University of Denver Winter 2023

Winter 2023

RESEARCH FOR PEACE & PROSPERITY

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Just blocks away from DU’s Denver campus, the Chamberlin Observatory welcomes star-struck students and the community at large with a range of educational programs. To learn more about the observatory, managed by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, please see page 30.

Contents Winter 2023

magazine.du.edu du-magazine@du.edu 303.871.2776 Volume 23, Issue 2

FEATURES 20 Research for Peace and Prosperity

Executive Editor Renea Morris

Managing Editor Tamara Chapman

Across the disciplines, DU’s research community is dedicated to serving the public good and fostering a better world.

Art Director René Moffatt Senior Editor Heather Hein

30 Galaxy Hopping at the

Chamberlin Observatory The stars come out when DU trains its refracting telescope on the night sky.

Contributing Writers Emma Atkinson Janette Ballard Matt Meyer Connor Mokrzycki Jon Stone Designers Kari Burns Brooke Harman Production Designer Todd Fisher Photographers Wayne Armstrong Connor Mokrzycki

DEPARTMENTS

6 Campus Update 12 Arts 14 Academics 16 Athletics 18 Books 33 Alumni Connections

DIGITAL EXCLUSIVES @magazine.du.edu Don’t miss: Historian Susan Schulten introduces readers to a 19th century education innovator. In his new book, a sociology professor explores the perils of denial. Denver 101: The historic Shorter AME Church in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood is a community treasure.

The University of Denver Magazine is published four times a year (fall, winter, spring and summer) by the University of Denver, Division of Marketing and Communications, 2199 S. University Blvd., Denver, CO 80208-4816. The University of Denver (Colorado Seminary) is an Equal Opportunity Institution.

Printed on 10% PCW recycled paper

Photo by Todd Christensen

WINTER 2023 • UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE | 1

At DU, research shapes every dimension of the student experience LETTER FROM THE CHANCELLOR By Jeremy Haefner

and careers and lives of purpose. And we’re using that expertise to inform the processes, opportunities, services and support our students experience from their first day on campus to their graduation. I’ll share an example. Several DU faculty members are serving as consultants and content experts in support of the DU 4D Experience. The research of one of these faculty members is on emotional self-regulation—a pivotal skill supporting lifelong well-being. Another’s is on the power and necessity of empathetic communication, a value we hope to instill in all our students. And yet another’s work focuses on reflection and the vital skill of being able to understand new ideas thoroughly enough to draw upon them, even in contexts wildly different from when they were first encountered. So, what does this look like in practice? These faculty members, and others, consult with the career center, study abroad, the health and counseling center and other student services to give research- backed insight on how to translate the four dimen sions into their programs. As well, they serve on several committees where they can bring their expertise and perspectives to bear in conversations across the University. Through this work, we are building a cross-university culture and environment that results in ample opportunities for students to make connections between their dimensions, such as their wellness, for example, and their ability to build the lives and careers they desire. And all this work is based on DU’s own evidence-based research on vitality and how students learn best. In this issue, you’ll get a glimpse of the breadth and depth of the knowledge creation happening at DU—from exploring how an urban environment impacts crickets (see page 27) to new studies showing a dynamic geopolitical shift between China and the U.S. (see page 21). And from these initiatives and so many more, we gain invaluable insights and data, which we can put into the hands of people across campus and the world to make positive changes, big and small, that define our students’ time here at DU and improve the world they go into once they graduate.

Photo by Wayne Armstrong

For me, research has always been an essential part of higher education. After all, it represents a critical component of what it means to be human—a sense of curiosity that drives toward better understanding, and improving, the world. Research and its impact are key reasons I pursued a career in higher education. Research also improves our ability to best serve our students. To give our students a holistic 4D Experience, the University of Denver draws upon the deep well of knowledge that exists right here on campus. The teaching and research of DU’s faculty members span countless fields directly related to the four dimensions of our 4D Experience: intellectual growth, character development, well-being,

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D O U B L E T H E I MPAC T O F YO U R G I F T Transform the future of the Lamont School of Music

Through the Michael McGoldrick Matching Gift Campaign, your gift to Lamont will be matched one-to one, doubling the impact of your generosity.

Made possible through the bequest of long-standing Lamont donor and community member Michael McGoldrick, the match applies to all eligible gifts, up to a total of $4 million. Every gift brings us closer to maximizing this incredible opportunity. Your gift to the University of Denver can have double the impact for our students and their educational experiences.

Transform the education of our students, resources for faculty, and the experience of our audience.

go.du.edu/lamontmatch

WINTER 2023 • UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE | 3

DU’s dedication to the public good offers personal inspiration LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR By Renea Morris

One of the things that drew me to the University of Denver was what I saw as a real focus on real problems. I was intrigued to see how a private institution would demonstrate its dedication to the public good. How could DU change the world? Seeing the many and varied types of partnerships and initiatives on campus, I began to be inspired. When you read this quarter’s issue, you’ll see why. Once you get your fill of the features focused on DU’s faculty experts, I hope you’ll also discover the distinctive approaches taken by two alums, Ryan Mclean (BSBA ’16) and Dylah Ray (BA ’10), to create tasty and beautiful food. If you weren’t hungry before you started reading the articles, you will be by the time you finish. If you’ve read previous letters where I’ve talked about how I approach each year, you know that rather than craft a set of reso lutions, I choose a single word that helps me consider how I’ll approach the new year and all of its yet-to-be-realized opportunities.

Photo by Wayne Armstrong

For 2023, I chose “intentional” as my word of the year to help me focus on what’s important to me. That may seem a bit selfish, especially knowing how important it is to think of others and the public good, but I believe that if one doesn’t set an intention, achieving a desired outcome is not assured. If we embrace being more intentional, we’ll achieve bigger and better goals in all aspects of our lives. We’ll live our values. And we’ll be better equipped to change the world.

intentional adjective in·ten·tion·al in- ’ ten(t)-shə-n ə l - ’ tench-nəl done by intention or design : intended

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Thank you for your continued interest in University of Denver Magazine. We value your insight and would appreciate your thoughts on this issue of our publication. Your feedback will help us continue bringing you the stories that interest you the most. What Do You Think?

Take three minutes to tell us what you think. du.edu/shareyourthoughts

VOLUNTEER Join DU alumni and friends in hosting hockey watch parties, welcoming new DU alumni to your city or greeting incoming DU students. Visit volunteering.du.edu

FOR THE DU COMMUN I T Y NEAR & FAR

J O I N

The DU network is expanding throughout the country, including in Las Vegas and South Florida. Find out more or learn how you can start a regional chapter in your area. Contact Brent Thompson at brent.thompson@ du.edu or visit alumni. du.edu/du-networks

G I VE Find out how you can make a meaningful difference in students’ lives by giving to DU. Contact Ross Williams at ross.williams@du.edu

WINTER 2023 • UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE | 5

Over the past decade, participating in the University of Denver’s Crimson Classic 5K run/1.5-mile walk has become a tradition for wellness-minded alumni, students, faculty, staff and members of the communities flanking campus. The 2022 event, which took place on Oct. 21, coincided with Homecoming weekend and benefited from a campus decked out in autumn splendor.

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TRADITIONS The DU community comes out for Homecoming 2022

been “tremendously helpful” as she has navigated college and prepared for life after graduation. She learned about the LEP from her high school tutor in Connecticut and says that it was a factor in her decision to enroll at DU. “Without the LEP, the beginning of college would have been really difficult and would have set me behind,” she says. “It was so helpful to meet with the same person every week who tracked my progress and kept me in check. I can’t really imagine what it would have been like without it.” Looking ahead, Bailey says the program remains focused on helping students like Greenberg and prospective students from other states. “We’re really thinking about, how do we expand our reach? How do we support neurodiverse and learning- different students, not just at DU, but across the country?” This includes supporting DU students who aren’t part of the LEP, reaching out to the K–12 sector locally, and holding college-readiness camps for incoming students outside Colorado. Another focus involves working with the Office of Teaching and Learning to stage neurodiversity institutes that train DU faculty members to support neurodiverse education in their classrooms and implement techniques such as Universal Design for Learning into their lessons. This work, Bailey says, “allows more neurodiverse students—actually, it allows everybody—to access the curriculum better.” DU’s signature Homecoming event, HocktoberFEST, took place the next day on Campus Green, where more than 1,200 people enjoyed music, food trucks and a beer garden featuring alumni-owned businesses. “Homecoming is one of DU’s longest-running traditions,” said Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. “It energizes the entire community to see students, alumni, faculty, staff—and even those living in the community around DU’s campus—come out in full force to participate in Homecoming’s many fun events and share their DU pride.” Hocktoberfest lived up to its name, as DU fans packed Magness Arena to watch the Pioneer hockey team, then ranked No. 4, defeat the No. 11-ranked Providence Friars 4-1 on Friday night and then 3-2 on Saturday. Before Saturday’s game, DU capped its national championship celebration by raising the 2021–2022 championship banner to the rafters for the ninth time in school history. Other winners during Homecoming Week were the women’s volleyball team, who defeated South Dakota State 3-0, and men’s soccer, who took down Southern Indiana by a score of 6-0.

In 1982, in response to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, two faculty members and seven students founded the University of Denver’s Learning Effec tiveness Program (LEP). Forty years later, it remains one of the few college programs for students with learning differences in the U.S. and quite possibly the most comprehensive. “Back in the early 80s, some DU faculty noticed some of the students coming in could handle school, brain power wise, but they lacked executive functioning skills, or they needed supports in reading,” says Jim Bailey (BS ’83), a former high school principal and the current director of the LEP. “So, they proposed opening what became the LEP. They looked at students’ neuro-psych evaluations and started awarding accommodations before accommodations were even a thing.” Today, the program has 25 staff members—most of whom are academic counselors—and serves about 360 students, including individuals on the autism spectrum and those with diagnosed learning disabilities, ADHD and dyslexia. The program offers everything from college transition support, academic counseling and tutoring to help with organization and planning, as well as social skills and events. LEP is student-driven, meaning students are responsi ble for applying the skills they learn and advocating for themselves with their professors in terms of getting such accommodations as extended test time, access to recorded lectures or help from a peer note-taker. Tori Greenberg, a junior hospitality management major who is in her third year with the LEP, says the program has Under bluebird Colorado skies and trees turned appro priately red and gold, DU students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members came out in force the third week of October to celebrate Homecoming 2022. It was the first open-campus Homecoming since 2019, and visitors were treated to tours of the new Community Commons and the Burwell Center for Career Achievement, which opened during the pandemic, and a walking tour of DU’s Chester M Alter Arboretum. Current students enjoyed festivities all week long, includ ing a campus-wide capture-the-flag contest, ice cream sundaes and a DU drive-in movie experience featuring “Top Gun: Maverick.” These were just some of the many events hosted by Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence. In addition to tents filled with food and drink, Carnegie Green was abuzz with music, stretching and dancing as participants gathered for the 10th annual Crimson Classic 5K run/1.5-mile walk. More than 800 people registered for the event. The top male finisher was law student Stephen May, and the female with the best time was Molly Smith, who works at University College.

Celebrating 40 years of work with neurodiverse students LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS PROGRAM

Photo by Connor Mokrzycki

WINTER 2023 • UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE | 7

EDUCATING LEADERS New program to train leaders for the outdoor recreation industry

outdoor industry,” says Steve Rendle, chairman, president and CEO of VF Corp. To ensure access for outdoor industry professionals, the interdisciplinary coursework will be taught fully online in a “sprint” format, consisting of focused one-credit courses. This will provide the program sufficient flexibility to tailor offerings to students’ and organizations’ specific needs. Topics covered in the sprints will include financial models, marketing, sustainability in the outdoor industry, legal issues in land use and access, supply chain, public policy and data driven decision-making. The program launches in 2023 with two 16-credit graduate certificates—one in outdoor recreation industry business (ORIB), targeting individuals new to the industry or those within the industry seeking to transition to busi ness-oriented roles; and another in outdoor recreation industry leadership (ORIL), serving experienced individuals looking to expand their leadership roles.

The University of Denver has partnered with the Denver-based VF Foundation to create the interdisciplinary Leadership in Outdoor Recreation Industry (LORI) program, a first-of-its-kind initiative that aims to diversify the talent pipeline in the rapidly growing outdoor industry. Thanks to a $3 million grant from the VF Foundation, LORI will offer coursework across three academic units—the Daniels College of Business, Sturm College of Law and Josef Korbel School of International Studies. The curriculum is designed for existing and emerging leaders in the industry, allowing them to get tailored workforce development and professional education. The VF Foundation is the philanthropic arm of VF Corp., one of the world’s largest outdoor apparel, footwear and accessory companies. Its iconic brands include Vans, The North Face, Timberland, Dickies and Smartwool. “Denver is an important center for the outdoor industry, making DU the perfect home for such a program. Through the foundation’s targeted support of scholarships for un derrepresented individuals, combined with DU’s expansive offering of business and industry-relevant coursework, we hope to spark the next generation of diverse leadership in the

Learn more about LORI at daniels.du.edu/leadership in-outdoor-recreation.

ONE TO WATCH Business student gets bitten by the entrepreneurship bug

to food and water—than producing beef, pork or poultry. Additionally, insects emit considerably less methane, a greenhouse gas more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide, than their animal counterparts. With a convincing argument and a business plan to back it, Whetzel took first place in the competition. She used the $1,000 prize to buy all sorts of ingredients—and a variety of bugs—to begin experimenting with. Initially, Whetzel tried cooking with crickets and beetles before deciding to use mealworm powder. On top of finding the right insect to use, it took countless tries to perfect the recipe. “I made cricket fried rice. I made mozzarella sticks that had ground up crickets in the batter. I made macaroni and cheese that was baked with cricket crumbles on top. All of it tasted horrible,” she says. “But I kept trying it as I went, and the granola stuck.” By summer, Whetzel was finding success selling Illegal Oats at farmers markets. She went on to win a second pitch competition at DU in fall 2021 and later convinced a local store owner to stock her granola. And Illegal Oats’ fast growth didn’t stop there—Whetzel has since appeared on Good Day Sacramento, Denver7 News, 9News and Great Day Colorado, convincing potential customers of the health and environmental benefits of eating insects.

Tucked in between stands selling fresh produce and other wares at the Highlands Farmers Market in Denver, senior Clare Whetzel offers samples and pitches customers on her unique product: Ento-granola, or for those not in the know, meal

worm-infused granola. While eating insects might be a hard sell, Whetzel has what it takes to make her company, Illegal Oats, a house hold name.

For an assignment in one of her first business courses at DU, Whetzel began brainstorming ideas for mock compa nies. She quickly put together a list of more than two dozen pitches. As the weeks passed, she realized that she wanted to take her ideas outside the classroom—just in time for the sustainability-focused Entrepreneurship@DU Spring 2021 TikTok Pitch Competition. Her pitch: Protein-rich foods made with bugs, rather than meat or poultry. Insects, Whetzel says, offer our diets far more than just a novel snack. Producing insect protein requires significantly fewer resources—from land area

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INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM Display shines a light on book banning

something far more troubling. Fasman compares images taken of a 2022 book bonfire in Tennessee to a historical photograph of Nazis burning books in Berlin in 1933. “They look nearly

Book banning is nothing new, but it’s making headlines once again. With that in mind, a display at DU’s Anderson Academic Commons showcases a collection of books notable for being banned repeatedly. These books were curated from the University’s Special Collections and Archives by Madison Sussmann, exhibits librarian and assistant professor. The first known book banning in the U.S. happened in 1637. Centuries later, some books get banned or chal lenged constantly. Think “Huckleberry Finn” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.” As the display makes clear, banning a book may not carry the intended consequence. “What does ‘banned’ mean?” archivist David Fasman asks, noting that bans mostly happen in school libraries and in a small number of states. What’s more, banning a book from one location frequently generates more interest for it in nearby collections. The idea of banning is not limited to books, says Fasman, who taught an enrichment program course at DU in November that explored modern and historical examples of censorship, from Socrates to social media. He is especially troubled by book burning, which he sees as a prelude to The Josef Korbel School of International Studies and the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy convened the first Denver Dialogues event on Oct. 4, bringing together leaders from prominent think tanks for a discussion on the importance of civil discourse, diverse perspectives and the role of disagreement in a healthy democracy. “It’s hard to think of a more important issue in this country and, indeed, around the world, than the deterioration of the civic culture on which democracy depends,” said Fritz Mayer, dean of the Korbel School, as he and Naazneen Barma, director of the Scrivner Institute, kicked off the event. “A fundamental requirement of a democracy is that, while we may disagree vehemently about what is to be done, we accept the legitimacy of those with whom we disagree.” Hundreds of attendees learned about the root causes of the breakdown in civil discourse from four distinguished speakers: DU alumna Condoleezza Rice (BA ’74, PhD ’81, Hon. PhD ’96), former U.S. secretary of state and current director of the Hoover Institution; Robert Doar, president of the American Enterprise Institute; Dan Porterfield, pres ident and CEO of the Aspen Institute; and Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America. The panelists traced the problem to people living in “information echo chambers” and sticking to their “affinity groups,” behavior based on the tendency for people to gravitate toward what makes them comfortable and move away from what they fear. “This is one of the things we all have to learn, in our

identical,” he says. “It’s only black and white versus color.” Katherine Crowe, cura tor of Special Collections and Archives, says librarians play a critical role

in allowing ethical access to meaningful content—including books that have been challenged, banned and burned. “Sometimes you have to defend objectionable materials,” she says. “Libraries are not just warehouses for books. We are a place where people meet and, hopefully, create new knowledge and make connections.”

IMPORTANT ISSUES Inaugural Denver Dialogues event models civil discourse

schooling, in our family upbringing: how to deal with our vulnerability in such a way it doesn’t prevent us from engaging with others,” Porterfield told the hundreds of people assembled for the virtual event. To improve civil discourse, Rice said, people must be able to interact with others who think differently and to open their “hearts and minds to others’ points of view.” “And that,” Slaughter added, “means coming at any discourse, or dialogue, or conversation with an open enough mind to think, ‘I’m listening and I’m willing to change my mind.’ Maybe not my core principles, but I’m listening and willing to let you persuade me, and in return, you’re more likely to let me persuade you.” The panelists urged DU community members to see themselves not just as red or blue voters but to think about people as more than their policy stances. Doar complimented the University for holding the event, saying, “I believe part of the problem is on our college campuses … there hasn’t been sufficient viewpoint diversity, and there has been too much shutting down of people who say things that are contrary to the prevailing view.”

To learn more about upcoming events and to view a recording of this event, visit korbel.du.edu/scrivner/ denver-dialogues.

WINTER 2023 • UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE | 9

MAKING HISTORY

Barbara Perkins caps triathlon season with NCAA Coach of the Year honor

season, they kept talking about it, and they wanted to do it as a team. I think that helped us stay motivated and focused.” The team’s third-place finish on Nov. 12 at the 2022 Collegiate National Championships in Tempe, Arizona, was not only the highlight of the season but also the highest result by a women’s individual program at a national cham pionship event in school history. Perkins led the Pioneers to five other podium finishes during the regular season. Denver finished first or second in all their races prior to nationals, including team wins at the Southern Hills Triathlon on Sept. 3 in Hot Springs, South Dakota, and at Bearathlon on Oct. 30 in Berkeley, California. She also stepped up to organize the inaugural Mile High Relays, held on the DU campus, in late September with just a few weeks’ notice when a scheduled event in Utah was canceled. The ability to adapt served Perkins and the team well. “We started from the bottom, ground zero,” she says. After two years of hard work and building a rock-solid culture of teamwork and support, she adds, a national championship feels within their grasp. “That is the ultimate goal,” Perkins says. “I want to do it the right way. I want the team to be super close and motivated like we have been, continuing to bring in the right people and keep that strong team dynamic so we can do it together.” bridge but also a continuation of the first album,” he says, noting that both record titles have the same initials and number of syllables. “I’m kind of finishing the first statement and opening the door to where I plan on going.” Before coming to Denver in August, Le Boeuf spent 18 years in New York, where he attended the Manhattan School of Music and began his professional career. He has collab orated with a wide range of musicians, including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and his twin brother Pascal, with whom he co-leads the experimen tal jazz quintet, Le Boeuf Brothers. Growing up in Santa Cruz, California, Le Boeuf started playing the oboe when he was 10 and picked up the saxo phone a year later. The first jazz album that became an obsession was Charles Mingus’ “Mingus Ah Um.” “I listened to pretty much nothing else for about a year,” he says. “I wanted to absorb it; I wanted to become that music. I wanted to listen to it as I slept and wake up being able to play everything on the saxophone—you know, some very childlike, innocent but kind of beautiful way of seeing the world.” Not long after, he started using his sister’s old karaoke

When Barbara Perkins came to DU in July 2020 as the first women’s triathlon head coach, she had one month to put together a competitive team—during COVID, no less. Never could she have imagined that two years later her fledgling

Photo by Morgan Engel/Clarkson Creative via DU Athletics.

team would take third place at the national championships and, to top off the stellar season, she would be named NCAA Division I Coach of the Year. “It was a huge honor. It’s a testament to the team and how far we’ve come in such a short period of time and how hard they’ve worked,” she says. “They believed that we were capable of getting up on the podium this year, so the whole

HIGH NOTES

Lamont’s Remy Le Boeuf scores multiple Grammy nominations

As a saxophonist, composer and the Lamont School of Music’s new director of Jazz & Commercial Music Studies, Remy Le Boeuf has always had “big ideas” about music— ideas that have led to a successful career as a jazz innovator and, most recently, as composer and arranger of two Grammy-nominated albums. In mid-November, his album, “Architecture of Storms,” was nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, and his arrangement of a song by indie rock musician Bon Iver called “Minnesota, WI” garnered a second nomination in the category of Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella. Called a “big record” in terms of ambition, scale and degree of difficulty, “Architecture of Storms” is the second album Le Boeuf has produced with his 20-person jazz orches tra. His 2019 debut album, “Assembly of Shadows,” earned Grammy nominations for Best Instrumental Composition and Best Arrangement. Le Boeuf’s music is rooted in traditional jazz but influ enced by contemporary classical and indie rock. “Architecture of Storms” is a transitional album, demonstrating an indie rock-influence with his jazz orchestra. It’s “kind of like a

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posing several commissions for different bands, including the Air Force Falconaires. And this January, he began a stint as chief conductor of the Nordkraft Big Band in Denmark. The Grammy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 5 in Los Angeles. Le Boeuf plans to be on hand for the big event. “Jazz music is not very in the spotlight for the general public, so to be a musician who gets nominated for a Gram my puts you in the public eye,” Le Boeuf says. “It puts your accomplishments in a lens where people can understand the significance [of your work], even if you operate in a smaller field like I do.”

machine that had a tape recorder on it, and he would plan out epic orchestral compositions. “I never wrote them down or anything, but I had these big ideas in my head,” Le Boeuf recalls. “It wasn’t until many, many years later of trying to force really big, epic ideas into a small band that I realized, ‘Oh, I should just have a big band.’ So, when I put together my jazz orchestra, that’s when a lot of things clicked for me.” In addition to conducting Lamont’s jazz orchestra and working with students on saxophone and composition, Le Boeuf has another album coming out in 2023 with Le Boeuf Brothers. He’s also working on a saxophone book and com

Photo by Shervin Lainez

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In this photo from before the pandemic, Lilly Barrientos (MA ‘21), then a graduate student, shows off an Andy Warhol original.

Photo by Wayne Armstrong

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The Hampden Art Study Center aims to diversify DU’s collections ARTS By Emma Atkinson

legacy by making their works available to scholars via the Hampden Art Study Center. Shamos’ second priority is to enrich the University’s collection of art made by Native and BIPOC artists. (BIPOC is an acronym for Black, Indigenous and people of color.) “Currently, we have a smattering of things—so there’s the Kachina dolls and other sorts of Southwestern objects. … There’s some Southwestern pottery, but mostly 20th century, so not super old,” he says. “And we just got this great gift of Northwest Coast contemporary art—a lot of prints and some wood carvings, as well.” The collections team exercises great care in taking in and storing Native and Indigenous art, working with a coordinator from the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) program to determine if art should be repatriated. “It refers certainly to Native remains that are in a lot of collections—you know, human remains—but also sacred objects,” Shamos says. “Those should be repatriated to their home tribal communities.” Due to limited space and other restrictions, the center can’t accept all the art that is donated to the collections. Some pieces are fakes or illegal reproductions, and in those cases, the art is disposed of. Other intake factors include ethical concerns—are the pieces sacred or of questionable provenance?—and whether the art collections committee feels that the works belong in DU’s collection. The center does accept some things that other art collections or museums would decline—torn art and broken pottery, for example. These might be of little or no value to a museum, but they can be used as important, hands-on teaching materials for art and archaeology students. Sometimes the collections team offloads, or deaccessions, pieces from its collections. “Deaccession is sort of like, yeah, that just doesn’t fit any of those categories; it’s not really going to be useful for teaching and learning,” Shamos says. “Its storage needs or conservation needs outweigh its value, in all the senses: financial, curricular, art historical. Or it’s redundant. Sometimes it does have value, but we have something that’s very similar.” Some of the works have astonishing aesthetic value as well—and that makes them personal favorites. Standing in the foyer of the center, Carlo points to a colorful canvas. It’s a deep red, with mesmerizing blue dots of different sizes grouped together to make the painting appear almost three dimensional. “My personal favorites in this collection are all our Kirklands, Vance Kirkland,” Carlo says. “All of his dot works are dope.”

The University of Denver’s Hampden Art Study Center just got a new fridge. But instead of housing leftover Indian food or canned energy drinks, this fridge will be home to delicate photo negatives, a recent addition to the University Art Collections. “Right now, we’re working on finishing a grant project where we’re rehousing negatives,” explains interim collec tions manager Nathalie Carlo. Carlo opens the fridge, clean and gleaming white, and points to a little thermometer. There aren’t any photos inside just yet. “We’re having a little difficulty just monitoring the tem perature in here,” she says. “We have to be able to monitor it from off-site.” The negatives fridge is just one of the many ways the Hampden Center stores the hundreds of works of art that make up the University Art Collections. In fact, the Hampden Center site houses just one-third of the University’s total collection. Photos are stored flat, in stacks of boxes. Framed art— including an original Warhol—is hung on moving wall mounted racks. And statues, pottery and other 3D art sit on shelves and in glass cases. University Art Collections curator Geoffrey Shamos explains that the University’s extensive collection houses three types of art: historical art; art that is valuable for teach ing and learning; and art that can beautify DU’s campus. Art and art history classes often come to visit the center, along with conservation and archaeology students. “The Art Study Center, we really think of it as an Art Study Center,” he says. “You know, there’s a classroom, there’s that print study [room]. The storage—it’s not quite open storage, there’s the racks, but nothing is in a vault, nothing is collecting dust. The idea is that it’s all sort of active and you can engage with it, and it’s there for research. The public can come by appointment. And you know, it’s not like a treasure hoarding zone, right? It’s meant to be seen and enjoyed.” Shamos is tasked with curating the collections—that is, helping to create a vision for the collections and overseeing the maintenance and storage of the art. He doesn’t have total control, though; any decisions about taking on new art or passing on unwanted art are made by a committee. Shamos has identified two main priorities for the collections moving forward. First is to procure—either by purchase or donation—more art by DU-affiliated artists. “We want to tell the story of art and creativity at the University of Denver,” he says, adding that many collectors of these artists might well be interested in promoting their

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At the Kennedy Mountain Campus, first year students explore, reflect and learn ACADEMICS By Connor Mokrzycki

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by Design module that centers reflection, connection and discovery. We guide students through a process of identifying the skills, interests and values that are most important to them, enabling them to find intersections and explore how to use these insights as the basis for charting individualized pathways at DU.” While prepping students for success throughout their time at the University, the mountain campus experience also directly supports their academic pursuits. From networking opportunities and building relationships to finding a secluded spot for contemplation and reflection, students report feeling better prepared for their courses when they return from their First Ascent. Shane Siegmund is a first-year student from Yardley, Pennsylvania, who plans to major in business management. He saw his time at the mountain campus as an opportunity to gain experience and connections—while enjoying the great outdoors. “Business is all about relationships. This is the best way to do it, just being out here, meeting people and making friends,” he said during a First Ascent weekend in October. A day into the trip, Siegmund was already excited to take advantage of the mountain campus throughout his time at DU. Briefly pausing from tossing a football around with his friends, he asked, “When can we come back up here?” Alex Rushinksy, who is pursuing majors in mathematics, philosophy and sociology, found the mountain campus to be both a welcome break from the stress of fall quarter midterms and a useful environment to reflect and explore. “Being in the mountains definitely helps with philosophy. It lets you find yourself and what you want to be,” he said. “And for the math major, it’s a mental health break.” Hailing from mountainless Carmel, Indiana, Rushinsky said that previous hiking and camping trips paved the way for a passion for high-altitude adventures once he arrived in Colorado. But even for an experienced outdoorsman, the mountain campus offered a chance to try something new. “I did some rock climbing. That I wasn’t expecting,” he said. And for those not as keen on mountain expeditions, Rushinsky recommended taking full advantage of a First Ascent weekend. “When else are you ever going to do this? You’re going to have every other weekend on [the Denver] campus,” Rushinsky said. Matt Jensen, director of outdoor experience and programs, says the mountain campus is unique in offering students who aren’t avid campers, skiers, climbers or otherwise outdoors-inclined an opportunity to experience nature—without paying for an Airbnb or pitching a tent. “No expensive Ikon or Epic Pass required,” he says. Second-year student Kimberly Guevara, a public policy and economics major who works as a 4Discoveries orientation leader, sums up the First Ascent experience this way: It creates “a community that makes you feel safe, heard and seen. These are experiences for everyone!”

At the University of Denver, learning has never been limited to a classroom or laboratory. In fact, students have always considered the Rocky Mountains the perfect place to explore new terrain, to dream about their lives and futures and to learn about themselves. With the debut of DU’s 724-acre James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus, located roughly two hours north of the Mile High City, that’s about to intensify. The site, says Stu Halsall, associate vice chancellor for the James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus, wellness and recre ation, “is one of the venues where key elements of DU’s distinguishing focus—the 4-Dimensional Experience (4D)— are implemented. Students will graduate from DU with confidence, integrity, skills for self-discovery and inclusivity, and a mark of excellence that will help them [succeed] in their lives beyond DU. Using wilderness education and experience as a foundation upon which these skills are introduced, students will build resilience, endurance and compassion that will help them translate their abilities to benefit the public good throughout their lives.” During fall quarter 2022, first-year students saw firsthand just how the new campus will color their time at DU. The Class of 2026 was the first to participate in specially designed experiences structured to take full advantage of the mountain campus’ many amenities and stunning setting. Dubbed First Ascent, this new yearly tradition offers a weekend packed full of activities and adventures in the northern Colorado wilderness. Each weekend of fall quarter, groups of more than 100 students traveled to the mountain campus accompanied by 4Discoveries orientation leaders. The goal: When students return to Denver, they are better prepared to optimize their education. During their sojourn at the mountain campus, many students chose to spend time exploring a network of trails spread across the ranging property. For those less comfortable adventuring on their own, guided group hikes offered a chance to enjoy scenic views. Lakeside cliffs awaited students eager to learn how to climb, with teams of three belaying each other up and down the rock faces. An outdoor ropes course provided a unique challenge for students as they scaled ladders and ropes and crawled across wires and planks suspended high in the air. For those who preferred keeping their feet on the ground, a meadow tucked between cabins bustled with impromptu football games, Spikeball and cornhole tournaments. Indoors, students tried their hands at archery, dove into arts and crafts or enjoyed movie nights with friends. And if they needed time to work on assignments for class, a quiet room in the dining hall provided a space to read, write and think while enjoying mountain vistas. Greg Mahan, the 4D project manager, takes pride in how the setting elevates students’ 4D experience. “During their First Ascent, students participate in a 4D Experience

Photo by Connor Mokrzycki

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Long-standing coaches draw on DU’s people and culture to promote team success ATHLETICS By Jon Stone

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program has become one of the country’s most respected, with two individual national champions and a fourth-place finish at the 2019 NCAA National Championships. Over the years, other coaching opportunities have surfaced, but she’s committed to building upon her success in Denver. “This has been one of my children. You are not going to leave one of your children,” Kutcher-Rinehart says. “We have more of a family feel. When we talk about character, teamwork and excellence as our philosophy and three pillars, they mean something. That’s what makes it so special here and why I wouldn’t want to leave to take any other job in the country.” Like Kutcher-Rinehart, Jeff Hooker has spent decades building a winning program. He came to Denver as a professional soccer player and then also took on the role as head coach of DU’s then-Division II women’s soccer program. The culture Hooker has helped establish is a big reason he is still here 31 years later. “Other programs will say it’s about culture, and then they will have five kids transferring every year,” he says. “We don’t have kids transferring every year.” Following every home game, a tailgate gathering brings players and their families together. Hooker says these events, driven by parents, appeal to prospective athletes and their families. Hooker also values the support from within the athletics program. He credits Ron Grahame—whose career with the Pioneers began in the 1970s as a student-athlete and ended in 2019 as the athletic director—with promoting his success and reinforcing his decision to stay at DU. “There were times where I might have had a foot out the door, and then I would talk to Ron,” Hooker recalls. “We would go over details of things like what are your goals, what are your aspirations. And without talking me out of it, he would talk me out of it.” Liza Kelly, head coach of the women’s lacrosse team, also remembers Grahame’s steady presence. “He was an in credible mentor and had so much pride for this University.” Now in her 17th season with the Pioneers, Kelly arrived in Denver in search of a great place to start a family and a program with the right culture. Under her leadership, the Pioneers have had only one losing season and have appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times, including each of the past four seasons. Kelly says the coaches feed off the sustained success within the program. “It’s people first all the time. It’s not a slogan,” she says. “We all take pride in each other’s successes, and we take a little responsibility for each other’s losses. I think success breeds success. So, when you are around greatness, you demand more of yourself.”

In college football, the average tenure for a head coach is reportedly only 3.7 years. The demands placed on all college coaches are immense, and many are either one loss away from unemployment or one big win away from their next great opportunity. Early in his career, Bill Tierney, head coach for the University of Denver’s men’s lacrosse team, experienced the coaching carousel that is all too common in college athletics. He coached at four different high schools and colleges before becoming head coach at Princeton. After his third season there, he was again confronted with the perennial decision: Leave for a bigger school or stay and see what happens? He opted to stay, and three years turned into 22 years and six national championships, not to mention recognition as the country’s most respected college lacrosse coach. So why would he leave Princeton to move out West, where lacrosse has been slow to grow in popularity? “Everyone thought I was crazy except for the ones who knew I was crazy,” Tierney jokes. “I felt comfortable in Princeton, but I was on automatic pilot.” When the DU position became available, the prospect of coaching with his son Trevor was especially appealing. He was also sold on the position by Peg Bradley-Doppes, then vice chancellor for athletics. “She told me I’d have two jobs here: Let’s get this program doing well, and let’s use this program to help you spread the word for lacrosse out West,” Tierney says. Now, 13 years and another national championship later, Tierney, who recently announced that he will retire after the 2023 season, is DU’s fourth-longest-tenured head coach. The people and culture have kept him at the University. Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart, in her 25th season as head coach of women’s gymnastics, shares that sentiment. “I love the people here,” she says. “There is something about the University of Denver, the people who work here, how they are committed. There is something about Colorado. There is something about this region of the country that I just absolutely love.” Before coming to Denver, Kutcher-Rinehart served as assistant coach at the University of Michigan, where the Wolverines placed as high as second at the NCAA Nationals. When she started looking at head coaching options, she never thought DU would be a perfect fit—until she met the people. “I stepped on campus and the minute I met with [then- Chancellor] Dan Ritchie and [then-board chair] Joy Burns, I was hooked,” she says. “They laid out their vision for athletics and gymnastics specifically, and they were inspiring and mo tivating, and they had really high standards of excellence. I just so appreciated the character of how they wanted to win.” Under Kutcher-Rinehart’s leadership, the gymnastics

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Spanning history to sociology, new books examine our past, present and future BOOKS By Tamara Chapman

Exploring a mapmaker’s spatial imagination

school in the 1810s. “Her textbooks— studded with these creative images— shaped students from the Atlantic seaboard to the Mississippi frontier,” Schulten writes. “From 1822, when she created a metaphorical map of the Roman Empire, to 1860, when her ‘American Temple of Time’ was pub

History professor Susan Schulten has long been fascinated by maps. And by mapmakers. Among them: the indefatigable Emma Willard, a 19th century ed ucator known for her textbooks on history and geography. Throughout her life, Willard insisted that people learn information best when it is

lished, she spent a career picturing the past.” Map lovers know Schulten as the author of a trio of treasures published by the University of Chicago Press: “The Geographical Imagination in America, 1880–1950”; “Mapping the Nation: History and Cartography in Nineteenth-Century America”; and “A History of America in 100 Maps.” This book—which is part of Information Graphic Visionaries, a series celebrating spectacular data visualization creators— includes a poster of the Temple of Time, sure to fascinate readers with its systematic ordering of events and people.

presented visually. Willard’s artistic atlases, maps and graphics are show cased in “ Emma Willard, Maps of History ” (Visionary Press, 2022). In it, Schulten recounts Willard’s uniquely visual approach to history, on display in her wondrous Temple of Time, a chronological chart of world history. Hers, Schulten writes, was “a mind reckoning with the very meaning of time and space through an era of expansion.” Willard’s earliest charts, maps and pictures date back to the 1820s and grew out of her experience teaching in a small

Learn more about Emma Willard and Schulten’s essay at magazine.du.edu.

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