University of Denver Winter 2024

Campus comes alive for Homecoming 2023 CELEBRATING DU

Congratulations to 2023 Sturm College of Law grad Stephen May and GSSW’s Mariegrace Veres for their top finishes. Last but not least, hundreds of hockey fans bundled up and trekked through Saturday’s snowstorm for

Hundreds of students, alumni, friends and family descended on campus at the end of October for Homecoming 2023, a week-long celebration of DU community and spirit that included a wide variety of activities—and weather. “It was energizing to see the community brave the winter weather to enjoy the festivities and cheer on our hockey players as they shut out Air Force,” said University of Denver Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. Earlier in the week, when the weather was sunny and the fall colors bright, the Graduate School of Professional Psychology, University Libraries and the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) joined together to put on the first ever FamFair, a community event featuring talks by child development experts and fun family activities focused on movement and play. The Student Veteran Association (SVA) also hosted its annual Hero Games, where participants tested their strength and endurance in teams of four, raising funds for the SVA while honoring fallen service members. Mid-week, the third annual Denver Democracy Summit, hosted by the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, brought experts, academics and thought leaders to DU for two days of civil discourse on the state of democracy. The weekend got off to an energizing start with the 11th annual Crimson Classic 5K/1.5-mile walk. More than 1,000 runners and walkers registered for this year’s event.

Hocktoberfestival at Gates Field House. They mingled and enjoyed the Crimson & Gold Beer & Wine Garden, featuring alumni-owned and affiliated businesses, and the Kennedy Mountain Campus “neighborhood,” complete with a rock-climbing wall and ropes course, before packing in to Magness Arena to watch the Pioneers’ spectacular 4-0 victory on the ice.

CREATING CONNECTIONS Storytelling initiative gives DU community a voice

their roles on campus but as people—learning from each other and all of our diverse experiences,” says Kadijha Kuanda, a graduate fellow in C+V who, along with Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Jeff Banks, spearheads the initiative. Banks, who led a similar program at the University of Arkansas called the Human Library, says the long-term vision is for stories to be shared through a variety of creative expressions, such as one-on-one and group conversations, spoken word, art and poetry. C+V is considering ways to broaden the impact, such as all-day events at multiple venues, involving alumni and community leaders and connecting people with mentors or resources related to their stories. For now, stories are being video recorded and will be archived on the Digication platform for the DU community to access. Banks sees Story Mosaic as an opportunity for both personal and institutional growth, much in line with the 4D Experience. “It’s about individuals listening and learning and taking away something personally from the experience, but it’s also about finding key themes that we can act upon to benefit the entire community.”

Nearly three dozen students, faculty and staff members from across campus came together in mid-October for the launch of Story Mosaic: Sharing Stories, Building Community. Led by the Community + Values (C+V) team in the Depart ment of Human Resources and Inclusive Community, the storytelling initiative brings

together community members to exchange stories as a means of practicing reflection and building a community that is welcoming and supportive of all. At the launch event, participants told a story

in response to one of two questions: “What was your path to DU?” or “What is a key experience you’ve had at DU?” The audience was invited to ask follow-up questions, which storytellers could answer if they felt comfortable. Participants were asked to follow specific guidelines to ensure a safe and respectful space. “It was wonderful to see people coming together, not in

Photo by Wayne Armstrong

WINTER 2024 • UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE | 5