Finding Community

10 years of the Bridge Scholars Program

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 14:04:04 +0000

10 years of the Bridge Scholars Program Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/30/2024 - 08:04

The Bridge Scholars Program, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this summer, is more than just a program. Its mission is to support first-generation Colorado residents from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds. Based in the Office of Precollege Outreach and Engagement within the Division of Enrollment Management at CU Boulder, the program has evolved from a summer initiative into a comprehensive support system aimed at enhancing CU's precollegiate programs.

It equips students with essential skills to navigate the transition to university and pursue higher education by nurturing scholarly development, creating a supportive peer community and promoting professional growth. The program's goals are to foster connections and growth among students, and it has continued to thrive by providing effective mentorship, fostering a strong sense of community at CU and offering unwavering support to students.

Over the years, the program has consistently pushed boundaries to ensure academic and personal success for first-generation students. This unwavering commitment has been instrumental in helping these students thrive and reach their full potential, instilling confidence in the program's effectiveness. Under the leadership of a dedicated team, including Maria Castro Barajas, director; Angie Chavez-Lopez, assistant director; Janeth Villalobos, coordinator; and an exceptional group of eleven student staff, the Bridge Scholars Program has become a cornerstone of student support.

During the summer celebration, Chancellor Justin Schwartz emphasized the importance of community and resources, encouraging participants to seek help and connect with him on campus. His appreciation for the program's impact resonates with its mission and goals to provide essential skills to navigate CU Boulder, foster peer connections and create a sense of belonging for first-generation students.

The Bridge Scholars Program is dedicated to guiding first-generation students throughout their academic journey. It provides mentorship and resources that empower students to overcome challenges, seize opportunities and achieve their goals. As the program looks forward to another decade, it continues to celebrate the successes of its students and the legacy it has created.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, CU Boulder's Bridge Scholars Program supports first-generation, traditionally underrepresented Colorado students by providing mentorship, fostering community, and promoting academic and professional growth.

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Festival dazzled through culture and community

Anonymous — Thu, 02 May 2024 18:22:09 +0000

Festival dazzled through culture and community Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/02/2024 - 12:22

College of Engineering and Applied Science

The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers at CU Boulder recently organized the Asian American and Pacific Islanders: All New Year Festival. More than 450 people attended the cultural celebration, which featured important cultural aspects through art, music, dance, language and cuisine.

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Breaking chains, forging community: Insights from the TRANSforming Gender Conference

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:28:39 +0000

Breaking chains, forging community: Insights from the TRANSforming Gender Conference Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/28/2024 - 12:28

Unity and resilience were the themes of the TRANSforming Gender Conference, where attendees celebrated queer joy and explored gender identity and activism. Through personal stories and workshops, they forged connections, gained insights and became better equipped to break chains and foster inclusive communities.

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Embracing the Prime Era: How the band is thriving beyond the field

Anonymous — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 19:27:30 +0000

Embracing the Prime Era: How the band is thriving beyond the field Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/31/2023 - 13:27

Ally Dever , Nicholas Goda

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU81Pr8DyA8]

When students living in dorms on campus hear the festive sounds of horns and percussion coming from Farrand Field, they know it’s game day at CU Boulder.

For the last 115 years, through rain, shine and snow, the College of Music’s Golden Buffalo Marching Band has served as an enduring rallying point, uniting the campus community in support of its beloved football team.

A student organization of more than 230 members, the marching band performs at all home football games, at the Pearl Street Stampede on the evening before home games and at various events off campus.

“We pride ourselves on being the tradition, heartbeat, spirit and pride of the university,“ said Matthew Dockendorf, director of the Golden Buffalo Marching Band. “We are the group on campus that announces a game day has arrived.”

Since the hiring of Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, game days have taken on a new meaning for the Boulder community...and the band is feeling the love.

“It's heightening our presence on campus and in the community,” said Dockendorf. “You can feel the energy even 15–20 minutes before we get ready to perform—there are more people, they're more excited, they're wearing Buffs gear and wanting to interact with the band.”

During his inaugural year, Coach Prime has swiftly emerged as the pulse of campus culture, making regular appearances at local eateries, bolstering local businesses and drawing large crowds to Boulder.

His passion and dedication to excellence has spread like wildfire across campus, spearheading significant transformation not only in the football program but throughout student life, including the marching band.

In February, Sanders held a meeting with Dockendorf and other band leaders in hopes of establishing a joint relationship between the football team and the band, mirroring the practices seen at historically black colleges and universities such as Jackson State University, where Sanders previously served as head coach.

“At HBCUs, it’s kind of traditional that the bands kind of coincides,” Sanders said in a YouTube video posted by Well Off Media. “I know it’s a difference, but it don’t have to be. We like one big happy family.”

In their meeting, Sanders and the band discussed ways to incorporate his vision for the team and his own personal brand in the traditions of CU Boulder game days. Now, the marching band plays Sanders’ theme song titled “Halftime” by the Ying Yang Twins at every game.

John Davis, dean of the College of Music, believes Sanders has set a precedent not only for the marching band but the overall campus community.

“I really admire [Sanders] and I think he's setting a fine example for the public, for his team and for campus leaders, including myself and others,” said Davis. “I think he's inspiring us to believe we can be better than we thought we could before, and that's an amazing message.”

The band always wins

Only around 20% of marching band members are majoring in music-related fields. The majority are non-music majors who join the band to incorporate their passion into their college experience.

“The marching band impacts the lives of students from across campus and that's part of our mission to develop universal, multifaceted, multi-skilled graduates,” said Davis. “Whether students are majoring in music, or another field, the integration of music into their lives and potentially into parts of their careers is what we're all about.”

Similar to the football team, the band's success hinges on the collective efforts of its members. They've dedicated themselves to early morning rehearsals at 5 a.m. for morning games and have persevered through late-night performances that extend until 1 a.m.

Among the many extracurricular programs within the College of Music, Davis believes the marching band creates the most long-lasting sense of camaraderie, collaboration and community for students.

“There's something very special about being an individual who becomes part of a collective, and knows the resulting product is greater than the sum of those parts,” said Davis. “All the work they do, the long hours they spend rehearsing, and then to realize that in the end what they have created together is impactful...that's a beautiful thing.”

According to Davis, many supporters of the College of Music for years have said, despite the successes or challenges of the football team, the band always shows up.

“Even in past years when the football team wasn't projected to be great and the stands were almost empty, fans knew that Ralphie was gonna run, the cheerleaders were going to cheer, and the band was going to be in full throttle from beginning to end.”

As we look forward to welcoming alumni, friends and families back to Boulder for Homecoming weekend, there’s one thing to keep in mind: No matter the hype, no matter the score—the band always wins.

Since the hiring of Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, game days have taken on a new meaning for the Boulder community....and the band is feeling the love.

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‘I feel like I truly belong at CU.’ Meet CMCI’s impressive Class of 2027

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 21:08:05 +0000

‘I feel like I truly belong at CU.’ Meet CMCI’s impressive Class of 2027 Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/03/2023 - 15:08

College of Media, Communication and Information

This fall, the College of Media, Communication and Information welcomed the largest and most academically qualified class of students in its history.

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Professor aims to comfort, protect students in aftermath of Club Q

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 20:02:28 +0000

Professor aims to comfort, protect students in aftermath of Club Q Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 02/21/2023 - 13:02

Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine

Kristie Soares, assistant professor of women and gender studies and co-director of the LGBTQ Certificate Program, outlines resources, safe spaces and people’s varying experience of grief.

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Student helps fellow Transfer Buffs make friends, get involved

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 14:21:30 +0000

Student helps fellow Transfer Buffs make friends, get involved Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/30/2022 - 08:21

CU Boulder can feel like a big place with a lot going on, and it can be challenging to figure out what to do outside of class or how to meet friends—especially as a transfer student. After a lonely first year, senior Nicola Wheeler now works as a peer mentor to help Transfer Buffs find community on campus.

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Slay the Runway: Fashion workshop celebrates, empowers LGBTQ+ youth

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 20:43:31 +0000

Slay the Runway: Fashion workshop celebrates, empowers LGBTQ+ youth Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/08/2022 - 14:43

Ally Dever , Nicholas Goda

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gGhnZ-6eVE]

Slay the Runway, which first launched in fall 2021, is a workshop in fashion design, performance and sewing, aimed at creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ teens to express themselves. At the conclusion of a two-week session, students participated in a professionally produced runway show at the ATLAS Institute's B2 Center for Media, Arts and Performance.

Watch this summer’s participants create and perform their own inspired looks, while program co-founder Steven Frost (pronouns: they/them), a professor of media studies, discusses how the workshop celebrates and empowers our local LGBTQ+ communities.

Learn more about Slay the Runway.

Slay the Runway is a workshop in fashion design, performance and sewing, aimed at creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ teens to express themselves. Watch this year’s participants create and perform their own inspired looks, while program co-founder Steven Frost discusses how the workshop celebrates and empowers our local LGBTQ+ communities.

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Despite pandemic, students open doors

Anonymous — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 15:13:40 +0000

Despite pandemic, students open doors Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/24/2022 - 09:13

Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been restrictive and isolating, students have sought stronger, inclusive communities and used creative means to generate understanding and connection with others in need. Here are three students who strive to make their communities stronger.

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CU museum program encourages student workers to be purposeful changemakers

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 18:38:52 +0000

CU museum program encourages student workers to be purposeful changemakers Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/31/2022 - 12:38

As inherent learning environments and places for young adults to embark on professional pathways, universities have special opportunities to help today’s young adults cultivate skills that can help positively impact our world.

Museums—as places of community gathering, free-choice learning, research and stewardship of objects—offer many opportunities for students to gain meaningful professional experiences to engage community audiences in learning and connection, support scientific research using museum collections, and envision new ways for museums to support our societies and our planet.

The CU Museum of Natural History created the Change Collective program in hopes of equipping students with tools and experiences to pursue purposeful and sustainable career pathways as changemakers. The program intertwines museum employment, a personal/professional development program for the cohort, and even, a microcredential rooted in self-reflection and peer support.

“We developed and piloted this special program during the COVID-19 pandemic to help students grow in their confidence and professional abilities to make a positive impact in the world, while also nourishing their own personal growth and balance,” said program coordinator Rebecca Coon.

On April 2, Change Collective participants are hosting a Sustainable Futures Fest from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for fellow CU students. Attendees can drop in and engage in hands-on activities and conversations regarding building more sustainable futures and the natural world.

On April 13, the group will host a showcase and open house, where attendees can hear from the program’s first cohort of students about their backgrounds, the future directions they wish to explore, and how various aspects of this program have influenced large shifts and small pivots in their visions of their futures.

Sustainable Futures Fest

Saturday, April 2, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
CU Museum of Natural History

Refreshments provided. Registration requested.

Student Showcase + Open House

Wednesday, April 13, 5–7 p.m.
CU Museum of Natural History, Paleontology Hall

Refreshments provided. Registration requested.

For some, their museum job experiences have opened up unseen possibilities for future careers. For others, specific reflection activities and personal/professional development sessions have helped them see themselves in new ways and helped clarify their desired directions. After each of them share their stories, chat with them at discussion tables focused on different aspects of “success,” including: life path pivots, finding balance, overcoming obstacles and being a changemaker.

“Beyond their microcredentials and earned wages, I believe the biggest takeaways for the students have been a deepened self-awareness of what drives them and a more refined sense of possibilities for interesting and purposeful career pathways…” continued Coon, “something very inspiring for their collective futures!”

For more information about the Change Collective’s free programs please visit the museum's website.

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