University of Denver Winter 2024

Alumni envy: 7 First-Year Seminars we secretly want to join ACADEMICS

Photos by Wayne Armstrong

above) helps students understand the past and present of Colorado’s rivers by critically examining human impacts such as mining, dams, wildfires, recreation, urbanization and climate change, as well as discussing strategies for a sustainable future. Students come away with knowledge of basic hydro-ecologic form and the function of rivers through classroom and river-based field excursions. 2 Bathrooms as a Political Space Bathrooms have been the site of intense political struggle throughout American history. Americans have clashed over racially segregated bathrooms, equal space for women, a right to rest breaks at work, toilets that are accessible for people with disabilities and safe access for transgender individuals. In this class, Professor Sara Chatfield guides students in exploring how courts, legislatures and social movements have interacted to shape the politics of the bathroom. Students look at politics and policy around the country, but also at how these issues have played out (and are still contested) at the local level in Denver.

Born out of the expertise and sometimes quirky interests of faculty, first-year seminars (FSEMs) underscore how every aspect of the world around us can be understood through an academic lens. From smartphones and road trips to the politicization of bathrooms and the personal stories of immigrants, these intimate classes propel students into thinking critically about today’s biggest and most intriguing issues as they begin their higher education journey. Serving as a gateway to the 4D Experience, students also contemplate their own lives within the context of the course with the guidance of a faculty mentor. Here are our top seven FSEM picks from this year’s course catalog that make us nostalgic for the first-year classroom. 1 Colorado’s Rivers Colorado is known as the “Headwaters State,” with four major U.S. rivers—the Colorado, Rio Grande, Arkansas and South Platte—beginning in the Colorado mountains as snow and snowmelt and providing water resources for 18 states and Mexico. Professor Hillary Hamann (pictured

8 | UNIVERSITY of DENVER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2024