymnastics and cheer. Bella loved shoes that could make her run faster and playing basketball and softball. But as much as the sisters tried to be different, their paths always converged.

“I think as twins, too, there's an urge to separate yourselves. I feel like you need to almost prove to people you're different,” Bella said. “I've kind of, over the years, pushed myself away from that idea and just encouraged myself to be me, even if it's a little similar to Katie.”

Jimenez, the twins’ mom, said while her daughters have their own interests, they share similar values.

“I've always encouraged and celebrated their differences, but they're also very similar in their school ethics, and their outlook in life and how driven they are,” she said.

“I THINK AS TWINS, TOO, THERE'S AN URGE TO SEPARATE YOURSELVES. I FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO ALMOST PROVE TO PEOPLE YOU'RE DIFFERENT.”

– BELLA DE LEON

“They really do support each other. They're each other's true best friends, which is amazing.”

When it came to choosing a college, Regis rose to the top of the sisters’ list. Their mom graduated from the University and often spoke of her ex-

Bella, left, and Katie De Leon, right, studied biology at Regis, finding a home in the labs of Regis. The twin sisters took every class together and participated in many of the same activities. Now, the twin sisters are applying to medical school.

“WE KIND OF HAVE THIS UNWRITTEN RULE WHERE IF SOMEONE CALLS YOU THE WRONG NAME, YOU JUST SMILE AND WAVE.”

periences. As a first-generation college student, Jimenez, who was born in Mexico, found support from her faculty members and peers. While she didn’t push her daughters to attend the University, she said she was excited when they chose her alma mater, especially as they were entering college during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I wanted them to have the best college experience, and I knew Regis was more than capable of offering that,” Jimenez said. “I went through as a first-generation student. My parents were super supportive, but really didn't know how to guide me because we were immigrants from Mexico … [Regis] was the only school that really embraced me and said, ‘you can absolutely do this.’”

After a lifetime at each other’s side, Katie, left, and Bella,

are open to following different paths post-graduation. The sisters said they’re open to moving to different states.

When the twins had a chance to visit, Regis left a strong first impression. And because the twins were raised by a single mom, they were looking for an affordable place to study. They found that Regis offered the best financial incentives.

“We came for a tour and the tour guide was so nice and so kind,” Katie said. “And it just it felt like the right fit when we were here.”

"I WANTED THEM TO HAVE THE BEST COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, AND I KNEW REGIS WAS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF OFFERING THAT."

– LUZ MARIA JIMENEZ

In addition, the sisters knew they wanted to go to college together, especially as they enrolled as freshmen in fall 2020. While it was hard to make friends as everyone quarantined, the sisters had each other. As COVID restrictions eased, and classes were moved from online to on campus, the duo made plenty of friends — even though their peers struggled with telling them apart at first. When friends see Katie on campus and call her Bella, she just rolls with it — and vice versa.

“We kind of have this unwritten rule where if someone calls you the wrong name, you just smile and wave,” Bella said.

Bella, left, and Katie, right, are following in the footsteps of their mother Luz Maria Jimenez, center, by applying to medical school.

Photos: Thoren Hyde

right,

Bella and Katie said they leaned on each other through tough times in college.

“Katie was my best study buddy. So, when I didn't understand something, Katie could explain it to me and when she didn't understand something, usually I had it,” Bella said.

“I think always having Bella there to study with me was so helpful,” Katie said.

Now that Bella and Katie are looking toward medical school, their specialties are beginning to diverge. Katie, who discovered a passion for working with patients hands-on, found she wants to work directly with patients.

At Regis, both sisters had the opportunity to shadow health professionals in a pediatric emergency room, a cardiologist’s clinic, a bone fracture clinic and more. Katie had an internship with the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Children’s Eating Lab.

“That connection that you get to have one-on-one with patients is really cool,” Katie said. “You don’t get that with bacteria or rats.”

Bella said she is interested in working with infectious diseases or in an emergency room setting. She signed up to do an Emergency Medical Technician program over the summer.

“When I started learning about diseases and parasites, that diagnostic process, it really reminded me of Scooby Doo, and getting like the clues and forming your own conclusion,” Bella said.

As their time at Regis ended, the De Leon sisters said some of their most memorable experiences involved taking part in the Guatemala Interfaith Service Project, which assists Guatemalan health care workers with caring for patients in the town of Cobán. Throughout the experience, Katie said she learned the importance of empowering communities to empower themselves. Additionally, the sisters were co-presidents of the Student

Honors Advisory Council and both took part in the Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Club. Katie also participated in the Regis spirit team.

The twins said they’d love to go to medical school together — or even live in the same state so that they can be roommates. But they’re also open to separating from each other.

“I like to call Katie my ‘wombmate’ because we shared the womb,” Bella said. Katie added with a laugh: “But I hate that term, personally.”

“I think we're definitely prepared to separate and go our own ways,” Bella said. Katie added: “But we’re hoping to stay together.”

Katie, left, and Bella, right, lead participants in activities during Science Sunday, a yearly event that welcomes kids interested in science to campus for hands-on experiments.

WHEN NURSE BECOMES PATIENT

ALUMNUS JUSTIN REGAN, WHO WORKS WITH CANCER PATIENTS, OVERCOMES THE DISEASE HIMSELF

By Sara Knuth

Justin Regan had already gone to bed when he received the call with news no one wants to hear: your test results are in, and you should head to the emergency room immediately.

When Good Samaritan Hospital’s crisis center called, Regan, an oncology nurse whose job was to prepare cancer patients for the grueling battle ahead of them, had an idea of what was coming. He prepared his son, who drove him to the hospital, for the worst.

Regan, a 2006 graduate of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program in the Regis Loretto Heights School of Nursing, was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood cancer.

Regan said he once thought completing the Accelerated BSN Program would be the most difficult experience of his life. But his cancer diagnosis changed that. The grueling battle with myelodysplastic syndrome proved to be the most daunting challenge of his life. But if anyone knew the struggles that would come with fighting cancer, it was Regan.

Photos: Connor Legge

I STILL THINK OF MYSELF AS A SURVIVOR. I DON'T LET IT HOLD ME BACK.

Regan, who was diagnosed in 2020 and has been recovering since two stem cell transplants, still works with cancer patients, hoping to play a part in easing the same type of pain that he experienced. This spring, he helped raise money for an organization that helped him through his treatment process: the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

A SECOND CAREER IN NURSING

Regan's path to nursing was unconventional. A flight attendant for 21 years, he and his wife Val, also a flight attendant, decided to pursue new careers. When Val asked him what career he would pursue if he could start all over again, he said he would’ve been a small-town doctor. But he decided that, at age 42, medical school wasn’t in the cards. So, he switched to a new dream: to become a nurse.

He discovered the Regis Accelerated BSN Program, which allows students who already have bachelor’s degrees to complete required nursing courses in one year, and that put him on a path to achieving his new dream. Val, meanwhile, became a teacher.

The nursing courses weren’t easy — and completing them in one year required dedication. But Regan said he was motivated and had support from friends.

“I had never done that much homework in such a condensed amount of time,” Regan said. “You know, you get through it. And I made lifelong friends. You go to battle together, basically, and you come out at graduation.”

Alumnus Justin Regan visits the Dayton Memorial Library, where he spent many long hours studying nursing.

I REALLY BOUGHT INTO THE REGIS PHILOSOPHY, THE TENETS, ESPECIALLY 'HOW OUGHT WE TO LIVE?"

Justin Regan returned to Regis University this spring for a visit, where he reminisced about the year he spent studying to become a nurse. Regan graduated in 2006.

Regan also took the University's Jesuit mission to heart. As a student, he received a booklet listing the Jesuit values. "I actually have that still, and I'll still read through it," he said. "I really bought into the Regis philosophy, the tenets, especially 'How ought we to live?'"

After he graduated, he launched his new career in 2007. In 2011 he worked at Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Colo., as a float nurse, which means he moved between different units to meet changing staffing needs. Eventually, he worked with oncology patients.

“I thought, ‘oh, man, I think this is going to be it for me.’ I just fell in love with that whole realm, and became an oncology nurse in 2012,” Regan said. From that point on, he cared for hundreds of cancer patients, often preparing them for stem cell transplants. As much as he prepared his patients for transplants, though, Regan didn’t work directly as a transplant nurse, so he didn’t see what his patients went through after they left his care.

“A lot of the leukemia patients (I was) getting ready for transplant, but I never knew the transplant world,” he said. “I just prepped them for it.” Then came 2020.

Stem cell or bone marrow transplants are used to combat many cancers, including blood cancers. Before transplantation, patients typically undergo chemotherapy or radiation. For the transplant, healthy stem cells are harvested from the bone marrow of a donor or the patient. Then the healthy stem cells are injected through an IV and travel to the bone marrow where they create healthy new cells.

“I THINK I’VE GOT LEUKEMIA.”

As the world began grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, Regan began feeling fatigue unlike any other he had experienced in his life. His hospital’s policy concerning workers who felt ill, at the time, was to send them home until they tested negative for COVID-19. So, Regan went home and took a test. When it came back negative, he took another. That came back negative, too.

Regan, still feeling fatigued, couldn’t go back to work until he saw a doctor, according to his hospital’s policy. When he finally did, he asked his doctor to test him for leukemia.

“He was trying to work me up for cardio, and I'm like, ‘No, no, no, doc, I'm an oncology nurse,’ and I go, ‘I think I've got leukemia.’”

The hospital drew blood. At about 9:30 p.m. that night, Regan had already been in bed for two hours because of the fatigue when the hospital’s crisis center called to tell Regan he should go to the emergency room. His son drove him to Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette.

Regan recalled that he told his son, “‘Listen, pal, this may not work out. This may not turn out well, just so you know.’”

In the hospital Regan was told that he had myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood cancer. His case was so serious, his doctors told him a few days later, that he would require a stem cell transplant. On Dec. 9, 2020, after undergoing rounds of chemotherapy, Regan received his first transplant. Because the procedure happened during a COVID-19 peak, Regan couldn’t have visitors, so for weeks he saw only the nurses who cared for him and the people who cleaned his room.

“I would so look forward to Maria, my housekeeper, coming in every day and cleaning my room … I would just talk with her,” he said.

Regan went home to recover on New Year’s Eve, and in February, he received news that no cancer patient wants to hear: His cancer had come back, and he’d need another transplant.

“I was like, ‘Oh good God, man. I do not want to go through that again,’” he said. “Because it was pretty miserable. I don't sugarcoat it — it was pretty bad. But you know, you dig down — I had a terrific support system — and you just you just go for it.”

In June 2021, Regan received his second stem cell transplant. Since then, he has been recovering with the help and support of his family — and he’s still working to support cancer patients.

For Regan, enduring two transplants and going through chemo was both familiar and strange. As a nurse, he

"I AM GLAD I KNEW WHAT I KNEW BECAUSE I CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN. I UNDERSTOOD THE LANGUAGE."

had seen hundreds of people go through the process. He knew what to expect, yet it took a moment for that professional experience to kick in when the diagnosis became personal.

“It's kind of wild because you have all this nursing knowledge here, but once you hear a diagnosis like that, it kind of like goes out the window for a while because you're so stunned and dazed,” Regan said.

But soon, the nursing knowledge became bittersweet.

“I am glad I knew what I knew because I cut out the middleman,” Regan said. “I understood the language. But it also heightened my dread because I had seen plenty of patients going through chemo, getting ready to go to a transplant.”

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are cancers that affect the production of blood cells. MDS occurs when something prevents new red and white blood cells from maturing, so, over time, defective, immature cells outnumber healthy ones. This can cause chronic fatigue, infections and bleeding.

Now that he’s on the other side of his transplant and healing well, Regan said he can relate to his patients on a deeper level.

“Now, I just have that extra layer of expertise, I guess you could call it, or even care and compassion, because I know what these people are going to go through,” he said.

FINDING SUPPORT

One of his biggest supporters throughout the process was the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Regan was diagnosed on Monday and received a call from LLS the next Wednesday.

“It was like I was sitting in a complete daze. I was like, 'My life has changed,’ and … they were there. They've been there every step of the way.”

Nearly four years after his diagnosis, Regan worked closely with LLS to raise funds as part of the organization’s Visionaries of the Year Fundraiser, which creates fundraising teams to raise money over 10 weeks. The money raised by Regan and others helps support the organization’s mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improve quality of life for patients and families. Support includes patient counseling and funding research.

Regan said his family — his wife Val and sons Tristan and Ian — helped support him from the moment he received his diagnosis, from sanitizing their home constantly to driving him to doctor’s appointments to offering words of support.

It’s a type of care Regan passes on to his patients. Today, he is an oncology nurse care coordinator with Kaiser Permanente.

“I still think of myself as a survivor,” Regan said. “I don't let it hold me back. I don't keep looking over my shoulder waiting for the other shoe to drop or whatever. I'm going to live my life doing what I want to do to the best of my ability.”

HELP SUPPORT LLS

Since receiving his diagnosis,Justin Regan has received support from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which advocates for patient care and research. You can help support the organization at

PEAK PERFORMANCE

RANGERS BASKETBALL STAR DIANA LOPEZ TO TAKE HER PLACE IN THE RMAC HALL OF FAME

By Eric Heinz

The home crowd was always in a frenzy when Diana Lopez took to the court for the Regis Rangers.

Lopez’s family, friends and fans always made sure the navy-and-gold faithful were electric during her 2004-2007 career as a Rangers guard.

“All my aunts, uncles, cousins, we kind of had a big crowd, a lot of support at every game. People made posters, they cheered, and they were a staple to have at the games,” she said.

All the family and fanfare helped propel Lopez and the Rangers to the NCAA Division II tournament three out of her four years at Regis. Lopez and the Rangers won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) tournament championship in 2007. The support also spilled onto the court, as Lopez’s younger sisters served as the team’s ball girls.

In recognition of her achievements, Lopez is to be inducted into the RMAC Hall of Fame in July.

“I was surprised,” she said, regarding her induction. “It’s been so long, but it was definitely nice to have that recognition and to reminisce about those moments. It means a whole lot to me. I’m a very quiet person. I would just go out and play. I never really was one to look at my stats or anything like that. I was fortunate to have that opportunity.”

The women’s head basketball coach at the time, Linda Raunig, said Lopez was a very talented player when she first arrived at Regis, but it was the way Lopez matured and became a leader that impressed her the most.

Raunig said as the seasons went on, she and her assistant coach didn’t have to do much in terms of guiding the team, as Lopez and her teammates were able to conduct strategy and take command.

“It was such an amazing experience as a coach to, literally during games, just sit and watch the game and not feel

From 2004 to 2007, Diana Lopez was a standout player for the Rangers. Each game attracted a crowd of supporters.

like I had to run the show,” Raunig said. “We had players that knew what to do because we practiced it every day, but it was demonstrated by Diana and her teammates.”

Raunig said during her time as a coach, players invited younger students to the Northwest Denver Campus and assisted in running contests and games, and sometimes they shared their experiences as college athletes.

Diana Lopez and her twin sister, Denise, both the first in their family to attend college, brought a Gemini effect to the team and dispelled any freshman fears early in their collegiate careers.

“I just remember our first game at the Air Force Academy,” Denise Lopez said. “We didn’t start, and we were freshmen and kind of just still trying to understand college basketball, but we got into the game and did really well. That’s something that we both remember and talk about just because our family was there and our high school coaches were there, and it kicked off our college careers.

“We had a lot of families that would come to the games who were in the Regis neighborhood and had never come to a game before,” Denise Lopez continued. “They just wanted their daughters

LOPEZ WAS A FIRST-BALLOT REGIS ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE IN 2019,

along with her twin sister, Denise. Diana Lopez was previously honored by the RMAC in 2009 when she not only was named to the RMAC's All-Century team but was also voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) among the league's AllCentury roster.

Twin sisters Diana (right) and Denise Lopez (left) smile on the Regis University campus, where they once starred as Rangers basketball players

Twin sisters Diana (right) and Denise Lopez (left) smile on the Regis University campus, where they once starred as Rangers basketball players

“ I HAD THE POWER OF BELIEF, PEOPLE BELIEVING IN ME AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED THERE, FOR ME WAS A LOT, MORE MEANINGFUL THAN JUST BASKETBALL.”

to meet us. We had elementary schools come and want to speak to us. We just understood that people were watching, and what you have can be used to make other people better.”

Diana Lopez said her time as a student-athlete helped her learn to manage her schedule better and overcome different challenging situations.

“Getting a scholarship to Regis meant a lot to my sister and I,” Lopez said. “I remember kind of breaking down my freshman year just feeling like I didn’t belong, or I didn’t fit in, but our coaches were always very supportive and helpful.”

That mentorship throughout her college career inspired Lopez to become a school counselor. She now works for Westminster Public Schools at Orchard Park Academy.

“I had the power of belief, people believing in me and everything that we accomplished there, for me was a lot more meaningful than just basketball,” she said. “That gave me the desire and the passion to help

Former head women’s basketball coach Linda Raunig said Diana Lopez and her team were able to conduct strategy and take command during games, making each game move smoothly.

other students, showing them their capabilities, letting them know what seems out of reach is possible.”

Diana Lopez said she still tries to catch a Rangers game when she can, a way to keep her connected to the Regis community.

“We realized that we do bring something pretty special and used that to encourage our teammates, support our coaches and to be leaders,” Denise Lopez said, adding that increased confidence propelled the sisters try to be leaders in their communi-

ties, particularly as women of color. Do we have any examples of that leadership?

Denise Lopez said having her sister selected for the Hall of Fame is a great reminder of the years they spent at Regis and “just how special they were.”

“For me, I associate Regis with a lot of pride,” Diana Lopez said. “I think still going back, almost 20 years later, you still feel part of that community. I think to take that opportunity of being part of something that still embraces you and welcomes you year after year, I carry that experience with pride.”

DIANA LOPEZ led the RMAC in scoring and steals in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.

In 2006-07, she also led all of Division II women’s basketball players with 141 total steals.

Diana Lopez and her team secured a spot in the NCAA Division II tournament three out of four years

Hard work and two Regis degrees fueled a trailblazing career

When she started working in the service department at Rickenbaugh Cadillac as a teenager, calling customers to remind them to bring their cars in for service, Mary Pacifico-Valley likely couldn’t have imagined she one day would own the entire network of Rickenbaugh dealerships.

But with determination, the support of owner Kent Rickenbaugh – and the benefit of two Regis degrees – Pacifico-Valley worked her way up. Today, as owner and president of Rickenbaugh Automotive Group, which includes Cadillac, Volvo and Infiniti dealerships, she is one of just a few women to lead a large automotive group.

Throughout her career, Regis has held a special place in Pacifico-Valley’s life. She has served the University as a volunteer, member of the Board of Trustees and friend. Recently she made a $100,000 gift to support the next generation of Regis students.

“Regis has my heart,” said Pacifico-Valley, “I know that I wouldn’t have been able to get as far as I have in my life and in business if it wasn’t for Regis University.”

In 1984, not long after she first joined Rickenbaugh at 19, she completed a bachelor’s in business administration. As she worked her way up through management positions, she returned to Regis, taking night classes, ultimately earning an MBA in finance and accounting in 1990.

“A month later, I got promoted, based on that MBA,” she says. “I owe a lot to Regis for offering that program, that worked around a working person’s schedule. Having that degree gave me confidence in my decisions. Confidence that I could get the job done. Confidence in my leadership and the skill set itself that eventually led to my purchasing the dealership itself.”

She also credits the former owner, the late Kent Rickenbaugh, and his willingness to cultivate a diverse workforce, promoting women to leadership positions at a time when few other car dealers did. “He saw something in me that allowed me to be mentored by him,” Pacifico-Valley told Automotive News TV, an online industry site.

His mentorship, and her degree, helped her land the position of general manager. “I seized the opportunity,” she told Automotive News TV. “I understood how many hours I was going to put in. I understood I had to be ethical above and beyond anything else.”

Eventually, Rickenbaugh offered her the opportunity to buy into what had been a family-owned enterprise. When he and his wife, Caroline, and their grown son Bart were killed in a plane crash in 2002, it fell to Pacifico-Valley to not only comfort employees in their loss, but to reassure them the automotive group would get through the difficult time.

In honor of her achievements as one of a few women in the country to own an automotive dealership group, Mary received the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. In 2019, she was named Colorado’s TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year, one of the automotive industry’s most prestigious honors.

Now, the long-time Regis supporter hopes her recent donation will help Regis students reach similar heights, with support for tuition and other expenses.

“If there’s anything I can do to support students who want to be there, I want to do that,” she says. “Let’s see what they can accomplish when they go out into the world. Let’s let them go out and own their own businesses and make a difference and give back.” –LB

GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING

The seventh annual Regis Gives fundraiser was our most successful yet!

We surpassed our goal, raising more than $325,000 — an increase of more than $54,000 from last year. The community’s generosity will help support 24 projects, representing a full spectrum of the Regis programs, that will deepen the student experience, fund critical scholarships and increase our community impact.

A sampling of those projects includes:

I A student immersive academic experience, focusing on social justice in Rwanda and Uganda;

I Uniforms, gear and, potentially, scholarships for the Regis Spirit team;

I A library coffee shop;

I The GLOBAL Inclusive Program, which provides college experience and education for people with intellectual disabilities;

I University Ministry-sponsored retreat and immersion programs for students.

Thanks to a generous donor, $150,000 of the money raised was matched dollar-for-dollar. More than 700 donors provided support, including Regis alumni, parents, students, friends, faculty and staff. We also had countless supporters who spread the word and activated their networks to make this year's Regis Gives one to remember. We are so grateful to all those who participated!

To celebrate the event, Regis students had the opportunity to socialize during a pancake gathering on the first day and a barbecue on the second day.

Students had the chance to participate in the “Hidden Regi Challenge,” in which students searched for a stuffed animal likeness of our mascot. Whoever found Regi got to designate $250 to the Regis Gives project of their choice.

Share Your Success

1980s

Marquis Who's Who recognized Amy Fiala (ACBC, `87, `95) for excellence in business management. Fiala currently serves as energy efficiency coordinator at Black Hills Energy.

1990s

Edward O.M. Barry (RC `91) has published a biography of Adm. Edward O. McDonnell. Admiral Eddie: The Story of America’s Greatest Naval Aviator, recounts the life of the Naval officer who won a Medal of Honor just two years after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, and, in 1919 became the first man to fly an airplane off a battleship.

Malaysia-based automotive marketplace Carsome has appointed Miguel Fernandez (ACBC `95) chief financial officer.

Cody Teets (ACBC `98), Regis University trustee and former interim University president, was named to the Board of Trustees for the Women’s Foundation of Colorado.

Indiana-based manufacturer Nibco Inc. has promoted Chris Mason (ACBC ‘99) to senior vice president of supply chain. Mason joined Nibco as an industrial engineer in 1994.

Strata Identity, a Boulder, Colo.-based distributor of identity authentication management systems, has named Erik Ruby (ACBC `99) head of sales to lead market expansion for its identity orchestration platform.

Symetra Life Insurance Company based in Bellevue, Wash., added Paul Villanova (ACBC `99) to its registered investments sales team. Villanova will serve as Symetra’s senior investment specialist.

2000s

Meshach Rhoades (RC `01), managing partner at Crowell & Moring, LLP and co-founder of the Latinas First Foundation, was named the 2024 Bill Daniels Ethical Leader of the Year. The award recognizes leaders whose work and accomplishments mirror cable television pioneer Bill Daniels’ strong commitment to ethics.

Joan Koss (ACBC `03) joined San Diego, Calif.-based wealth management firm Callan Capital as a wealth advisor. Koss will oversee the expansion of Callan Capital’s client base and deliver integrated wealth management services to clients in the Denver area.

Christian Rex van Minnen (RC `03, ACBC `07) received the Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship from the Community Foundation Santa Cruz County. His oil paintings have been exhibited worldwide and are in prominent public and private collections throughout the world.

Kellie Medious (ACBC `05) has been named vice president of operations at Erie Family Health Centers in Chicago. She had served as associate vice president of patient access operations and other roles since joining Erie in 2016. Medious also serves as Erie's diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging officer.

Julie deFalco (RHCHP `06) was named University of Colorado Boulder’s assistant vice chancellor and campus controller. deFalco joined the Finance and Business Strategy team, effective June 3, 2024.

Ken Gilbert, (ACBC `07, `09) published Voices that Died Too Soon, a novel featuring multiple characters intertwined by music.

Maricka Rogers-Randall (ACBC `07), and Edward Randall announced the adoption of their son, Corbin Emil Rogers Randall, on March 12.

The Wissahickon School District, outside Philadelphia, has appointed Timothy W. Bricker (ACBC `06) as its new business administrator.

Emily Swisher (RHCHP `07) has published STABLE: A Therapist and the Healing Nature of Horses, a memoir based on her experiences as a psychotherapist incorporating equines into therapy.

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has appointed Dr. José A. Acosta, (ACBC `08) as director of the agency’s Public Health Division. He previously led the Developmental Disabilities Supports Division. The Public Health Division develops health policy, works with individuals, families, and communities to ensure access to health care services, to promote health and prevent disease, injury, disability and premature death.

Jessy Clark (ACBC `08) has been named chief executive officer of Denver’s Swallow Hill Music. Clark has been serving as chief operating officer with the nonprofit since 2017. The 45-year-old Swallow Hill is a concert hub as well as the nation’s second-largest acoustic-focused music school.

Jodi L. Romero (ACBC `09) was recognized by Marquis Who's Who for her decades-long contributions to quality engineering and project management. Romero is currently a quality engineer at Sandia National Laboratories.

Zoo Knoxville named Drew Rowan (ACBC ‘09) as interim president and CEO. Rowan’s appointment began on Jan. 1, 2024.

J. Michael Pressimone, Ph.D., (RC `09) has been named vice president for advancement at St. Bonaventure University, a Catholic institution in New York state. Pressimone previously served as president of Notre Dame College in suburban Cleveland and Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Mo. His higher education career spans more than three decades, the majority in the advancement area.

2010s

Sydney Backsen (RHCHP `10) joined Essentia Health-Mid Dakota Bismarck Gateway Clinic. Backsen is an advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse practitioner specializing in dermatology.

Rebecca Wong (ACBC `11), a conservator and architectural historian, has been recognized for her achievements in historic preservation. She is now an American Institute for Conservation Professional Associate and Association for Preservation Technology International Recognized Professional.

Kristy Brooks-Olk (ACBC `12) has been named dean of Colorado Mountain College’s School of Business. Colorado Mountain College serves communities in eight Colorado counties and nine school districts with three residential campuses in Steamboat Springs, Leadville and Spring Valley.

After 16 years as an associate professor in Decker’s Division of Nursing at Binghampton University in New York and a career spanning over 40 years, Mary Muscari (RC `12) announced her retirement. Muscari is nationally recognized as a pediatric nurse practitioner, psychiatric clinical specialist and forensic nursing clinical specialist. Congratulations, Mary!

Andrea Burch (RHCHP `13) has been named president of Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge, Colo. She had been serving as interim president. She began her nursing career in high school, as a certified nursing assistant. She joined Lutheran in 2008 as a neurocritical care nurse. More recently, she served as vice president and chief nursing officer and chief operating officer.

Whitney Gilbert-Clarkson (ACBC `13) was named to the board of directors for the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation. The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colo. Is being revitalized as a community hub for arts and culture.

Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Steven Brault (RC `15) has joined SportsNet Pittsburgh’s broadcasting team. He is expected to provide coverage during Pirates home games. Brault, a lefty, posted a 4.77 ERA and 291 strikeouts in 343 1/3 innings over five years with the Pirates. A voice major at Regis he was profiled in the Spring 2020 issue of Regis magazine, also made history as likely the only major league pitcher to release an album of Broadway show tunes during his playing days. HIs pitching career was cut short by arm and shoulder injuries.

Jenny Duong (RHCHP `18) and Erik Osterlund (RC `18) were married this spring in a ceremony officiated by Rev. Kevin Burke, S.J., Regis vice president of Mission. The bride recently earned her doctorate in physical therapy and the groom is pursuing a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The couple met as Regis students, and numerous alumni and staff attended the wedding.

2020s

Amber Hott (RC `22) was elected to the Westminster, Colo., city council in November 2023. During her campaign, Hott, who works as a legislative aid for Colorado Democratic State Sen. Joann Ginal, (D-Larimer County), said she hoped to help Westminster become an affordable place to live for more people.

Anthony J. Clark (ACBC `23) is research and innovation administrator for the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation. DIA broke ground in December 2023 on the CEEA training center which will help create a pipeline of aviation talent within the Denver community. CEEA will focus on attracting under-represented communities, historically underutilized businesses, people of color and women to the aviation industry.

Chris Lanciotti (RC `09) is executive director of the nonprofit Creatio, Inc., which uses the natural beauty of Colorado to inspire deeper conversations among youth and young adults. For the past 15 years, he has worked in the nonprofit and ministry sectors, most directly with the Christian Life Movement in Peru.

He said his nonprofit’s mission was inspired by Ignatian values and ideals.

“I can’t think of a place where the Regis mission doesn’t influence my work,” Lanciotti said. “I think I see it most in how we build a culture of dialogue around our work that invites and also challenges each person in our organization and every person that we meet to become their true selves.”

Lanciotti graduated from Regis with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, and later he graduated with a master’s in theology and theological studies from the Augustine Institute.

He said the biggest lesson he learned while at Regis was the value of community action over personal achievement, as he served on the Regis University Student Government Association (RUSGA), which showed him the value of teamwork.

“The community-based approach to things at Regis that permeates the entire campus really led me to prioritize community decision and action in my life after that time,” he said.

He said Regis’ Catholic identity was very important to him.

“The friends I met at Regis that helped encourage and strengthen my faith have become life-long companions that challenge me to be a better person,” Lanciotti said.

Devin Wagner (ACBC `18, `19) is a software engineer at AbsenceSoft, a company that aims to assist human resources professionals and similar employees. His work is centered on crafting software solutions to alleviate the stress that comes with managing leave requests and to ensure a smoother process for everyone involved.

“I’m dedicated to advancing the Regis mission by using technology to improve people’s lives,” Wagner said. “Within my team, I promote collaboration and inclusivity, ensuring our work reflects the values of excellence and respect.”

Wagner said during a service-learning trip to Nicaragua while a student at Regis, he worked with local people and witnessed the effects something as basic as clean water had on peoples’ lives. He said seeing the daily struggles and challenges faced by individuals who lacked access to clean water was “incredibly eye-opening.”

“Regis emphasized the importance of valuing diverse perspectives and recognizing that everyone's opinion holds relevance,” he said. “This lesson has been invaluable in my professional journey, as I've come to appreciate the power of collaboration and the wealth of insights that come from working alongside individuals with varying backgrounds and viewpoints. Furthermore, Regis taught me that progress cannot be achieved alone.”

Wagner said he tries to stay in touch with Regis University by offering prospective students insight into life on campus and answering their questions.

FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS

1950 s

Richard J. Kemme (RC ’52)

John Gerald Shea (RC’ 59)

1960 s

Alfred Paul Rossi (RC ’62)

James Edward Fisher (RC ’63)

Edward Donald Allan (RC ’64)

Dennis M. Baumgartner (RC ’65)

John Joseph Hesse Jr. (RC ’65)

Charles Alfred Segalas (RC ’68)

1980 s

James F. Hegarty Jr. (RC ’87)

Patricia Stevinson (RC ’83)

1990 s

Richard Scott Beckman (ACBC ’90)

Joanne Taylor Forgue (RC ’90)

2000 s

Andrew Michael Cullen (RC ’01)

Gregory Michael Schoeninger (ACBC ’03, ’05)

2010 s

Ahmed S. Zahidi (RC’ 15, RHCHP ’16)

RHCHP | Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions

ACBC | Anderson College of Business and Computing

RC | Regis College

Richard H. Truly was an aeronautical engineer, Navy pilot, astronaut who piloted the Space Shuttle Columbia, and the first former astronaut to lead NASA. To his family, though, he was Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpathe guy who taught his kids how to drive and mow the lawn, a stargazer, birdwatcher and stamp-collector.

Truly passed away Feb. 27 at 86 years old. The Mississippi native graduated from Georgia Tech in 1959, then became a Navy test pilot. In 1981, he piloted Columbia, becoming the first American grandfather in space.

After his astronaut days, Truly commanded the Naval Space Command and then returned to NASA after the Challenger disaster, restoring the Shuttle program.

Truly later served as VP at Georgia Tech and directed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. It was there he met Rev. David Clarke, leading to Truly joining the Regis Board of Trustees. Truly received numerous honors, including the Navy's Distinguished Flying Cross and NASA's Distinguished Service Medal. The latter put him in the company space-travel pioneers like Neil Armstrong, John Glenn and Gus Grissom.

In 2007, Truly donated his personal archives to Regis, where they are held in the Dayton Memorial Library as part of the Richard H. Truly U.S. Space Program Collection.

As his obituary in The Denver Post declared, “Richard Truly had one hell of a life and will be missed to the ends of the Earth.”

Regis mourns the recent loss of two promising students beloved by the campus community.

Maya Rain Waalkes, known to her friends, family and classmates as an exceptional, joyous person with a gift for communication and a habit of calling her professors by their whole names – always with a sparkle in her eye -died May 2. She was 19.

Waalkes entered Regis as a freshman to study natural sciences, biology and psychology. Her family said her academic interests reflected “her deep love of God’s creation,” and added that “she was an adventurer who found great joy in the natural world, and she desired to help bring focus as to how we can interact with nature in a healthy and sustainable way. She cared deeply about people and loved being part of the growth of a community. “

To honor their daughter, her parents have established The Rain Waalkes Memorial Fund, which will support third-culture kids (TCK’s) and adolescents struggling with mental health issues.

Darren Espinoza, a rising Regis senior and U.S. Navy Corpsman veteran who was well-loved by all who knew him, died unexpectedly on May 26. He was 29 years old.

Espinoza, known as “Espi” to his friends, served eight years for our country on the U.S. Naval Ship Mercy and with the 3/8 Marines. He was studying Health and Exercise Science at Regis. An active member of the Denver rugby community, Darren played on multiple teams, including for Regis and the Denver Barbarians.

The Regis community held a memorial service in honor of Espinoza in June, highlighting his impact and care for all who knew him.

Confidential support with a trained crisis counselor is available 24/7 for everyone in the U.S. by texting the National 988 Crisis Lifeline at 988 or via chat at 988lifeline. org. Military Veterans may also access the Veteran Crisis line at 988, Option 1, for support with a counselor from US Dept. of Veterans Affairs.

Hey Regi,

In this world of woke or WOW, I constantly stress about the decisions I make and whether my opinions align with everyone else's. Should I make myself heard or do I just bite my tongue?

Really? Why would you bite your own tongue? Absolutely no nutritional value in that. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I know you've got far more important things to do, like pretending to care about what your coworkers think about your new haircut, or frantically checking your Instagram feed to see if anyone liked your breakfast photo. Shocker alert: They didn't.

into the nearest dumpster (although if you do, I might dig them out for my den decor).

CONUNDRUM COUNSELOR

Here's the thing about humans that I've figured out from my nightly escapades through your dumpsters: you're all just as self-absorbed as I am. That's right. I said it. The cold, hard facts. The world revolves around me and my insatiable hunger, and when I'm out scavenging, I'm not thinking about whether the raccoons think my tail is fluffy enough. I'm focused on survival my friends, and you should be too. So why do you spend so much time worrying about what everyone else thinks of you?

Well let's break it down, Regi style:

1. Nobody's Watching: Trust me, I've got the night vision to prove it. When I'm out scurrying through your neighborhoods, I don't see people peeking out of their curtains, whispering about your fashion choices or your questionable karaoke skills. They’re busy binge-watching "Bake Off" or listening to another lame true crime podcast. They're not watching you, and if they are, they’ve got bigger issues than your mismatched socks.

2. Opinions Are Like Chicken Bones: You know what's great about chicken bones? I get to chew on them for a while, then spit them out when I'm done. That's how you should treat other people's opinions. Chew on them if they're tasty, but don't swallow them whole. Just because someone doesn't like your new Chuck Taylors, doesn't mean you need to toss them

3. No one really cares: Foxes don't worry about what other animals think. Do I stress about whether the rabbits find my coat too flowingly, beautifully, crimson? Nope. I do my thing, scamper through the forest, and if anyone has a problem with that, they can take it up with my canines. So wear that horrendous coffee-stained Regis sweatshirt with pride, sing your heart out to Tail-or Swiftail in the shower, and dance like nobody's watching— because they're not. And don't slip in the shower.

Here's the skinny, folks: The more you care about other people's opinions, the less time you have to be your fabulicious self. So let go of the stress, embrace your inner fox, and focus on what truly matters—like finding the best spots for a nap, the tastiest rodent-flavored donuts, and the people who really get you.

So, my fellow non-furries, stop worrying about what everyone else thinks. Be bold, be daring, and most importantly, be yourself because everyone else is already taken. In the grand scheme of things, the world is too busy dealing with its own garbage to care about yours. Mmm... garbage.

P.S. If you're feeling low, just remember: At least you're not the squirrel I chased up a tree last night. Poor little guy's still there. He could use a little perspective, too.

Care free, Fear free, Born free, as free as the wind blows, (adorable flick - ask your parents)

-

REGIS REBUS

Put on your thinking caps and get ready to decipher a brainteasing rebus puzzle, where words and pictures combine to create a clever phrase or message.

Answers at the bottom of the page.

1

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2

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