University of Denver Spring 2025

Our profession is called to be in the service of others, to see everyone with dignity and worth and to see them in their environment without judgment.

Another issue that’s uni q ue to the area is the lack of lawyers representing plaintiffs in employment cases, making it what’s known as a “legal desert.” L indsay Fallon (MSW ’ 15) received her degree on the D enver campus and, after running programming in

T he close - knit nature of these communities can be a double - edged sword for social workers, too. E veryday tasks like grocery shopping

or attending social events can be challenging when clients are around. At the same time, providing care locally and creating a sense of togetherness helps sustain a thriving workforce in a place they call home, and where millions vacation. The long game In rural communities, collaboration isn’t a buzzword for a L inkedIn post ; it’s a necessary foundation for any successful initiative. “ T his valley gets smaller and smaller the longer that you live here,” says Forbes. “ P eople tend to play the long game and invest in relationships over time, which is important to building the social fabric of a place.” T hat’s why DU ’s program is building relationships with C M C and Colorado M esa U niversity to create a pipeline of MSW students. T hey’re also reaching out to high schools, telling students about the varied career paths a degree in social work can offer, with a particular emphasis on recruiting bilingual students. T he program’s leaders and graduates share a sense of accountability to their rural communities, driven by the desire to build more resilient towns through a legion of changemakers. N eighborly accountability shapes the program’s impact and ensures its future success. S tudents enroll not just for a degree but to care for the communities they call home. “ J ust imagine if this program was not in existence,” says G air. “ T here would be approximately 100 fewer people in the workforce. It’s been a game changer for this region.” T he frameworks and skills they’ve gained from the program are crucial to creating the world they envision : one that is compassionate and just and helps those in need. Although 100 graduates might not seem like a lot to urbanites, the ripple effect is transforming Colorado’s mountain communities from the inside out. “ O ur profession is called to be in the service of others, to see everyone with dignity and worth, and to see them in their environment without judgment,” says S ilva E strada. “Imagine the type of community and environment that could bring in a world that’s super divisive right now.”

D enver with T owards J ustice, a nonpro fi t law fi rm that represents low - wage workers, she moved to G lenwood S prings to expand the program’s presence in the western part of the state. Fallon has witnessed employers in the region blacklist and retaliate against workers who speak up about workplace safety or wage and hour violations. T hese intimidation tactics have an especially harmful impact on mountain town workers, where job opportunities are scarcer than in urban areas, she says. As a result, many employees stay silent, fearing retribution. H er goal is to level the playing fi eld for workers. “ M y hope is that workers — the lifeblood of our communities — have the kinds of protections and legal support to ensure that their participation in our economies is sustainable and digni fi ed,” says Fallon. “ W e live in a community with considerable ine q uity. T his is a problem that won’t go away without a continued fi ght.”

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2025