Outstanding Graduate

Daniela Harton, a future teacher with justice and equity at heart

Anonymous — Mon, 11 May 2020 16:45:56 +0000

Daniela Harton, a future teacher with justice and equity at heart Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/11/2020 - 10:45

With a heart for social justice, Daniela Harton kept coming back to a career in education.

The Fort Collins native moved to Washington, D.C. to attend George Washington University as an undergraduate majoring in Human Services and Social Justice, a major that introduced her to a number of education roles. She found herself supporting after school programs, working more directly with classes and designing social studies enrichment lessons, and completing a summer job with the Colorado Education Association, where she first began to see herself as a teacher.

"It was after this experience that I knew that I wanted to be a public school teacher, and I wanted to find a program that had justice and equity at its heart," said the Outstanding Graduate in Secondary Humanities.

Harton is earning her Master's degree in education plus teacher licensure in the social studies program. Throughout the immersive one-year program, she has demonstrates an impressive capacity for designing and implementing high interest, culturally responsive lessons that encourage students to think critically and carefully. She anticipates and addresses potential frustrations before they arise, listens carefully and responds thoughtfully to student comments and insights, and challenges students to question their own assumptions about themselves and their world—all while inspiring a passion for Social Studies. As a student teacher, Harton supported students in completing a problem-based learning project centered on the Industrial Revolution called “Killer Goods and Services,” and she facilitated the learning of teams of students as they generated, researched, and participated in café-style presentations to panelists from around the U.S.

Get to know Outstanding Secondary Humanities Graduate Daniela Harton:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

With my next chapter being that of a secondary teacher, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to bring the lessons that I have learned in graduate school into the classroom with students of my own. What comes to mind right now, is the question: “What counts as normal?” In my Queer(ing) Topics in Education class this last semester, my professor Bethy Leonardi always guided us to come back to that question. We often grappled with the idea of “normal” and how the systems that are in place today often paint a picture of normal-- but one that is far less complex, beautiful, or meaningful, than the reality of being human. I am excited to bring this question, and others, into my classroom as a way to allow my students to be agents of their own learning as capable young adults. I believe curiosity is essential to learning, and I am excited to center curiosity in my own classroom.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

The best piece of advice I have for incoming students is to invest in the relationships and people that make CU, CU. I have been blown away by the love that the faculty and my peers have for learning and feel inspired to continue this work because I know that the folks who are as committed to this fight as I am are incredible. Take the time to grab coffee before class, go to office hours just to chat, put together drop-in happy hours-- these are some of my favorite memories from CU, and have helped grow friendships that I hope will come with me far beyond this degree!

What does graduating from graduate school represent for you?

Graduating with my MA+ represents a really exciting new beginning for me! I have been looking forward to teaching and working in education for many years now, and finally graduating and being able to begin my career in the field feels really validating. I am really looking forward to continuing to grow as an educator (and as a human), and I feel really grateful for the foundation my Masters coursework and peers helped me to build over my time at CU.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

I believe really deeply that every student deserves an excellent education, and I am driven by the idea that I will be able to spend my career working to make this a reality for more students. I hope to apply what I have learned so far to the classroom as a teacher, while continuing to question and incrementally dismantle the systems that favor some children over others. I am a learner first, so I feel so grateful to be entering a profession where curiosity and exploration are at the core of my day-to-day, and my own growth as an educator is something I can work at everyday. This work is so important, and I am driven to contribute to the betterment of the education system for all students.

With a heart for social justice, Daniela Harton kept coming back to a career in education. As an undergraduate majoring in Human Services and Social Justice, she found herself working for after-school programs and then the Colorado Education Association. Soon, she began to see herself as a teacher.

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Meet Casey Knosby, a higher education professional helping students find their way

Anonymous — Mon, 11 May 2020 15:04:02 +0000

Meet Casey Knosby, a higher education professional helping students find their way Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/11/2020 - 09:04

As an undergraduate student, Casey Knosby loved learning and dreaming about many different professional paths.

After considering careers in dentistry, business, teaching, and sustainability and moving from her home state in North Carolina to Denver for a banking job, Knosby finally found her niche in higher education. It's no wonder she is now working in advising in the Leeds School of Business after an initial role in admissions — she loves helping students find their ways as an advisor and said she has "truly fallen in love with my profession."

As a student in the Master's in Higher Education program in the CU �鶹ӰԺ School of Education, Knosby has proven herself a socially just leader and scholar.

Within her education classrooms, she seeks to discover how our many educational theories affect those from marginalized populations as she strives to provide provocative and cutting edge services to those populations within her various advising positions at CU. �鶹ӰԺ She works conscientiously and courteously with her classmates to produce outstanding research projects and class discussions that offer a fair and balanced perspective where all populations are considered. As a classroom instructor within the Leeds School of Business, she provides her students a platform which positively challenges them and encourages their curiosity to be social justice change agents just as she, herself, has become.

Meet Casey Knosby, Outstanding Master’s in Higher Education Graduate:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

The SOE at CU �鶹ӰԺ has taught me so many things that I will carry with me into the next chapter of my life. First and foremost, this program solidified my passion for working with students and the power that an inclusive space holds for all students K-12 and beyond. The SOE taught me to employ a true equity-mindset. There are people who are advantaged and people who are disadvantaged, and working in higher education, I will do everything I can to provide inclusivity and opportunity for confidence and success to all students, especially the ones who may need support most.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

First, have an open mind and be excited for this incredible program! All of the classes bring such different and amazing insights into policy and practice within the field of higher education.

Also, take advantage of learning from your peers. The people I was in class with taught me so much about both higher education and K-12 education. I loved getting into long conversations about educational issues and dilemmas because their different perspectives helped me learn my voice as a graduate student with strong opinions.

What does graduating from graduate school represent for you?

Graduating with my masters represents an opportunity for me to work in the most exciting and energetic industry. Higher education is a field that allows me to work with and mentor college students each and every day. The graduate degree also gives me confidence in my knowledge of educational theories and educational/personal-needs during students’ collegiate years.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

People and students drive my passion for my work after graduation. Working for the university has allowed me to learn about all of the incredible research and projects that are being done on a daily basis to make Colorado and the world a better and more progressive place. Whether that’s through the School of Education or the Aerospace Engineering program (or the many programs in-between), the research this university is involved with is incredibly inspiring and I am honored to have been a part of it.

As an undergraduate student, Casey Knosby loved learning and dreaming about many different professional paths. After considering careers in dentistry, business, teaching, and sustainability she finally found her niche in higher education and is helping students.

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Meet Meredith Nass, a conscientious community organizer seeking social change

Anonymous — Mon, 11 May 2020 15:02:58 +0000

Meet Meredith Nass, a conscientious community organizer seeking social change Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/11/2020 - 09:02

Growing up in Durango, in the rural southwest corner of Colorado, Meredith Nass has sought a worldly perspective to bring to her work as a community organizer and coalition builder.

A graduate of the Bachelor's and Master's Program (BAM) in Ethnic Studies and Education, Nass consistently conveys a combination of courage and humility as she tackles critical questions about the many injustices in our world and how to reimagine our roles as transformative educators and policymakers.

As an undergraduate, Nass studied ethnic studies and women and gender studies while earning a minor in leadership studies and a certificate in the INVST Community Studies Program. Nass was excited and intrigued by the BAM program, which results in bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies and an MA in educational foundations, policy and practice over five years of study and the opportunity to continue learning, seeking answers, and posing questions about the potential of education as a means for community-based activism and social change, she said.

Nass has worked in community organizing on behalf of a number of causes and what could be considered daunting issues — from expanding voting rights regardless of citizenship status to developing curriculum for students to learn about sexual assault, healthy relationships, consent, privilege, boundaries, and communication in dating relationships.

Despite the urgency and the difficulty of the big issues she confronts, Nass is also kind and caring in all the meaningful ways that make a classroom community warm, generative and humanizing, her professors said. It’s not surprising that Nass authored an ambitious qualitative research study for her capstone project, on how to develop humanizing, race-conscious and critical service-learning programs for students on CU �鶹ӰԺ’s campus. In addition, during the unforeseen circumstances endured this semester due to the national pandemic, she did not simply finish her capstone, she extended herself to others in the program, including her professors, to offer encouragement and support as a peer reviewer, friend, and confidant.

Get to know Meredith Nass, Outstanding Graduate in Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

I think the most lessons learned from CU �鶹ӰԺ were from the staff and support networks of the Women and Gender Studies Department, Ethnic Studies, the SOE, and the INVST Program. There are too many lessons learned in all the experiences I had/classes I took from these initiatives, but they absolutely all had a hand in changing the course of my life, for the better I think! Thank you to all!

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

The best piece of advice I could give incoming students is to put time and care into making a group of friends to go through the graduate school experience with you. My friends have been so integral to my time here... not only are they important for the processing of experience but they are also the best peer-editors there are!

What does graduating from graduate school represent for you?

Ah, a world of opportunity! I feel that more than anything else, graduating with my Masters represents a responsibility. A responsibility to myself and others to use my degree for all the potentials it holds in the realm of social justice. As a forever learner, I think graduating also represents the beginning of the next opportunity to learn, probably in a very different way than my past 5 years in higher ed.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

I feel driven by the inspiration of so many around me doing such incredibile, integrated work for creating more just systems and learning environments. My successes in obtaining my degree are undoubtedly due in part to those who continued to motivate me through my time at CU...my pursuits are an expression of my gratitude for my own education.

Growing up in Durango, in the rural southwest corner of Colorado, Meredith Nass has sought a worldly perspective to bring to her work as a community organizer and coalition builder.

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Meet Jami Riley, working to ensure research-based teaching practices go the distance

Anonymous — Mon, 11 May 2020 14:52:43 +0000

Meet Jami Riley, working to ensure research-based teaching practices go the distance Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/11/2020 - 08:52

Jami Riley taught high school math for four years before enrolling full time in the CU �鶹ӰԺ School of Education's Secondary Mathematics Master's program with her sights set on developing the tools and knowledge to further refine her teaching practice with research-based evidence.

Riley has proven to be an incredible student who balances high quality work while helping coach the distance track and cross country teams at Legacy High School in Broomfield, her professors said. She holds a deep curiosity about educational policy, theory and practice in mathematics education, and she sought to identify design principles for mathematics classrooms that supported students’ engagement in powerful mathematics and identities as mathematics learners.

Aware of the powerful forces of social hierarchies around race and culture in mathematics teaching and learning, Riley also aimed to develop practices and structures that would disrupt predominant lines of status and racial stereotypes in the mathematics classroom. In her capstone project, Riley weaved together a coherent and compelling case for making time in mathematics classrooms for students to reflect on group norms and their mathematical contributions when making sense of mathematics. Her study of socio-mathematical norms and the potential influence of “participation quizzes” demonstrated a sophisticated analysis of research literature, observation data, and students’ responses in class and to surveys to form a critique of status quo classroom practices in high school mathematics and offer recommendations for the future.

Get to know Outstanding STEM Education Graduate Jami Riley:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

Overall, my learning experiences at CU �鶹ӰԺ have allowed me to take a giant step back from the day-to-day teaching concerns (i.e. finishing my lesson plans for the next school day) and have provided me with an opportunity to think about larger structures of power that shape my decisions as a teacher, as well as students' experiences as mathematics learners. In particular, learning about the "hidden curriculum of work" (Anyon, 1980) that shapes students' learning opportunities along lines of social class and serves to perpetuate the current social order was extremely impactful. Thus, upon my return to teaching high school mathematics, I will use this knowledge to consider how my lessons position students in relation to mathematics and I will strive to identify and make necessary changes so that all students truly have equal access to powerful mathematical knowledge.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

When I started classes at CU �鶹ӰԺ I had particular beliefs and ideas about teaching mathematics. Some of these beliefs and ideas were confirmed and strengthened, while others were challenged, which led to my own personal change and growth. I think when you pursue higher education it is because you want to change and grow, so I think it is important to allow yourself space to do so. In short: it's OK to change your mind.

What does graduating from graduate school represent for you?

Graduating with my Master's degree is an important step for me both personally and professionally. Personally, I value continuous learning and growth, and completing this course of study has allowed me to engage in both of these things in a structured manner. Professionally, graduating with my Master's degree provides me with the tools and credibility to fight for and justify changes at the classroom and school level that would provide traditionally marginalized students of color with more equitable access to powerful mathematics learning.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

The fact that mathematics is such a powerful (and beautiful) discipline, coupled with the joy I find in helping kids uncover this power and beauty, drives my passion to continue teaching high school mathematics. Additionally, I think there is currently a need for educators across the U.S. to fully commit to innovative and equitable approaches to teaching mathematics, and I feel passionate about being a supportive leader in this movement.

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Meet Will Ostendorf, a techie teacher who was inspired by a long line of educators

Anonymous — Mon, 11 May 2020 14:44:39 +0000

Meet Will Ostendorf, a techie teacher who was inspired by a long line of educators Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/11/2020 - 08:44

A long line of educators inspired Will Ostendorf's winding path to becoming a teacher. His parents are both teachers — his mother taught middle school and his father entered the profession after retiring from an information technology company and volunteering five days a week in a middle school.

As an undergraduate, Ostendorf originally aimed to become a music teacher with the hopes of following in the footsteps of his own inspiring middle and high school music teachers. However, he realized he was more equipped to pass on the joy of music and learning to students rather than to study as a musician, and after some soul searching, he landed a position in outdoor education with the High Trails Outdoor Education Center. There, he discovered he loved working with the 5th and 6th graders and realized that his passion was in teaching, not specifically music.

After earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education, Ostendorf landed his dream job — teaching 5th graders. As an active educator, he enrolled in the CU �鶹ӰԺ School of Education's literacy studies Master's program, where he brought a passion for literacy education, technology, and equitable education for all learners that has been evident not only in his teaching, but also in the many ways in which he contributed to and strengthened his literacy studies graduate community.

In addition, Ostendorf is a head instructor for a leadership program in peer collaboration and social emotional learning, and he is also a leader in instructional technology.

As part of CU �鶹ӰԺ courses in digital literacies and literacy assessment, Ostendorf served as a reading tutor and technology coach during a year-long after school program held at a Lafayette elementary and supported by School of Education faculty. His expertise as a media literacy leader was a key component of the success of elementary digital media lab program last year, as he generously supported peers, instructors, and children in the creation of innovative and technically complex projects, such as creating green screen news casts composed and led by elementary students. He also provided insights in mindful and ethical ways to use technology in ways that were responsive to students’ cultural and diverse backgrounds, through the informed selection of apps and websites and the critical examination of their features.

More recently, Ostendorf's tech leadership came full circle in response to the COVID-19 instructional changes and online teaching requirements. He has spent countless hours helping to set up his school’s online teaching program and was instrumental in supporting his peers in their remote-teaching transition while teaching his own fifth grade classroom.

Ostendorf's CV states that his objective is “to create a learning environment in which students thrive. To foster a sanctuary where we take educational risks in order to succeed through critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills in all subject areas." He is a leader in demonstrating that in his own teaching.

Get to know Outstanding Literacy Studies Graduate William Ostendorf:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

During my time working with the faculty at CU, I learned to bring my personal touch into everything I do as a teacher. During my first few years of teaching, I was trying to be just like the Instagram teachers I saw on social media. Their classrooms are perfect, their anchor charts are pieces of artwork. It took me a while to figure out that I am not a Pinterest teacher - and that is an ok thing! The faculty at CU helped me to realize that I am an excellent teacher because I make incredible relationships with my students. I don't need to compare myself or my teaching to other teachers out there, I just need to bring my own style everyday. I need to spread my compassion and joy for these students and advocate for all students - especially the ones who need it the most. I try to be authentic in the classroom everyday showing students to celebrate and embrace their own identity as people and learners.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

I think kids deserve a teacher who works everyday to provide students with an educational sanctuary – an environment in which they feel safe and supported to take educational risks to grow intellectually and socially. Teachers must keep student's physical, emotional, and developmental wellbeing in their hearts and minds. In the end, we want our students to be good people - to be kind, creative, and compassionate about the things and people they love. This all starts with a teacher who can give them the space to try things out, learn, grow, and support them when they fail. Strive to be the teacher you needed when you were a kid.

What does graduating from graduate school represent for you?

Graduating from the �鶹ӰԺ is an extremely proud moment for me as both a student and a teacher. I struggled for years to learn how to be a student (which is a great lesson for my students as well). My path to this moment was not a direct one. Today, I celebrate with my fellow graduates, but as a teacher, I recognize that I am also a lifelong learner. Although I graduate this year, I feel that my education will never be over. I will be back to continue to learn how I can support my students and help them achieve success in the classroom and in their futures.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

The Kids! Teaching is the hardest job I have ever had, but the kids bring me the most joy. Their creativity, humor, and excitement for learning gives me hope. I can't wait to get back into the classroom each year and teach my heart out.

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Meet Andrés Martínez, an activist educator who leads in his school and graduate courses

Anonymous — Mon, 11 May 2020 14:33:15 +0000

Meet Andrés Martínez, an activist educator who leads in his school and graduate courses Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/11/2020 - 08:33

Andrés Martínez stood out since the first week of his Master's program. It was clear the 23-year veteran social studies teacher at Thornton High School, a majority Latinx high school, had a careful and articulate way of moving forward critical perspectives.

He politely pushed classmates to reconsider assumptions about emerging bilingual students and students of color, said Deb Palmer, professor of equity, bilingualism, and biliteracy. A Colorado native with roots from New Mexico, Texas, Chihuahua Mexico, and North Denver, Martínez has a history of community activism and he "voices his own perspectives fearlessly and diplomatically even in the face of significant disagreement or hostility," Palmer added.

Martínez has proven himself as an excellent teacher who makes comprehensive use of culturally and linguistically diverse education endorsement curriculum that is embedded in the Master’s program, Palmer said. During his time in the program, Martínez was a key player in an initiative to move forward with the Seal of Biliteracy for his school district, Adams 12, and he has led a proposal to teach ethnic studies at his school, first as an elective and then potentially as part of the curriculum.

Martínez’s leadership does not end in the classroom but extends to his family life as well. He is aware of the educational example and seeds he is sowing for his daughters, as the first in his family to graduate from high school and now to earn a graduate degree.

“I am proud to say that my 11-year-old daughter attends the same Denver Public School in North Denver that my father attended in the 1950’s and my 18-year-old daughter attends Pace University in Manhattan in New York City,” he said. “My Chicano/Indigenous family is in the process of reclaiming and helping revitalize our culture. As such, unlike myself and their mother or even my own father and mother, my daughters are both fully fluent in Spanish and they know how to pray the rosary as well as to smudge with sage before doing a sweat ceremony. They are also fluent in both Tupac, Prince, and Selena as well as Ballet Folklorico, Danza Azteca, and Mariachi.”

Martínez has studied the important role CU �鶹ӰԺ played in the Chicano Movement in Colorado and the opportunity to have a CU �鶹ӰԺ graduate education has been a welcome chapter in his story.

“I knew how the BUENO Center at CU �鶹ӰԺ grew out of that Chicano activism and how it became a center for bilingual education,” he said. “I can’t overstate the degree to which el movimiento played in the Chicanx/Latinx communities as well as the broader American culture. So when the opportunity came to me in Adams 12 for the BUENO Masters program, I knew it was meant for me.”

Get to know Outstanding Equity, Bilingualism, and Biliteracy Graduate Andrés Martínez:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

I consider the level of intellectual engagement that the BUENO professors provided as the greatest experience while in the Masters program at CU. I loved how so many of my cultural beliefs that had been denied and dismissed both my K-12 and undergraduate careers were now affirmed and with academic grounding.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

My advice for incoming students is to allow yourself to be truly challenged. Don’t be afraid to be the radical - nothing ever changes otherwise. Everyone has a beautiful and rich cultural heritage and if you didn’t know about it, chances are you too had it suppressed. The only way to grow as a teacher is to embrace the cognitive dissonance that comes with this kind of graduate program. Use it to fully engage in checking your own privilege otherwise you risk not only making no difference - but actually making things worse for your students. Use your privilege and your intellect as a weapon because you may be literally saving your students’ lives. Get your degree and then work in solidarity with your students and their families because true teaching is nothing short of social justice activism because It’s up to us, the bold activists, to save public schools.To me, this is also what it means to have a graduate degree.

What does graduating from graduate school represent for you?

I have no illusions that the opportunity to go to graduate school and receive a Masters degree from a prestigious institution like CU �鶹ӰԺ comes from generations of my ancestors who struggled - who had their land, wealth, and culture suppressed and stolen - and even died for my generation to have these opportunities. I owe it to them, as a matter of basic justice, that my students and the youth in my family and community get the best I and we can offer them. This is what drives me today.

Andrés Martínez, 23-year veteran social studies teacher, has studied the important role CU �鶹ӰԺ played in the Chicano Movement in Colorado and the opportunity to have a CU �鶹ӰԺ graduate education has been a welcome chapter in his story.

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Meet Allison Murphy, a future teacher who digs archeology, social studies, art and culture

Anonymous — Fri, 08 May 2020 19:29:19 +0000

Meet Allison Murphy, a future teacher who digs archeology, social studies, art and culture Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/08/2020 - 13:29

When Allison Murphy was young, she used to pretend her backyard in Colorado Springs was an archeological excavation site and that one day she would make a huge new discovery.

Frequent trips to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to see Egpytian mummies or exhibitions about the Titanic or Mayans only fueled her flame and budding research. Murphy has always been enthralled with the intersection of culture, archeology, and art, and she has found a way to integrate her interests in history and the visual arts as a future social studies teacher.

“I have found profound joy sharing with others about the events of our past,” she said. “This communal nature in social studies and education fostered for me a profound respect for the past, importance of the now, and immediacy of the future for all our citizens of the world.

“Attending CU �鶹ӰԺ, gave me the tools to accomplish sharing the abundance of our histories and teaching them with purpose, empowerment, and inspiration.”

Murphy cares deeply about social studies teaching, and this passion is evidenced in her honor’s thesis, “Cheburashka and Friends: The Rootless Cosmopolitan as Ideal Soviet Citizen,” which explored the Soviet Jewish experience through art and culture in the 1960s.

She is a model of what educators can and should be and excels at inspiring students to care about history and the people whose stories can shape our understanding of it, her professors noted. By exploring Social Studies content through an equity orientation, she forges opportunities for students to build meaningful connections between their in- and out-of-school lives and consider how to build socially just ways of knowing and doing.

Get to know Outstanding Secondary Humanities Graduate Allison Murphy:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

When I was writing my Honors History Thesis, Cheburashka and Friends: the Rootless Cosmopolitan as Ideal Soviet Citizen, I could not help but find myself relating to this furry little animation creature I was researching named Cheburashka. Cheburashka mysteriously arrives in the Soviet Union in a crate of oranges possibly showing he is from Israel and of Jewish origin. Even though he is a foreigner in the Soviet Union and the authorities take advantage of him, Cheburashka is always kind, compassionate, and resourceful. He is an immigrant which improves a society no matter where he lands. I think the lesson of Cheburashka is that no matter where I end up geographically, I too can adapt and form a community of my own through kindness and compassion.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Not only are you academically learning, you are also learning to be an adult! Take this time to develop life skills, appropriate and safe relationships, boundary setting, self-love, goals, and developing hobbies like cooking or making art. Starting the transition and implementation of these life aspects and seeing them as a priority for a good quality of life is key to developing the whole beautiful person you are. In short, academics are important and so are you. You are a living breathing entity which needs to be treated well by yourself and others in the world.

What does graduating from college represent for you?

Graduation is like taking training wheels off of your bike and having a shaky moment riding solo. You take all that you learned, and just go out and shake, wobble, maybe even fall-- until you are gliding in society! Therefore, graduation represents for me a type of nervous and exciting liberation. Kind of like...okay let's get going on the bike so I can go check out the trails beyond my cul de sac.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

My drive as a social studies educator is to provide students multiple perspectives, reduce polarity thinking, see themselves represented positively in history, encourage civic participation, and create citizens who have tools to decode our societies today and years from now. Most of all, I am joyful to educate the unique individuals I am so incredibly honored to support, inform, and guide.

When Allison Murphy was young, she used to pretend her backyard in Colorado Springs was an archeological excavation site and that one day she would make a huge new discovery. Murphy is the 2020 School of Education secondary humanities outstanding graduate.

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Meet Anne Fisher, teaching for equity under all circumstances

Anonymous — Fri, 08 May 2020 19:14:37 +0000

Meet Anne Fisher, teaching for equity under all circumstances Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/08/2020 - 13:14

Anne Fisher started making concrete plans to become a history and education Buff when she was just a freshman in high school.

Growing up in Erie, east of �鶹ӰԺ, she watched her brother attend CU �鶹ӰԺ and fell for the atmosphere and beautiful campus. When she learned more about the solid reputations of both the history department and the School of Education, with its social justice and equity mission, she was officially sold.

As a caring and compassionate future teacher and colleague to her peers, Fisher exemplifies the humanizing and equity principles of the School of Education’s elementary teacher education program, her professors noted. She brought her passion and expertise for equity and social justice into her classrooms at two Title I schools as a teacher candidate. When classes and schools switched to virtual learning for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester in the midst of her student teaching semester, the Outstanding Graduate in Elementary Education reinforced her commitments to justice by focusing one of her independent professional learning plans on teaching for equity.

Get to know Outstanding Graduate Anne Fisher:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

One of the most memorable experiences I had while at CU �鶹ӰԺ was having the opportunity to shuffle through historical, children's literature books for my Children's Lit class. Some books were even original copies that dated back to the late 1800s! Besides the inner-history nerd in me coming out, I remember being so fascinated and shocked at how unjust children's books were, and how much the world changes throughout time. I thought it was incredible to see these books and reflect on society's continuity and change. This experience further inspired me to become a teacher for equity, and made me develop a passion for children's literature.

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

My best advice would be to try to take something away from each of your classes. Even if you are taking a class that doesn't directly correlate with your major or program, try to be present, engage yourself in the work, and collaborate with others in discussions. I believe I am a much more well-rounded teacher because I remained focused and present in my classes. It's a privilege to attend such an amazing University - expand your ways of thinking!

What does graduating from college represent for you?

Graduating from college means that I get to officially pursue my dream of becoming an educator. It means that after years of hard work and commitment, I finally have the opportunity to teach tiny humans to love learning as much as I do. It means that the struggle of being a tired college student working part time and pouring their whole heart into their school work was worth it.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

My passion for social justice and equity is a part of my teaching philosophy and my philosophy of life. I will teach my future 5th graders about injustices of the world, while curating a more thoughtful and loving community within my own classroom itself. My commitment as a teacher for equity and passion for learning inspires me to grow alongside my students for years to come.

Anne Fisher started making concrete plans to become a history and education Buff when she was just a freshman in high school. Now, she is graduating as the 2020 School of Education outstanding graduate in elementary education.

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Meet Ally Collard, a passion advocate for students and scientific exploration

Anonymous — Fri, 08 May 2020 19:02:22 +0000

Meet Ally Collard, a passion advocate for students and scientific exploration Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 05/08/2020 - 13:02

From a young age, Alexandra Collard knew she wanted to teach. She loved learning and found math and science fascinating in the ways that they explain how the world works.

The Colorado native grew up skiing and hiking in the Colorado mountains, and CU �鶹ӰԺ's beautiful Flatirons and active community were an initial lure for her undergraduate studies. Nowadays, she has been just as active on campus as she has been in Colorado's backcountry. Collard is graduating with a double major in chemistry and mathematics and teacher licensure in secondary science. She has become a strong instructor and researcher, in part, thanks to her campus roles as a Learning Assistant supporting faculty teaching and students enrolled in General Chemistry 2 and a Noyce Scholar.

Her mentor teachers have all commented on her enthusiasm, deep understanding of content, and her dedication to students, equity, and justice. Collard has said that her goal is “to provide a safe, supportive, and engaging classroom where all students feel valued and supported in using scientific knowledge to be critical consumers in society.”

Collard is grateful that education has opened doors for her, and she is ready to pay it forward as the School of Education and CU Teach outstanding graduate in STEM education and in her future classroom.

"I am passionate about education as a way to effect positive change in our community and our world and as a way to support all of our students," said Collard, the School of Education and CU Teach outstanding graduate in STEM education. "I believe that every student deserves to feel valued, and being a math and science teacher gives me the chance to help students see their potential as scientists, engineers, and mathematicians."

Get to know Outstanding Graduate Ally Collard:

What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU �鶹ӰԺ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

During my time at CU, I learned to appreciate challenges, as they present opportunities for growth. I learned that pushing myself out of my comfort zone taught me new things, made me a stronger person, and left me with something to be proud of. I also made some amazing friends at CU that have helped me to grow, learn, and become the person that I am today, and I am eternally grateful for them!

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Keep an open mind. College is the time to figure out more of who you are, what drives you, and what you are interested in. It is a time to make lifelong friends, learn new skills, take chances, and grow as a person. Take advantage of everything that CU has to offer, from clubs and programs, to hiking at Chautauqua, to meeting new people.

What does graduating from college represent for you?

Graduating from college, for me, represents the transition from the learner to the teacher, from young adult to adult, and from the time to focus on learning for myself to the time to focus on applying my knowledge to help others. It represents a new phase in my life that comes with new responsibilities but also new opportunities to grow, to learn in a different way, and to reach the goals that I’ve been dreaming about since I was a child.

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

After graduation, I will be teaching high school chemistry. This has been a dream of mine since I can remember, and the fact that I finally made it is both exhilarating and terrifying. What will continue to drive me is the desire to help my students become successful learners, critical consumers in society, and critical thinkers. My students will be my ultimate motivation to keep learning about how to be the best teacher and to continue to learn about science and math in order to better my lessons and find meaningful real-world applications for my students.

From a young age, Alexandra Collard knew she wanted to teach. She loved learning and found math and science fascinating in the ways that they explain how the world works. Collard is the 2020 School of Education and CU Teach outstanding graduate in STEM education.

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Paying it forward in Higher Ed: First cohort of Master’s in Higher Education students graduates this spring

Anonymous — Tue, 07 May 2019 13:10:11 +0000

Paying it forward in Higher Ed: First cohort of Master’s in Higher Education students graduates this spring Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/07/2019 - 07:10

Denver native Paula Abitia had always wanted to attend her “dream school,” the �鶹ӰԺ, yet as a first-generation student of color, the reality of her dream included the struggle for a sense of belonging. She credits higher education professionals with helping her get through challenging times.

“I grew up rooting for CU, but when I first arrived as an eager 18-year-old, I just felt out of place,” she said. “Academically I was capable of performing well, but without that social connection, I struggled. I thought about transferring or leaving, but higher education professionals and my involvement in student organizations helped me to stay, persist and ultimately graduate.”

She cited caring campus mentors from the Ethnic Studies, work-study colleagues from the Pre-collegiate Program, and staff with the McNeill Academic Program, where Abitia was once a scholar and is now paying it forward as a McNeill program coordinator.

Abitia is also one of five students who will graduate this spring as part of the inaugural cohort of Master’s in Higher Education graduates. The program allows students to explore personal and professional experiences while investigating higher education practices, policies and research. Launched in 2017, the program aims to prepare knowledgeable, ethical and diverse leaders in higher education and boasts evening coursework to accommodate professionals’ busy schedules.

Flexibility to continue working full-time and comradery with other education professionals were key draws for Abitia.

“There is a sense of bonding in that we all came from work and now we’re in class and in it together,” she said. “We have experience working in higher education or with students in K-12 or in the non-profit sector, and we have the space to bring that knowledge into the classroom.

“It is this coupling of theoretical foundation with practical experiences that makes for really rich conversations, because our experiences and knowledges are seen as valuable.”

Based in the School of Education, the Master’s in Higher program is a collaboration with departments across campus, and program founder Michele Moses calls it a special program for many reasons.

“Not only do students gain a strong foundation in the history and philosophy of higher education and knowledge of program evaluation and research methods, but also they hone practical higher education skills in courses led by current higher education leaders,” said Moses, education professor and CU �鶹ӰԺ vice provost for faculty affairs.

“This combination of scholarly work and experiential learning is unique among higher education and student affairs degrees across the nation.”

Students gain practical experience and working knowledge of higher education practices from higher education professionals. Courses are led by education faculty and faculty affiliates who are often CU �鶹ӰԺ leaders working in career services, finance, community engagement, student affairs and more.

As a Buffs fan, Abitia enjoyed the opportunity to take an athletic affairs class with CU �鶹ӰԺ legend Ceal Barry, former women’s basketball coach and current deputy athletic director, and she was pleasantly surprised that the course on higher education funding ended up one of her favorites.

“I really did enjoy that practical application piece of the program, because higher education is so dynamic and so fluid, to be a strong professional and good practitioner, you have to be knowledgeable about the different facets of higher education,” she said.

That’s what Abitia is looking forward after graduation too — continuing to learn and remaining dedicated to supporting students, who much like her younger self, often need someone who believes in them.

“More than anything what drives my passion is the students that I am privileged enough to work alongside every single day,” she said. “Their skills and leadership and intellect really inspire me to continue my work of service and advocacy in pursuit of educational equity.”

Paula Abitia had always wanted to attend her “dream school,” CU �鶹ӰԺ, yet as a first-generation student of color, the reality of her dream included the struggle for a sense of belonging. She credits higher education professionals with helping her get through challenging times, and now she is paying it forward as a higher education professional and MA graduate.

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