University of Denver Fall 2023

GIVING BACK Commencement 2023 focuses on resilience, giving back

This fall, for example, they’re offering everything from a class on the 20th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and “Putin and His Wars” to “The Art of Paella” and “Finding Your Fun: How Play Can Save Your Life and More.” Because they plan the curriculum six months in advance, they have to be quite forward-thinking. That was never more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they had to pivot their entire schedule online practically overnight—and demand skyrocketed. They held a series of daily lectures in the summer of 2020 that each drew 300+ people, not only from Denver but from around the country and the world. The program has returned to in-person classes, but about half of its curriculum is still online. They have added the R1 Lecture Series to highlight faculty research and morphed the popular daily COVID lectures into a free series called Feed Your Curiosity, which gives a taste of what the Enrichment Program has to offer: learning for anyone, anywhere, and a fun way to keep up with what’s happening at DU and around the world. Matthew Logan, (pictured, right, with grad Eli Locke) a political science major from Canon City, Colorado, went to work after graduation as an intern for Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo from Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. He used the money to purchase birthday gifts for his brother and father and to invest in his financial future. What’s left, he says, will be spent on DU hockey tickets and future business ventures. “Mr. Hamill’s gift served as an extraordinary reminder to think of others,” Logan says. “Whether directly investing in others or investing in ourselves so that we can contribute to others more effectively in the future, it is important that we give back and help one another succeed collectively.” Hundreds were on hand as the University awarded philanthropist Carrie Morgridge an honorary Doctor of Education as the ceremony’s commencement speaker. Morgridge, who has served on DU’s Board of Trustees for more than 10 years and heads up the Morgridge Family Foundation, is also the benefactor, along with her husband John, of the Morgridge College of Education. “[Carrie’s] drive, generosity and vision are truly inspiring, and I’m thrilled she is here to celebrate you all—the next generation of DU alumni committed to serving the public good,” said Chancellor Haefner. DU Magazine followed up with some undergraduates to see how they’ve used their $500 gifts.

On June 10, thousands gathered in Magness Arena to celebrate the undergraduate class of 2023—a gathering that seemed impossible just three years earlier, as the then-first year students grappled with the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic. In his remarks, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner commended the graduates for their resilience. “I know it took hard work and dedication to earn your degrees … but you persevered,” he said. When commencement speaker Pat Hamill, Daniels College of Business alumnus and CEO of Oakwood Homes, took the stage, the focus shifted to the graduates’ future

and the importance of giving. “There is something I need each of you to do,” he said. “Today, I want you to practice giving back.” He went on to announce that he was giving each graduate a gift of $500. As the stunned crowd cheered,

Hamill said, “Keep it if you really need it. Give it to someone who needs it if you don’t. Or combine it with your friends and do something together. … Keep it real and do something that matters.” Gifts and giving was also a theme at the 2023 graduate commencement ceremony held the day before, on June 9.

LIFELONG LEARNING Enrichment Program celebrates 20 years of lifelong learning

For 20 years, the Enrichment Program at DU’s Univer sity College has been serving up a smorgasbord of classes for the community that celebrates lifelong learning and showcases the best of DU—from the first-class facilities to the expert faculty and their cutting-edge research. With more than 50 multi-week classes and one-time lectures, this fall’s offerings continue the thought-provoking and accessible programming that former DU Chancellor Dan Ritchie, former Dean of University College, Jim Davis and others had in mind two decades ago when they launched the program as a series of free lectures. The series was so popular that Davis decided to turn it into a full-fledged program for adult learners—and the Enrichment Program was born. “The program has always been a bridge to the communi ty,” says Lynn Wells, the program’s director. “People know DU is here, in the middle of the city, but they don’t really know all the great things that are happening on this campus.” Each term, Wells and her team start from scratch to create an ambitious curriculum that offers something for everyone. Classes, which are taught by faculty and industry experts, come from modified DU classes but also from current events, milestones, anniversaries of historic events—basically, Wells says, “what’s on people’s minds.”

Learn more about the Enrichment Program and explore its catalog at https://universitycollege. du.edu/enrichment

8 | UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE • FALL 2023