Critical Times Call for Serious Advocacy

Support Metro State at the Capitol: 2010 Advocacy Training



Nearly 75 alums, students, staff, board members, and faculty showed up for the "Support Metro State at the Capitol: 2010 Advocacy Training" at St. Cajetan's on the Auraria Campus. Organized by the Alumni Action Task Force and the Student Government Assembly, the Jan. 29 event included welcoming remarks by President Stephen Jordan, a legislative overview by Leanne Arrant of The Capstone Group, "Advocacy & Outreach 101" by Captone's Christine Staberg and College Communications' Cathy Lucas, and an "Insider's View from the Hill" discussion by former State Representative Cheri Jahn.

According to President Jordan, this year’s presentations and ensuing Q&A’s were particularly significant. “I don’t think there has ever been a time when your engagement in the legislative process has been more important to our college,” he stated, later citing the serious budget cuts Colorado’s colleges and universities face in upcoming years.

Jordan’s speech resonated with Metro alum and employee Metza Templeton. “I see a trend in legislature that they are not funding higher education,” she stated. “I find that to be very disconcerting, and I want to be part of the solution.”

Attendee, Gerie Grimes, who is an Alumni Association board member and Metro State Board of Trustees Representative, also wanted to have more tools to effectively communicate with her legislators. She walked away with some ideas for better communicating her needs to the media as well as a renewed desire to facilitate more community involvement. “We need to collectively come together to make our voice be heard,” she said. And that was the message conveyed by all presenters.

“Advocacy just means speaking up,” added Staberg. “You are taking the opportunity to give voice to the things you care about and to help inform our policy makers.”

And, if you can do that along with getting your entire community involved, said Jahn, than it is unlikely that your local legislators are going to ignore you. “If you have a great idea, we want to hear that!” she enthusiastically explained. “How do you think we get ideas? We get them because we talk to people.”

The event also offered audience members the opportunity to ask questions, which ranged from “do we really make a difference?” to questions about specific future legislation, and it created a forum for current students, faculty, staff, and administrators to share their advocacy work related to Metro State College of Denver.

Overall, the event was a big success, said Stefanie Carroll, the Asst. Director of Alumni Programs & Communications. “Advocacy Trainings like this afford participants the opportunity to understand the legislative process. And more importantly, it empowers them to make the changes they desire.”

For more information and clips, see the Metro State College of Denver – Alumni & Friends blog the first week of February.

Metro State College of Denver Office of Career Services to facilitate Alumni Job Search Support Group

Alumni Job Search Support Group
Limited Enrollment Due to Space
Become Skilled In:
• Effective Job Search Strategies
• Advanced Resume Writing
• Interviewing Techniques
Group Meets 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Wednesday February 3
• Wednesday February 10
• Wednesday February 17
• Wednesday February 24
Please Contact (303) 556-3664 for more information and to sign up
FREE OF CHARGE
Only those currently engaged in an active job search and willing to commit to all four sessions will be considered

Prof, students to help coordinate Super Bowl 'Taste of the NFL'

From @Metro

On Feb. 6, Lamb, the director of culinary administration in the Hospitality, Tourism and Events Department at Metro State, will be responsible for coordinating 300 volunteers at Taste of the NFL, a fundraiser dinner for 3,000 people.


It will be Lamb's 10th year in this role at the $500-a-ticket event to raise hunger awareness throughout America, with proceeds going to Second Harvest Food Banks across the nation. Each booth has a football player representing their home team and one dish from the city'fs selected chef. Denver's chef is Troy Guard, owner of Tag restaurant in Larimer Square. Former Denver Bronco Karl Mecklenburg will be serving up food as well.


HTE students Jeremy Gable, Susan Hunley and Todd Reenan are paying their own airfare to travel to Florida to volunteer three12-hour days helping top chefs from around the country prepare for the event.

For 19 years, the Taste of the NFL event has raised hunger awareness and funds.
"This will be the biggest event I have participated in thus far, so I am looking forward to any new experiences that may come along the way," says Hunley, a senior who plans to own an event production company. "I want to be a sponge and soak up as much as I can and hopefully make some connections."


Gable, a sophomore who has worked in the restaurant industry for more than eight years, is "hoping to learn more about the operational side of events such as the Taste of the NFL."

Though the magnitude of this event may be new to the students, working with their professor outside of the classroom is not. Lamb regularly integrates community outreach into his classes, taking students to work at local nonprofits where he is actively involved. Those include Father Woody's Haven of Hope, which provides more than 200 needy people with food every day; The Dolores Project, a homeless shelter for single women; and the Food Bank of the Rockies, where he serves on the board of directors.

"Those experiences help me to know how to plan to cook for 200 people. This is the kind of planning I don't do on a daily basis," says Reenan, who manages a bar.

Metro Prof Comments on Ben Bernake potential second term as Chairman of Federal Reserve Board

Click here to read Metro State College of Denver Professor of Economics John P. Cochran's commentary on the Denver Post's Jan. 26 article, "Fresh Term for Fed's Bernake. It resides on the Ludwig von Mises Institute blog.

Metrosphere moves to new website

Metrosphere just moved to a new website. Click here for more info.

Learn all you need to know to find that new job

Learn how to dress right for a job interview, how to write resumes, or just discuss your career path at Metro State College of Denver's Office of Career Services.

Metro State Office of Career Services
(303)-556-3664 www.mscd.edu/~career

Upcoming Spring 2010 - Events and Workshops

Events

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BECKER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION INFO BOOTH
Dates: January 27th & 28th, 2010 (10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
Location: North Classrom (South Entrance)
Description: Becker provides world-class web-based and live in-house continuing professional education for accounting and finance professionals.
More Info: Log on to Metro State Joblink through www.mscd.edu/~career for further updates
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FEMA INFORMATION SESSION
Dates: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 (12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
Location: 1020 Ninth Street Park
More Info: Log on to Metro State Joblink through www.mscd.edu/~career for further updates ******************************************************************************
WORKING IT OUT: GLBT CAREER PANEL
Dates: Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 (2:00 p.m.)
Location: Tivoli Rm 640
Description: A panel of professionals will discuss GLBT issues in the workplace and provide helpful hints.
More Info: Log on to Metro State Joblink through www.mscd.edu/~career for further updates
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SPRING JOB FAIR 2010
Dates: Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 (10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.)
Location: Tivoli Turnhalle
Description: Employers from several career fields will be hiring students and alumni, so students should dress professionally and bring their resume!
More Info: Log on to Metro State Joblink through www.mscd.edu/~career for further updates
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2nd ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE STYLE SHOW
Dates: Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 (1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.)
Location: Tivoli Food Court
Description: Students will learn how to dress professionally and save money on a business wardrobe.
More Info: Log on to Metro State Joblink through www.mscd.edu/~career for further updates
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FACULTY/STAFF OPEN HOUSE
Dates: May 5th, 2010 (10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
Location: Career Services Office, Tivoli Rm 215
Description: Join us for refreshments and information about the services we offer Metro State students and alumni.
More Info: Log on to Metro State Joblink through www.mscd.edu/~career for further updates
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CULTURES & CAREEERS: STORIES FROM ASIAN AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS
Dates: May 6th, 2010 (Times: TBA)
Location: TBA
Description: In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage month, Asian American Professionals come to Metro State to discuss their career paths & career-related stories.
More Info: Log on to Metro State Joblink through www.mscd.edu/~career for further updates
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CULTURAL COMMUNICATOR CONTEST
Essay Deadline: April 23rd, 2010
Description: Office of Career Services will select and send three students to the Adcolor Awards in October 2010. To enter, an essay must be submitted and turned in by April 23, 2010! For further information come by the Office of Career Services in Tivoli Rm 215 or call 303-556-3664.
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WORKSHOPS
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SII INTERPRETATION WORKSHOPS
Description: Receive interpretation of your Strong Interest Inventory (SII) Career Assessment you must complete the assessment prior to attending the workshop.
Date/Time: Thursday, January, 28th 2010 (3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Tuesday, February, 2nd 2010 (1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Monday, February, 8th 2010 (2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, February, 17th 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Tuesday, March, 9th 2010 (2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Thursday, March, 18th 2010 (1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, April, 7th 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 a.m.)
Date/Time: Tuesday, April, 20th 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 a.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, April, 28th 2010 (3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Tuesday, May, 4th 2010 (12:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLink or call 303-556-3664
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MBTI INTERPRETATION WORKSHOPS
Description: Receive interpretation of your Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Career Assessment you must complete the assessment prior to attending the workshop.
Date/Time: Tuesday, January, 26th 2010 (2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Monday, February, 1st 2010 (12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, February, 10th 2010 (3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Tuesday, February, 23rd 2010 (2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Thursday, March, 11th 2010 (1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Friday, March, 19th 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, March, 31st 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 a.m.)
Date/Time: Tuesday, April, 13th 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, April, 21st 2010 (3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Monday, May, 3rd 2010 (2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLinkor call 303-556-3664
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WRITING YOUR FIRST RESUME
Description: This workshop is designed for people who have never written a resume.
Date/Time: Tuesday, February, 16th 2010 (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
Date/Time: Monday, March, 8th 2010 (4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
Date/Time: Tuesday, March, 30th 2010 (12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.) *Presented by Kraft Foods
Date/Time: Friday, April, 16th 2010 (9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLink or call 303-556-3664
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ADVANCED RESUME WRITING
Description: This workshop is designed for people who have written resumes and need help maximizing them for job applications in a tight job market.
Date/Time: Thursday, February, 25th 2010 (1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, March, 17th 2010 (9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.)
Date/Time: Wednesday, April, 28th 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLink or call 303-556-3664
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INTERVIEWING WORKSHOP
Description: Learn how to prepare for an interview and market your strengths to prospective employers.
Date/Time: Tuesday, March 16th 2010 (1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLink or call 303-556-3664
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JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES
Description: This workshop is designed to provide information on how to conduct a job search and the importance of maintaining a professional image throughout the process.
Date/Time: Monday, April 5th 2010 (2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLink or call 303-556-3664
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GRADUATE SCHOOL WORKSHOP
Description: This workshop is for people who are considering graduate school now or in the future. Learn what to consider when making the decision to go to graduate school and what to expect during the application process.
Date/Time: Monday, April, 26th 2010 (11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLink or call 303-556-3664
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CAREER FAIR PREP WORKSHOP
Description: If you plan to attend a career fair you will want to make the most of it! Come get tips on how to best prepare for a career fair.
Date/Time: Monday, March, 29th 2010 (10:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.)
Date/Time: Thursday, April, 1st 2010 (11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.)
Date/Time: Monday, April, 5th 2010 (4:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.)
Location: Auraria Campus; Tivoli 215
More Info/Register: Log on to Metro JobLink or call 303-556-3664
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Metro State College of Denver student teacher shares experiences on blog

I couldn't find this student's name anywhere obvious on this blog, but I thought it would still be nice to share her/his experiences with aspiring teachers and/or alum teachers. This student is really enjoying the first few days of teaching. Click here to read the blog.

Video of Metro State Women's Basketball team win.

To watch a YouTube video of Metro State Women's Basketball @ Regis University, click here.

Another alumni blog

Good morning Jenniffer Rebekah Farleigh! Click here to visit another Metro State College of Denver Alumni blog.

"Pack the House Day": Men’s Basketball Game vs. Nebraska-Kearney, Sat. Feb. 20

All alumni and their families are invited to attend this event. Special ticket packages will be available and include food and the game. Purchase tickets online here.

If you are an alumnus of the Metro State Men’s Basketball program, please contact Ron Christian in Athletics at 303-556-8141 or rchris34@mscd.edu to RSVP for special reunion events on February 19 and 20.

Math Department to host Celebration of Law's Legacy at the Cork House

The Mathematics Department and the Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics is hosting a "Celebration of Lew's Legacy" at the Cork House Wine Restaurant at 4900 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver from 3 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23. The Metro State community is invited.

Mathematics Professor Lewis Romagnano passed away on Monday, Jan. 11, 2010. He was diagnosed with cancer in October. Visitors to the celebration are encouraged to bring an item to be included in a book of celebrations.

Two funds have been established in his memory.

To provide assistance to Ellen J. Helberg, Romagnano's wife, go to: http://www.drbrookeevans.com/

To contribute to the Lewis Romagnano scholarship fund at Metro State, go to http://www.mscd.edu/giving/alumnifriends.shtml. Once on the page, click "Donate Now," and follow the instructions. Be sure to specify his name in the "comment" field.

Also, checks can be mailed to:
MSCD Foundation
PO Box 17971
Denver CO 80217-9812

Indicate on the memo line of your check that your gift is in memory of Lewis Romagnano.

For questions about the scholarship fund, contact Jaime Livaditis at 303-556-5119.

For questions about the "Celebration of Lew's Legacy," contact Mathematics Professor Jim Loats at 303-556-3109.

Personal Brand (aka Your Brand Plan): marketing yourself may be the key to finding a job during hard times

By Lizzy Scully
This is the first of a three-part series...

Business owners write detailed brand strategies when developing their organizations. Without a unique brand identity that communicates the essence of the business, customers would have nothing to identify with. So shouldn’t most job seekers brand themselves as well?

“Definitely,” says Metro State alumni and Your Brand Plan owner David Sandusky. “People need to understand who they are, what they stand for, and what their voice and purpose are.”

Business plans fail because people don’t understand their brand first. It’s no different with individuals, Sandusky adds. “Your brand should reflect your core values and passion. That is what gets potential employers on board.”

The next step is marketing your brand, says Sandusky. And what is the most productive way to do that? “Establish a communications strategy using social media platforms,” he says. “It is required for your ability to be successful. The new definition of marketing and public relations is online. People who aren’t engaging their community and developing their network are going to find it difficult to do business.”

Sandusky recognizes social media platforms can be intimidating for Internet newbies. But, they are very easy to use. Just click on one of these (the most popular social media platforms) and sign on: Facebook, LinkedIn, or MySpace. Facebook is the most popular site with more than 350 million users, while LinkedIn is the most commonly used by professionals who are networking for jobs. If you’re still confused, send an email to the Office of Alumni Relations Social Engagement Manager, Lizzy Scully, at escully@mscd.edu. Or, visit the Office’s social media site, and click on any of the social media links.

“It’s new and scary,” says Sandusky, “but people’s lives turn around entirely when they realize what they are supposed to be doing.”

See next month’s Enewsletter for the second of this three-part social media series, “The rise of the citizen journalist: blogging 101.”

Metro State Alumni Relations Office Launches Mentoring Program

Metro State Alumni Relations Office Looking for Mentors

The Metropolitan State College of Denver Office of Alumni Relations and the Student Academic Success Metro Scholars Program recently launched the new, pilot Alumni Mentoring Program (AMP), and is looking for additional alumni who are Denver-based professionals to serve as mentors. The purpose of this program is to facilitate a connection between students and alumni mentors in the student’s field of study, fostering the student’s development through this newly created relationship.

According to Acting Co-Director of Alumni Relations Joshua Anderson: “Providing students with access to successful professionals gives them invaluable opportunities for networking, getting questions answered, and potentially getting real-world experience in their fields. It helps bridge the gap between life as a student and life after graduation.”

The program also benefits mentors, Anderson added. “As with any process in life, the more you put in the more you get back,” Anderson said. “Not only could you have a direct and positive impact on someone’s professional and personal development, but you may also find your next new hire. The time commitment is minimal—a couple hours per month—but the rewards are huge.”

The pilot program will take place spring semester, 2010, and includes scholarship students in the Metro Scholars Program. For more information, please email Gini Mennenga at vmille17@mscd.edu, or call her at 303-556-4076. If you would like to sign up, please take this short SurveyMonkey survey.

Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.

The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers. –Martin Luther King Jr.

When I started my job not quite two months ago, I was struck by and thrilled to discover the wide variety of people on the Auraria campus and within the departments at Metropolitan State College of Denver. Powerful, confident, and bright people of color, of different sexual orientation, and of all ages abound. I grew up in a bi-racial family in the DC area and then traveled extensively in my twenties, and so have often been exposed to the great diversity of humanity. In my opinion, creativity and stimulation ensues when people with distinct characteristics and qualities are brought together. I am thankful that I work for a place that promotes and awards diversity.
-Lizzy Scully
Social Engagement Manager, Alumni Relations

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.--MLK

China exchange program offers new perspectives on higher education

From This Week @ Metro...

English Professor Bruce Degi is teaching English in China through a year-long exchange program with Yunnan Radio & Television University.
Last semester English Professor Bruce Degi traveled to China to teach English. This much he was prepared to do, but he was “shocked” to learn he had been assigned 10 different required freshman English classes with about 60 students per class. This is quite different from Metro State, where the student-faculty ratio is 21 to 1.

“It balances itself out,” says Degi, who is part of a year-long exchange program established through a 2007 partnership between Metro State and Yunnan Radio & Television University (YNRTVU). The university is located in Denver’s sister city, Kunming.

“My task is to work with them on their spoken English. I do not grade anything. During most weeks I am teaching what [would equate] to six or more classes at Metro, but I don’t have office hours,” says Degi, who had not traveled to China prior to this trip and does not speak Chinese. “I also hold two hours of ‘English Corner,’ a British invention where students can practice their English with me outside of a formal classroom each week.”

To read the full article, please click here.

Wall Street Journal recognizes marketing professor

From This Week @Metro

Jan 13, 2010

Visiting Assistant Professor of Marketing Darrin Duber-Smith was recently recognized as a Wall Street Journal “In-Education Distinguished Professor” for 2009.

He is among 10 professors, out of more than 1,000 nominated nationally, to receive the honor for integrating the online and print version of the Wall Street Journal into their curriculum.

In a Dec. 29 congratulatory letter to Duber-Smith, Tom Cook, an educational representative for The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s wrote: “We are proud to have the opportunity to work with you in a common effort to prepare business students for success in class and in their careers.”

The award underscores how Duber-Smith uses the publication, among others, in his class to keep students engaged with current events and perspectives. It’s only one of the many ways that Duber-Smith, who has taught at the College for seven years, connects his students to real-world experiences.

He has also rejuvenated a program in the Marketing Department called “Open for Business.” Under his direction for the last two years, students have worked on marketing plans for about 20 organizations, including most recently Altitude TV in fall 2009. Eight students in the Seminar in Marketing Management course presented a social networking and sponsorship marketing plan to the station’s executives at the Pepsi Center board room.

“We had an informal competition with the marketing students from the University of Denver and University of Colorado,” says Duber-Smith. “We won.”

During the semester, the executives were required to come to campus for meetings with the students. “Students get connections through that,” says Duber-Smith, who has been in green marketing for more than 25 years, and has owned Green Marketing, Inc., a full-service marketing strategy and brand development firm, since 2000.

“Darrin is great,” says Marketing Department Chair Clay Daughtrey. “His real-world experience as a consultant and professional speaker helps students to understand what they’ll be facing in their careers.”

Having successfully navigated the business for years, Duber-Smith provides his students the following advice as they face their job search in a tough economy. “I think the recession is beating the fight out of some students, but I encourage them to be better than their peers and be willing to work harder,” says Duber-Smith, who is so committed to his students that each semester he gives out his cell phone number to his students – all 130 of them.

He is also an avid Roadrunner fan, having served as play-by-play announcer for three years for the men’s and women’s basketball games.

Tuition hikes inevitable with budget cuts to higher education

To help balance this year’s budget, Ritter has proposed cutting state support drastically but backfilling the loss with federal stimulus funds. That would leave little stimulus cash to prop up college budgets in 2010-11. But, a proposed 9 percent tuition increases would keep overall higher education revenue at about where it was in 2008-09.

From InDenver Times. To read the full article, click here.

Advocacy Training 101 is a must-do course for anyone interested in future budget cuts to higher education. This is why...

Highlights of upcoming budget cuts to higher education...

•Deep budget cuts will be applied to institutions that received "catch up" increases during the Ritter Administration that were larger than those given other organizations.
•Colleges with increased enrollment in recent years will see less funding
•Institutions will have increased flexibility in regards to foreign student enrollment, real estate transactions, allocation of financial aid, purchasing and accounting rules and building construction.
•Ritter opposes colleges’ desires to set their own tuition rates
•Efforts will be made to better articulate community college classes with four-year schools
•A proposal to give a student member voting rights on the Colorado State University Board of Governors also is expected to be back this year.

To find out what you can do at the Alumni Association's Advocacy Training 101 on Friday, January 29, visit here.

Have a say in how Colorado deals with higher education budget cuts

Are you a recent graduate of Metro State who plans on utilizing Metro State's Career Services to help you find a job? Are you a senior worried about rising tuition costs? Budget cuts seem imminent with the ongoing recession and may affect services offered to graduates as well as tuition rates. If you want a say in how Colorado deals with budget cuts to higher education, join the free, Metro State College of Denver Alumni Association Advocacy Training 101 course to find out what you can do. You will get an insider's view from the Hill, learn how the legislative process works, and glean talking points on issues pertinent to Metro State and higher education. The training is scheduled Friday, Jan. 29, from 9a.m. to noon, at St. Cejetan's on the Auraria Campus. For more information or to sign up, click here. Please RSVP by Monday, Jan. 25.

Fun and refined, Metro State College of Denver alumni Sean Brown's art delivers smiles

Sean Brown hopes his artwork will make you smile. The playful colors, shapes and textures of each of his unique, handmade pieces of jewelry and framed art are sure to make you crack a grin.

Brown creates one-of-a-kind fired ceramic clay and mixed-media jewelry, as well as larger works to brighten the walls of any home's décor. Contemporary and compelling are both appropriate adjectives for Brown's work. The “C” words come from his creative use of form and juxtaposition of textures.

Brown is well known for his works depicting dogs, cats and, especially, birds. Each animal is whimsically shaped by hand with ceramic clay. This is just the beginning of Brown's elaborate process. Next, vibrant colors of underglazes are applied, and the pieces are fired in a kiln at temperatures reaching 2,000 degrees. After a second firing, Brown uses special pens and fine brushes to apply an overglaze of 22-karat gold. The pieces are placed back into the kiln a third time, with some works receiving up to five firings.

After the pieces cool enough to handle, Brown thoroughly inspects each one and occasionally sandblasts them to give a rich, matte finish. Certain pieces are adorned with more elements, typically 14-karat gold beads, sterling silver and semi-precious stones. Brown's birds receive soft, natural parrot and pheasant feathers to soften the slick glazed look of the fired clay.

Each material in Brown's work adds yet another layer of visual interest. The arduous processes and strict attention to details and materials used gives Brown's work a very distinct personality. The end results are always both fun and refined. Whether the finished product is a piece of wearable art or a delightful find for your home, Sean Brown's work brings joy.

Brown has been showing off his work publicly since 1989 and has used his art to support such important organizations as the Denver SafeHouse, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities and more. He holds a fine arts degree from the Metropolitan State College in Denver and still calls the city home. Brown is trekking up the mountain this weekend to host a demonstration and show off his newest works at the Art on a Whim gallery in Breckenridge.

Metropolitan State College of Denver Athletics - Men's Basketball Notes

Metropolitan State College of Denver Athletics - Men's Basketball Notes

Metro State President to host free dinner/discussion for alumni in Arizona, Jan. 25

Metro State President Stephen Jordan is hosting a free dinner and discussion for Metropolitan State College of Denver alumni currently residing in Arizona. The event will be held at Chelsea's Kitchen (5040 N. 40th Street, Phoenix), on Monday, January 25, from 6-8p.m. For more information or to register, please click here.

Call to Alumni--Help Mentor Today's Metro State Students!

The Metro State Office of Alumni Relations and Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Metro State Scholars Program, are excited to announce a new pilot program. The Alumni Mentoring Program (AMP) will match alumni mentors with current students in the same course of study.

lf you are interested in becoming a mentor, please click here fill out the application form.

Redesigned Metro Magazine reflects Metro State College of Denver alumni input

By now, you should have received the fall edition of Metro Magazine, the College’s publication for alumni, donors, community leaders and other Metro State supporters. The magazine is sporting a new, edgier design and has the kind of compelling stories that match its striking new look—changes based on feedback from alumni through focus groups and an online survey in 2008.

The cover story, “Degrees of Impact,” features the wonderful work that faculty and students are doing in the community; for instance, Affiliate Management Professor Howie Flomberg’s students who raised money for a well in Kenya and Psychology/Women’s Studies Professor A. J. Steele’s volunteerism with the Polaris Project to fight human trafficking. An added feature is a multimedia piece with Steele is available here.

Let us know what you think and share your ideas for future articles with us. E-mail Donna Fowler at fowlerd@mscd.edu with your suggestions.

President Jordan addresses funding crisis at town hall meeting

On November 19, President Stephen Jordan presented to more than 200 faculty and staff an overview of the most current information regarding the higher education funding crisis and its impact on Metro State. To read more, click here.

To learn how your voice can make a significant impact on the higher education funding crisis, click here.

Early Childhood Education Tenure Track Faculty position...

Teach 12 semester hours of day and/or evening courses in Early Childhood Education including preschool and early primary curriculum development, management and literacy methods courses. Must advise, work with and be sensitive to the educational needs of students from a diverse student population. Supervision of clinical experiences and/or student teachers will also be required. Click here for more information.

Plenty of Job Openings at Metro State College of Denver

There are a plethora of job openings at Metro State College of Denver. To check out the 25 faculty jobs, click here. To see the 10 open administrative jobs, click here. As well, there are a grand total of 64 adjust faculty positions. Click here for more information.

Guerilla Art in front of the Alumni Relations building, 9th Street Park

This piece, "Rickety Way Out," by Rita Stewart, appeared in front of our office some weeks ago. At first it was strewn with bright yellow caution tape, which took away from the sculpture. It draws many onlookers and photographers. I can see it from my second-floor office.

Campus yesterday

This is why I love Colorado.

Metro State College of Denver Alumni can get hundreds off on car insurance

Did you know you can get group discounts on car insurance if you are a member of Metro State's Alumni Association? Membership is free. For more information, visit Liberty Mutual's "Metro State College of Denver" page.

Snow incoming, but nice right now

I just took a short walk around 9th Street Park. The sun is shining, and it feels like it's about 45 degrees. Snow's coming in this evening and through tomorrow though. For a Weather.com 10-day report, click here.

Join our Metro State College of Denver -- Alumni & Friends Fan Page on Facebook!

If you haven't done so already, join our Metro State College of Denver -- Alumni & Friends Fan Page.

Art by MSCD alum Tom Oliver.

Check out MSCD Alum Tom Oliver's art on his blog.

Check out MSCD alum Jeff Ball's photography blog

Note from Jeff Ball...
I am a fine art photographer in Denver, Colorado. My work runs the gamut from high-end fashion to the deconstruction of masculinity. My curiosity and appreciation for the many different methods art is created and perceived has led to a diverse expression. I find myself drawn to a multitude of different themes, mediums and how they all relate and object to each other. My work stems from a belief that art is in everything.

There is art in the contemplation of what makes a person masculine or feminine. There is art between pride and shame. There is art amidst controversy and secrets. Each extreme and everywhere in between can be felt, observed and captured from multiple perspectives. My work evolves from that dynamic.

I like to have an early concept for an image but completely welcome the creative process that directs my work. Some pieces take a mere moment to create, while others take more time and reflection to reveal its message. Keys play a prevalent role in this transformation as both symbols of trust and devices of secrets. As these hidden meanings are made clear to me, the work becomes transformative. I am better aware of myself, my emotions and the world around me.

Each photograph provides a different insight into the concept of masculinity while revealing the impact of life experience on my vision. These images also cross mediums and find themselves in many of my paintings, serigraphs and sculpture. The work is heavily influenced by my own reactions and experiences with different facets of gay culture. The integration of a variety of mediums to explore this central theme reveals its complexity in my life.

To see and read more about this talented alumni, click here.

Metro State Aviation Alum receives Air Force award

Major Casey Dodds, an assistant operations officer with the 2nd Airlift Squadron, received the Chief of the Defense Staff Commendation from the Canadian Forces.

The award, which recognizes deeds or activities outside the normal call of duty, is sometimes given to a member of an armed force from another country who has performed meritorious services that benefit Canada.

To read the full Longmont Times Call article, click here.

Yia Lor speaks at MSCD commencement ceremony

Yia Lor’s childhood was very different from many of his peers.

Yia Lor credits his father Chue Thao Lor with inspiring him and his siblings to further their education. His father joined the Laos Army when he was a teenager and he worked with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gathering information on the communist enemy during the Vietnam War. Photo by Eric Hagen

The featured student speaker at a Dec. 15 commencement ceremony at Metropolitan State University shared his experiences growing up as a political refugee in a Thai refugee camp and how his friends would pass the agonizing time catching insects and not thinking about a future that looked hopeless.

Lor, who is now 33 years old and living in Ham Lake with his wife Meena Moua, said he was humbled by the opportunity to share his story. To read the full ABCNewspapers.com story, click here.

Soul of the community

MSCD Chicano studies professor Helen Giron-Mushfiq reflects on La Alma community center in this article...

For residents of the Lincoln Park neighborhood in west Denver, the fight over the La Alma Recreation Center is more than just about preserving services - which most certainly is a major component.

No, for this predominantly Chicano community, the fight for La Alma is also about history - it’s about soul.

More than 30 years ago Chicano leaders took to City Hall where they demanded that their neighborhood be given a public recreation center to be operated by Parks and Recreation. They won.

Now, three decades later, the city has proposed transitioning the center to a private non-profit group such as the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver. The proposal comes as the city faces a $120 million budget shortfall. Not wanting to close the center completely, city officials view the proposal as one that could save the recreation center.

Another three recreation centers have also been proposed for a transition, but La Alma has been the most controversial.

To read full Denver Daily News article by Peter Marcus, click here.

Denver's declining murder rate follows national trend - The Denver Post

Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Jeff London is quoted in this article.

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/frontpage/ci_14116990?source=rss#ixzz0bfGAv9Ot
Denver's declining murder rate follows national trend - The Denver Post

Metropolitan State College of Denver Athletics - Roadrunners Open New Year with Convincing Victory

Metropolitan State College of Denver Athletics - Roadrunners Open New Year with Convincing Victory

Three MSCD Alums Found Operagasm.com: A Fresh Perspective on Opera and Classical Music

January 2, 2010
Operagasm.com is a new website that presents a cutting edge national perspective on current events, news, reviews, interviews, fashion and editorial contributions regarding opera and classical music. In March 2010, the website will also offer free audition and competition listings.

The founders, Christie Connolley, Erica Papillion-Posey, and Melissa Wimbish have known each other since 2003, when they attended Metropolitan State College of Denver pursuing their bachelor degrees in music. Melissa and Christie were in their junior year of their vocal performance degrees, while Erica was returning to school after taking time off to raise her daughter, Alexis. Although they were classmates, their life-long friendship wasn’t cemented until a choir trip through Germany and Austria in 2006; chalk it up to one of the benefits of endless hours on a tour bus rumbling through Bavaria.

Although their lives have taken them in different directions, they still share an incredible and dynamic friendship. Erica is pursuing her Masters of Music at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, Melissa is pursuing her performers certificate at Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, and Christie is pursuing her Masters of Music at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Where will their lives take them from here? One of them may have international fame on the opera stage, or have a professorship in the hallowed halls of the music conservatory, or maybe have a starring role in Bravo’s Real Housewives of Goldigger County. But one thing is certain… they will have opinions! And they look forward to sharing their opinions with you. Not solely their opinions, but varied perspectives and helpful resources on Operagasm.com.

The focus for the month of January is ‘New Beginnings’, which isn’t unusual this time of year. Some people resolve to save more money, while others resolve to spend more time with their family, or to finally put down the bag of Mint Milanos. But what kind of new beginnings do we experience in the world of opera?

Our contributors this month will explore that question. We will feature an article by opera director A. Scott Parry about creating new beginnings from old material. Peabody student Laura Reaper discovers new beginnings while applying for graduate school. Bryce Smith, writes about creating his own opportunities by founding Opera Manhattan. University of Denver student D.J. Close gives a 'civilian' perspective on starting voice lessons for the first time. Jessica Kiger, a Production Assistant at the Metropolitan Opera finds a world of opportunity behind the scenes. Nathan Myers, American-Berlin Opera Foundation Scholarship recipient and his new beginning at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Indiana University student Andy Lunsford discovers his voice for the first time at the age of 30.

They look forward to their ‘New Beginning’ with you, the Operagasm.com reader and hope to be a trusted resource that will both educate and entertain