Alumni News

In Memoriam

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:50:45 +0000

In Memoriam Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:50

1940s

Audrey J. Oliver (CompSciAp’45)

Harriet McPhail Hampton (Mktg’46)

Mary K. Ohman (A&S’47)

Joanne Sinden Hagerman (MBioChem’48)

M. B. Harris (Acct’48)

Donna J. Kilgore (DistSt’48)

Nathan B. Meiches (ElEngr’48)

Patricia St. Clair Ostwald (Art’48)

Yvonne Goodier Charles (Art, Chem’49)

1950s

Irving Barrack (Chem’50)

Alex Ferkovich Jr. (ElEngr’50)

Ann Reynolds Hendricks (Btny’50)

William Hobbs (Bus’50; Law’50)

Mary Beeley Phillips (Edu’50)

Barbara Templeton Buckley (Mktg’51)

William A. Merrick (Mktg’51)

Albert L. Yunko Jr. (A&S’51)

Teddy R. Barnhart Jr. (ChemEngr’52)

Felma Gleue Doane (A&S’52)

Wilminor C. Gardner (Fin’52)

Paul E. Hammond (Geol’52)

Joseph L. Campbell Jr. (MChemEngr’53)

Donald A. Melbye (Law’53)

Patricia Work Stermitz (A&S’53)

Gail Van Hine Young (Geol’53)

Ernest P. Moore (ElEngr’54)

Ronald A. Piotraschke (PE’54)

Billie B. Jensen (Hist’55; MA’59; PhD’62)

Marcia Saunders (Law’55)

Eric W. Schmidt (Mgmt’55)

Robert L. Weber (Geol’55)

Ervin J. Dunham (Mus’56)

Russell M. Holdredge (Acct, MechEngr’56; MMechEngr’59)

Herbert T. Miller (ElEngr’56)

Richard T. Putney (Psych’56)

Cle Cervi Symons (Jour’56)

George R. Baumli (CivEngr’57)

Bertram H. Benedick (PolSci’57)

Ellen TeSelle Boal (Mus’57)

Margaret Clarke Bowyer (DistSt’57)

Lyle R. Bratton (Law’57)

James W. Buckel (CivEngr’57)

Gretchen Purdum Coffey (Edu’57; Thtr’57)

Carole J. Cooke (Art’57)

Gary C. Curtin (Geol’57; MS’65)

Donald W. Harmon (Psych’57)

Howard T. Johnson (AeroEngr’57)

Bonnie Reese Musgrove (A&S’57)

Susie Wright Rowland (A&S’57)

Kenneth A. Baker (LatAmerSt’58; MPolSci’63; Law’64)

Wilson W. Coleman (Fin’58)

Robert W. Heller (MechEngr’58)

Raymond P. Lamb (A&S’58)

Margery Dryden Lincoln (HomeEcon’58)

William P. Mytton (Hist’58; Fin’60)

Mary W. Wilson (A&S’58)

Judith Paynter Wolf (A&S’58)

Fred A. Avi (MechEngr’59)

Harold D. Hampton (Geol’59; MHist’61)

John R. Kochan (ElEngr’59)

Erwin A. Reschke (MMgmt’59)

Roxy L. Root (Mgmt, AeroEngr’59)

Robert D. Smith (ElEngr’59)

Ann Dubuisson Sturgill (Engl’59)

1960s

Mark P. Addison (Geog’60)

Linda J. Baumann (Mus’60)

Charlotte Blakeborough (MEdu’60)

Charles G. Brown Jr. (Geol’60)

Robert B. Bruner (PolSci’60; MBA’63)

Robert H. Butcher (Geol’60; MS’62)

Richard W. Dowell (MEngl’60)

David L. Greene (Anth’60; MA’62; PhD’65)

Donald L. Loose (MechEngr’60)

Nancy Johnson Lucke (A&S’60)

Karl L. Marks (Law’60)

Elisabeth B. Brown (A&S’61; MA&S’80)

DeWitt C. Hackett (ApMath’61)

Deborah Hansen Beresford (Art’61)

Larry F. Schofield (A&S’61)

Dale N. Amend (MechEngr’62)

Nancy C. Baggs (MMath’62)

Thelma Hartnagle Bishopp (Ger’62; MA’67; PhDEdu’82)

George H. Chronis (ElEngr’62)

Evelyn P. Griggs (Advert’62)

Shirley M. Hughes (Edu’62)

Morton Schreiber (Hist’62)

Rawley D. Smith (Mgmt’62)

Judith M. Witmer (Edu’62)

Edward S. Wrasmann (Chem’62)

Alexandra H. Cramer (Mus’63)

Thurmon L. Deloney (ElEngr’63)

Nick C. Graham (A&S’63)

Ann E. Kastler (Edu’63)

Hildegard R. Kuse (PhDEdu’63)

Thomas D. Merrell Jr. (EngrPhys’63)

Patricia F. Richardson (Edu’63)

Joel B. Short (Hist’63; Law’66)

Clinton W. Baccus (Mgmt’64)

Louise R. Beale (A&S’64)

Marilynn K. Camerlo (Hist’64)

Halcyon Dahms Enssle (Engl’64)

Diana Files Roeseler (Anth’64)

Lynn Fuller Rundstrom (DistSt’64)

Julius M. Kunz (ElEngr’64)

Dewayne L. Misterek (MCivEngr’64)

Dennis V. Seabourn (Phys’64)

Lewis Smith Jr. (MMgmt’64)

Robert L. Leutwiler (Fin, MechEngr’65)

John R. Parmater (CivEngr’65)

Sandra Cook Peterson (A&S’65)

Nicholas G. Benigsen (A&S’66)

Kathryn E. Berg (A&S’66)

Carol Priest Chotard (MMus’66; DocMus’71)

Susan DeSmet (Art’66)

John L. Gelber (ElEngr’66)

Jerry L. Hansen (MechEngr’66)

Thomas A. Larimer (CivEngr’66)

Gayla McRae Lindquist (A&S’66; MEdu’74)

Charles H. Reddien (ElEngr’66)

Jerry G. Rutledge (A&S’66)

Susan A. Winchester (A&S’66; MRuss’68; PhDSlav’72)

Julian Garcia (Acct’67)

John A. Hurt (A&S’67)

Debra Cohen Romans (PolSci’67)

Donald E. Welsh (A&S’67)

Bonnie J. Witkowsky (Edu’67)

Ronald J. Beaton (PolSci’68, Fin’72)

Earl E. Hasz (MMath’68; PhDEdu’70)

Ernest H. Henninger (Math’68; Phys’68)

Judith Walker Pippen (A&S’68)

John A. Purvis (Law’68)

Carl F. Randall (Acct’68)

Carroll Stanley Senn (Mgmt’68)

James E. Soule (Mktg’68)

E. T. Hunt Talmage III (Engl’68)

Richard A. Wildau (Psych’68; MA’72)

Bart E. Bortles (Mktg’69)

Michael J. Collins (A&S’69; MCommDisor’71; PhD’74)

Alice Fechheimer Martin (Soc’69)

Pamela Noaecker Howard (DistSt’69)

Michael A. Imhoff (PhDChem’69)

David N. Larson (Fin’69)

Charles T. Miller III (A&S’69)

Marcia M. Peteranetz (MMusEdu’69)

Robert L. Saviteer (Engl’69)

Paul Turner III (Stat’69)

1970s

Walter B. Currier (A&S’70)

Joseph A. Dodson III (ApMath’70; MBA’74)

Lowell M. McBride (ElEngr’70; MBA’72)

Stanley W. Sadava (PhDPsych’70)

Barbara A.C. Smith (Soc’70)

John V. Smith (MA&S’70)

James M. Armstrong (Fin’71)

David C. DiRito (Psych’72; MA’89)

Michael Goldfogel (DistSt’72)

Judith Taddonio Vineyard (Psych’72)

Richard L. Wolf (MCommThtr’72)

June Robison Wright (MEdu’72)

Eugene M. Baker IV (Psych’73; MA’75; PhD’77)

Larry P. Gough (PhDBio’73)

Dennis R. Strout (ElEngr’73)

John S. Behnke (Mktg’74)

Daniel J. Boynton (Mktg’74)

John S. Bunting (MAcct’74)

Nancy F. Carter (PhDEdu’74)

Judith A. Hakes (PhDEdu’74)

Jonathan Holden (PhDEngl’74)

Jeffrey E. Trundy (MRec’74)

Luther K. Branting (Phil’75)

William K. Childers (EPOBio’75)

Mary Brockway (MEdu’76)

Mary A. Brooks (MEdu’76)

Antonia K. Johnson (Psych’76)

Gregory R. Mueller (Mktg’76)

Francis I. Frazier (Mus’77)

Elisabeth L. Hallgren (PhDHist’77)

Richard E. Heapes (EnvDes’77)

Arthur L. Shearin (Mus’77)

Karen Lehr Benner (MEdu’78)

Leslie S. Burnau (MEdu’78)

Janet L. Robinson (Acct’78)

Rodney J. Rothlisberger (DMus’78)

Gigi Maloney York (Art’78)

1980s

Jan L. Johnson (Advert’80)

Brian R. Vogt (Class’81)

Helen E.S. Browne (Acct’82)

Scott Bradford Weaver (Fin’82)

Gerald A. Ligrani (PE’86)

David L. Alles (EBio’87)

William D. Baylis (Hist’88)

Carrie L. Shrallow Dussault (IntlAf’88)

1990s

Hua P. Chou (MCompSci’90)

Peter W. Strickholm (MMus’90)

Herbert K. Wilson (Econ’90; MBA, MTeleComm’00)

Judith M. Falco (Art, ArtHist’91)

Kevin A. Pierce (Geog’91)

Lisa A. Weaver (Art’91)

J. Kurt Marrs (MCDBio’92)

Darcy A. Wendland (EPOBio’93)

Heather Eversley Jovel (Law’97)

Darrel T. Davis (Law’98)

Jeffrey F. Johnson (CompSci’98)

2000s

Shannon L. Meadors-Oscar (IntlAf’01)

Emory J. Zeiger (PhDThtr’01)

Clark L. Branscum (Comm’03)

Brenda F. Mitchell (Soc’05)

Sarah E. Steinwand (Mktg’05)

Andrew P. Decoursey (Anth’06)

Alison E. MacDonald (Mktg’07)

Sara Bernardi Martinez (Dance’09)

2010s

Elizabeth R. Stewart (Mktg’12)

Jarrod S. Hanson (PhDEdu’13)

Christopher W. A. Black (IntPhys’18)

2020s

Elizabeth A. Vossler (Jour’20)

Draden E. Hoover (Fin’22)

Ari Pargman (ExplSt’29)

Megan P. Trussel (Film’29)

Faculty, Staff and Friends

Charlotte Corbridge, Staff, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology

Sandra A. Figgins, Buffalo Belles

Russell Hayes, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Jan Mycielski, Professor Emeritus, Department of Mathematics

Frieda “Fritz” Satterley, Staff, Alumni Association and CU Foundation

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Forever Buffs who have passed away.

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The Rebuiling of a Family Business

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:49:45 +0000

The Rebuiling of a Family Business Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:49

Julia MacLean

After graduating, Rachel Etzler (MediaSt’22) began to rebuild Business Development Institute (BDI), her family’s events marketing agency, after COVID-19 dismantled the events industry. Etzler took a leadership role alongside her father, Steven, the company’s founder and CEO. As both a strategic leader and hands-on operator, Etzler has played a pivotal role in BDI’s recent success, which has included producing around 60 highly curated events annually and increasing long-term partnerships in the technology industry.

How do you describe your position at BDI?

We serve leading tech companies like NVIDIA, Adobe, Microsoft, HPE, Equinix and AMD. I support our clients directly while working closely with my dad to manage our sales. Because I have a bird’s-eye view of all our client events, I help prioritize tasks and ensure we’re aligned and efficient across every project.

What inspired you to rebuild BDI?

Entering the professional world in a post-COVID environment made me reflect on where I wanted to invest my energy. If I was going to dedicate 40-plus hours a week to a company, I wanted it to be one that truly mattered to me. BDI has played a huge role in my life — it helped make college possible for me — and I saw an opportunity to make a real difference.

What was it like stepping into a leadership role at a company your parents built?

From our earliest conversations, my dad showed a lot of trust in my leadership potential, which was a rare and meaningful opportunity for a 22-year-old. In many ways, it felt like a natural evolution as I grew up watching my parents run the business. I’ve always admired their entrepreneurial spirit, and stepping into a leadership role felt like honoring that legacy, while also building something of my own.

Looking back now, what advice do you have for yourself as you were graduating?

Be patient with yourself. Growth takes time, and it’s important to let your journey unfold naturally. Progress isn’t always linear, and that’s okay.

What else should we know about you?

I am proud of what we’ve accomplished so far — and how energized I feel about where we’re headed. Rebuilding BDI has been a mix of challenge, creativity and deep purpose. I’m grateful every day to work with my family, collaborate with an incredible team and create experiences that connect people in meaningful ways. We’ve hired my sister, Elizabeth Etzler (Edu’23), and two other employees are also Buffs: Matthew Jacobs (CritMediaSt’20) and Emi Veliz (Anth’20). BDI is a CU-powered company!

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Photo courtesy Rachel Etzler

Rachel Etzler stepped into a leadership role to help rebuild her family’s events marketing agency, BDI, guiding its post-COVID comeback and strengthening partnerships with major clients.

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The Scoop on Sweet Cow’s Journey to Success

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:48:50 +0000

The Scoop on Sweet Cow’s Journey to Success Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:48

Julia MacLean

Drew Honness opened Sweet Cow in 2010.

A college job at an ice cream shop shaped the rest of Drew Honness’ (Hist’96) life. At age 39, he opened Sweet Cow in Louisville, Colorado. Now with seven locations, Sweet Cow is a beloved Colorado staple with lines out the door and stickers plastered around the state.

What inspired you to start an ice cream business?

When I turned 20 years old, I got a job at a mom-and-pop ice cream shop on The Hill called Josh and John’s. It originally started in 1992 in Colorado Springs by two Colorado College graduates. I worked for them for 13 years. From this job, I learned what a great environment the ice cream industry is and how it builds community.

I discovered some wonderful friendships working there and learned how an upbeat atmosphere can change your life, day in and day out. The uniforms are the best: T-shirts, sneakers, shorts, a hat, and you’re jamming out to great music all day. People come in, and they’re excited to see you.

Within a couple of years, I knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life. After graduation, I got the opportunity to run two of their shops.

What qualities does Sweet Cow prioritize when hiring staff?

75% of our staff is high school- and college-aged people. We find that the best workers are students who have a decent GPA. They go to school, they go to class, they study and they come to work two to four times a week. They also might play an instrument, sing in the choir or play a sport. The busiest people tend to make time with intention for what they’re doing. It’s one of the things we look for when thinking about location. I usually want a high school and a college nearby to help with our staffing needs.

What sets your ice cream apart?

All of our ice cream, cookie sammies and ice cream cakes are made within the seven shops, so we’re completely self-sufficient. The three key ingredients are high-quality milk, cream and sugar. What differentiates ice cream from ice cream is the percentage of butterfat, the quality of ingredients, the batch freezer or ice cream machine, the freezing process and the temperature of dipping cabinets. Everyone does it differently.

What’s your most unique flavor?

Larry’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Madness, created by my son, is a chocolate peanut butter ice cream with dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, along with a fudge swirl and peanut butter swirl. Another fun flavor is Vermont Maple Walnut, made with maple syrup directly from Vermont and walnut pieces.

I’ve seen your stickers all over town. What’s your marketing strategy?

I thought to myself, ‘Alright, what can we do that’s going to be grassroots and budget friendly?’ I was collecting stickers for years, so it just made sense. We had this cool logo, and just let people take these stickers home. And the next thing you know, we would see them on a car, on the side of a building or on a mailbox — they were everywhere.

What’s your go-to Sweet Cow order?

It’s an impossible question. It was Oatmeal Cookie with hot fudge for a while, but I also love the Chocolate Almond, Chocolate Cinnamon, Vermont Maple Walnut, Ginger Snap Molasses — and it just keeps going.

What’s your most popular flavor?

Cookies and Cream, hands down. Most cookies and cream recipes are simply vanilla ice cream with Oreos thrown in at the end. We sprinkle our Oreos throughout, from the first minute, in the middle and again at the very end. If you get a bite without a cookie, it still tastes like a cookie.

What advice would you give those looking to start their own business?

Starting your own business should be something that gives you purpose every day and not about money. A decision based on finances may hinder one’s ability to find success, create the best work environment and service the community and its customers. Be passionate about what you’re exploring in this adventure.

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Photos by Maureen O'Neill

Drew Honness turned a college ice cream job into a thriving Colorado business, Sweet Cow, known for its quality flavors, community focus, and loyal following.

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Kevin Fitzgerald: Vet, Comedian and CU Legend

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:48:02 +0000

Kevin Fitzgerald: Vet, Comedian and CU Legend Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:48

Sophia McKeown

Kevin Fitzgerald (EPOBio’73; MBio’78, PhD’82) is a bit like Forrest Gump — always in the right place at the right time. He joined CU’s swim team in 1969 and began working as a bouncer at The Sink and Tulagi to put himself through school. From there, he worked security for rock bands like the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley. Eventually, he dedicated his life to veterinary medicine and starred on the reality show Emergency Vets, which ran for 11 seasons on Animal Planet and was filmed at his Denver veterinary practice. Kevin also found a passion for stand-up comedy and has opened for George Lopez and Joan Rivers.

In his new memoir, It Started With a Turtle, Kevin recounts these sometimes strange and always interesting experiences, starting with his days at CU Boulder.

Tell us about your memoir. What do you hope readers, especially CU grads, take away from it?

I decided to use the COVID-19 pandemic time to get all my stories down on paper. I hope any CU students reading it would take away this: Your education doesn’t end with graduation. Your life is just beginning, and you should never be afraid to try new things.

As someone who’s worn so many hats — vet, comedian, author, conservationist — what is the common thread that has guided your career?

I have learned we weren’t put here to be sad, and we must live life to suck the orange dry! If we do anything, we should do it well and put a bow on it. The common thread is that love and kindness save the day. Always.

Of all the animals you’ve worked with over the years, which is your favorite?

I love anything with a heartbeat. However, I have to say I have a special feeling for turtles.

Looking back on your time at CU Boulder, how did the university shape the path you’ve taken?

I came through Boulder during a special time, but I would have to think that anyone’s college years are special. The professors and instructors that mentored me at CU Boulder helped mold me into who I am and what I have become. They have stayed with me in how I live and how I act with others.

How do you find the courage to try so many new things?

We have to be fearless. What are we afraid of? Failing. Failing is how we learn; failing is how we grow. If we always play it safe, there is little reward. We have to take a chance, and we have to put it out there. Once in a while, sometimes, we win one. But we never win if we don’t play.

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Photos courtesy Kevin Fitzgerald

Kevin Fitzgerald shares his adventurous life journey from working as a bouncer for rock legends to becoming a celebrated veterinarian, comedian and author of a memoir.

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Alumni Association News

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:11:20 +0000

Alumni Association News Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:11

This April, 145 Forever Buffs attended Alumni Weekend, a three-day event that included lunch at The Sink, a hike at Chautauqua, a tour of the university’s Media Archeology Lab and dinner in downtown Boulder. Current students attended several events to share about their CU Boulder experiences.

“Sko Forever Buffs! What a fun and fabulous weekend with local and out-of-town alums,” said Phil Caragol (Comm’75) on social media. “Let’s do it again in 2026!”

The Alumni Association also hosted a special recognition ceremony for the classes of 2020, 2015, 1985 and 1975.

Next year, Alumni Weekend will include the Alumni Awards Ceremony, which previously took place during Homecoming Weekend. The annual ceremony is the second-longest-running tradition on campus and celebrates the outstanding achievements of CU Buffs. The 2025 award winners will be announced this fall.

Visit the Alumni Association website for more information.

Celebrate at Away Games

Buffs Bashes are the ultimate away-game tailgates, uniting hundreds of CU football fans. Hosted by the Office of the President, Office of the Chancellor, Advancement and CU Athletics, these events feature the CU Spirit Squad and concession-style food and drinks. Buffs Bashes occur before every away game near the opponent’s stadium. The events are free, but registration is required.

Learn more about the Buffs Bashes.

Mentorship Opportunities

Grow your professional skills and make a lasting impact on fellow Buffs through the Forever Buffs Network Mentorship Program. Access free mentoring or sign up to mentor alumni and students. The program runs from October through May, with options to meet online or in person. Participants receive training and invitations to program events.

You can also mentor incoming CU Boulder students through the Alumni Guide Program to help ease their transition to college. The program supports two calls with an incoming student: one before classes begin and one six weeks into the semester. The first six weeks of college are a critical time, and mentorship helps lend your best support and advice.

Find out more about the mentorship programs.

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Photo by Paul Wedlake

Alumni Weekend hike at Chautauqua Park.

2026 Roaming Buffs Trips

The Panama Canal, Pearl Islands and Darién Jungle

Jan. 9–16, 2026

Antarctica Discovery

Jan. 9–20, 2026

Treasures of Peru

Jan. 26–Feb. 5, 2026

Patagonia Explorer

Feb. 7–20, 2026

Journey to Southern Africa

Feb. 17–March 3, 2026

For more information about these trips, visit the Roaming Buffs webpage.

The Alumni Awards Ceremony moves to Alumni Weekend.

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Love Rekindled at CU's Homecoming

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:10:33 +0000

Love Rekindled at CU's Homecoming Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:10

April Driver

For most Buffs, Homecoming is a celebration of friendship, college memories and campus life. But for Laura Williams (A&S ex’87) and Randy Royther (Econ’88), CU Boulder’s Homecoming sparked something special — a rekindled love story.

It all began in the fall of 1984. Williams, part of the Delta Gamma sorority, met Royther at a college party.

“He flung open the door and said, ‘Hello, I’m home,’” Williams recalled with a laugh. “I thought, ‘Who is that? I’m interested.’”

The spark was instant. They dated throughout their sophomore year until things got too serious for then-20-year-old Royther.

“When she mentioned marriage potential, I panicked and broke it off,” he said.

Heartbroken, Williams transferred to San Diego State, leaving Boulder and Royther behind.

They lost touch for over 30 years. At Homecoming in 2017, Royther and Williams ran into each other at a tailgate party.

“All of a sudden, someone says, ‘Randy Royther, are you really going to walk by and not say hello?’” Royther recalled.

It was Williams. The couple still had friends in common and spent the weekend with their old college crew. At that time, both were still married. But in 2019, the couple attended Homecoming again. One was widowed, and the other was divorcing. This time, their reunion developed into more than just friendship.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘Should we try this again?’” Williams said.

They’ve been together since and got engaged this past March.

They live on separate coasts, with Royther residing in Pennsylvania and Williams living in California. The couple frequently makes trips to visit each other.

“We already have plans for Homecoming this year,” Williams said. “It’s where we fell in love — twice.”

Plan your visit for Homecoming 2025, Oct. 30–Nov. 1, and see how your Buffs story unfolds.

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Photos courtesy Randy Royther and Laura Williams

Two former college sweethearts reunite at a CU Boulder homecoming event, sparking a second chance at love decades after their first.

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Five CU Innovators Changing the World

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:04:07 +0000

Five CU Innovators Changing the World Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:04

CU Boulder is teeming with innovation, curiosity and thought leadership. And the people who comprise the university — CU Buffs — make global impact.

We’re highlighting five stellar Buffs — CU Boulder students, alumni and faculty whose work is relevant, leading-edge and promises to create ripples out into the world. Their stories were written by five equally outstanding CU affiliates, who personally know and understand the importance of their work.

As journalist Tom Costello (Jour’87) wrote in his essay on his NBC colleague Savannah Sellers (Jour’13), she “breaks through.”

Many Buffs are breaking through — they bridge traditional silos, strive to think differently, and take huge risks. And just as many credit the university for equipping them to pursue their passions. CU Boulder is more than its stunning location — this university is the people who push for more.

Idowu Odeyemi (PhDPhil’27)

Charting New Paths as a Rising Philosopher

Idowu Odeyemi came to CU Boulder to refine his philosophical acumen while carving a path for young Africans like him who aspire to study philosophy.

Beyond his research, he said, “I want to challenge and expand the traditional boundaries of the discipline so that the philosophical community must either engage with African thinkers or justify why not.”

Idowu’s work — centered on oppression and blame — delves into how oppressive systems like patriarchy, colonialism, Nazism and slavery affect moral agency. He invites us to consider haunting questions such as why a battered wife doesn’t simply leave while her husband is out, illustrating how the threat of severe harm to one’s welfare can override considerations of morality and compel individuals to remain in oppres-sive circumstances.

Consider a battered wife who faces an oppressive double bind: resisting her abuser risks her safety, while compliance perpetuates the very system that oppresses her. This leads to an untenable situation where she is damned if she revolts, and damned if she doesn’t. In Idowu’s view, this dilemma complicates blaming oppressed individuals for not revolting.

Another facet of Idowu’s scholarship introduces the term “epistemic disgust” — a neglected psychological response that prompts us to reject certain beliefs and utterances because they repulse us. If someone says, “All white men smell like hot dog water,” for instance, many listeners feel revulsion that blocks such an utterance from entering our belief system. Idowu’s ground-breaking theory on how disgust can shape belief formation was published in the prestigious journal Episteme.

He also ventures beyond academia: His essay “On Accent and Confidence” in Isele Magazine was nominated for the 2025 non-fiction prize and recognized as one of the 50 notable essays from Africa in 2024, and another piece, “Living in America, Leaving Nigeria” (published by The Republic), was named among the 18 notable essays by a Nigerian in 2023.

As a graduate student, Idowu has published four peer-reviewed papers in leading journals — an achievement typically expected of faculty. Recently, he delivered a philosophy colloquium at the University of Missouri — uncommon for a graduate student. He was a Harper PhD Fellow at the Benson Center, a fellow at the Center for African and African American Studies and, in 2023, a fully funded fellowship took him to the University of Oxford. This summer, he will be visiting the National Archives in London through a research award from CU Boulder’s Center for African and African American Studies.

Through Idowu’s compelling research and prolific achievements, he exemplifies how CU Boulder’s nurturing environment fosters tomorrow’s transformative thinkers.

CU Boulder philosophy associate professor Ajume Wingo serves as Odeyemi’s advisor. Ajume is a member of the royal family in the Nso kingdom, located in the northwest region of Cameroon. In addition to being widely published in political and social philosophy, he is the founder of several NGOs, including PridePads Africa and Pathfinders4peace.

Photo by Alastair Norcross

Savannah Sellers (Jour’13)

Serious, Fun, Whimsical — and Never Dull

As the face of “the Generation of Now,” Savannah Sellers co-anchors the streaming morning newscast of NBC News NOW, then reports for The Today Show and NBC Nightly News. She demonstrates how a journalist can break through a saturated news market and reach a new generation of consumers who crave accurate information on their own terms.

While transitioning from CU Boulder to NBC News in New York could have been daunting, Savannah quickly established herself as smart and determined, yet easy-going and relevant. This rare combination made her a natural choice to help lead NBC’s outreach to younger viewers, where they are — on social media.

She helped map a new look and pacing for NBC News. The target age: 20-to-40- somethings who want news on the go for their 24/7 lifestyle. Almost immediately, the audience was there. The newscasts moved fast. They were serious, fun, whimsical — and never dull.

Savannah took Snapchat viewers to Parkland, Florida, hours after a former student murdered 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Her coverage was raw and real. A record 18 million people tuned in: mostly kids seeking information about a tragedy affecting other kids they didn’t know, but who were their age.

She has documented America’s heroin epidemic with an Emmy award-winning Nightly News series, revealing that the victims are not always stereotypical drug addicts — they could be your own neighbor or family member.

She has detailed and explained the confusing fight over banning TikTok, the app-of- choice for her younger audience, led honest discussions on diversity, equity and inclusion, and shared the deeply personal and painful struggle she and her husband have faced with fertility.

To meet Savannah is to discover a person of tremendous warmth, charm and insatiable curiosity who wants to know your story — what motivates you, and why. Those are the traits of a great broadcast journalist.

As one NBC exec put it, “She breaks through! She pops!”

It delights me to see a fellow CU alum become such a trusted voice and valued colleague at The Peacock. Go Buffs!

Tom Costello (Jour’87) is the senior correspondent at NBC News. With nearly 30 years of experience at CNBC and NBC News in London, New York and ��Ĺ��ý, D.C., he reports daily across all NBC News platforms.

Photo by Nate Congleton

Dania Arayssi (MPolSci’22; PhD’26)

Vital Work in Transnational Politics

Dania Arayssi doesn’t just care deeply about the big social and economic problems that affect people’s everyday lives — she rigorously studies them and takes action.

Before coming to CU Boulder, she participated in the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) at the U.S. State Department and earned multiple advanced degrees. She then founded the Gleam of Hope Group, which works with thousands of young people and women to address food and health needs. For many, these accomplishments would constitute an entire career. For Dania, this was just the beginning.

Dania brought her passion for understanding pressing socioeconomic and political issues to CU Boulder in 2021. Her dissertation work centers on remittances, money sent by those working abroad back to their families in their home countries. Remittances are an important source of income for families around the world. Dania’s research seeks to explain how these remittances affect people’s incentives to be politically active. Does the added economic security make people more likely to pressure the government for change? Or does economic security dampen any potential dissent, making people less likely to vote or protest? What issues do people who receive remittances care about the most?

Dania uses a rigorous combination of interviews, focus groups and original survey data to study these questions in her home country of Lebanon. Her work helps us understand how diaspora communities affect politics around the world. In an era of transnational politics, her work is vitally important.

Dania represents the best of CU Boulder. After completing her dissertation, she plans to work at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy in ��Ĺ��ý, D.C. During these politically contentious times plagued by myriad challenges, I personally find enormous hope that CU alumni like Dania will be out in the world contributing their expertise, knowledge and wisdom.

Sarah Wilson Sokhey works as an associate professor in CU Boulder’s Department of Political Science, a faculty associate at the Institute of Behavioral Science and the founding director of the Studio Lab for Undergrads in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her current research focuses on the local provision of public services in Ukraine during wartime. In 2024, she was inducted into the President’s Teaching Scholars Program, one of the highest CU teaching awards.

Photo courtesy Dania Arayssi

Jun Ye (Physicist, JILA Fellow)

Using Quantum for High-Tech Innovation

My friend and colleague Professor Jun Ye is an ever-flowing fountain of scientific and technological innovation.

One of the greatest laser scientists in the world, he and his students have built several generations of record-setting optical clocks. The technology has advanced to the point where Jun’s clocks would gain or lose less than a second in the whole age of the universe. These highly accurate clocks are tied into technology improvements to support better navigation, communication and the ability to sense unseen things (for example, small changes in gravity associated with objects buried underground). Additionally, his lab created the world’s first nuclear clock.

Through his research at JILA, Jun uses lasers to detect slight traces of unusual elements in gas samples. His group is now examining the air exhaled by people with various diseases to find tiny traces of certain chemicals associated with a particular disease. If this works, one day cancer testing might be as easy as puffing some air into a soda straw.

Much of his research is built around using the properties of quantum mechanics to do high-tech research — precision measurement, secure communication, exotic material design — that eludes the reach of “old-school” classical mechanics.

Perhaps as impactful as anything else he does, Jun has trained an entirely new generation of elite scientists and engineers, who are now the beating heart of Colorado’s, and the nation’s, high-tech industry. When I visit high-tech Colorado companies, it often seems that the technical leadership are CU Boulder alums who earned their degrees while working in Jun’s group.

On top of his research, Jun is working with me on a joint project to understand why there is more matter than antimatter in the universe. It sounds like a very abstract topic, but it is part of a bigger question: How are the conditions in the universe such that the development of humankind is possible? I feel very privileged to collaborate with Jun. I’ve learned a lot from working with him. Sometimes I wonder if the man ever sleeps!

Eric Cornell has been at CU for 34 years and wears many hats. He teaches first-year physics for the CU Boulder Department of Physics; he is a Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) fellow; and a scientist with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2001, he and CU Boulder professor Carl Wieman won the Nobel Prize in Physics for creating Bose-Einstein Condensation, the “world’s coldest stuff.”

Photo courtesy Jun Ye

Steve Swanson (EngrPhys’83)

Space Commander Gains and Gives Respect

Steve Swanson was one of the most highly respected members of the NASA astronaut office during the Shuttle and Space Station Programs in the 1990s and 2000s.

Steve and I met in the late 1980s when we were both in the aircraft operations division at Johnson Space Center. I was an instructor pilot in the space shuttle training aircraft. Steve was a software wizard and the flight simulation engineer responsible for managing the computer that enabled a Gulfstream II business jet to fly like a space shuttle. We were both interested in becoming astronauts. I was selected in 1992, and

Steve was named an astronaut in 1998 after obtaining a PhD in computer science from Texas A&M University.

Steve excelled right away in the astronaut office and was selected as one of the four extra-vehicular activity (EVA) crewmembers to install one of the four solar array elements of the station. It was considered an honor to be chosen for such a significant mission on his first flight — he was clearly a rising star!

I began working at CU Boulder thanks to Steve. He talked to me after his post-flight trip to Boulder to visit with the students and return items he had flown for the university. CU asked him to consider a professor position in the CU aerospace department, but he wanted to fly more for NASA and so asked if I might be interested instead.

Steve also led the EVA team to install the final solar array element two years later. His final mission in 2014 was serving as a station crewmember and the mission commander.

That fall, I was proud to arrange a live video conference in the Fiske Planetarium so Steve could talk to the students while he was on the Space Station. Today, Steve shares his experiences at Boise State University, leading and advising student teams participating in NASA’s Artemis Challenges, inspiring them to do great things in science and engineering.

Joe Tanner is a retired NASA astronaut, Navy pilot and CU Boulder teaching professor. During his 16-year career as an astronaut, he flew four missions on the space shuttle, one to the Hubble Space Telescope and two to the International Space Station. He also mentored astronaut Sarah Gillis (AeroEngr’17) when she was a CU student; Gillis traveled to space in fall 2025 with SpaceX.

Photo courtesy NASA

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From quantum science to journalism, these five CU Boulder students, alumni and faculty are making bold, world-shaping contributions.

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Celebrating Miss Peggy

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:02:08 +0000

Celebrating Miss Peggy Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:02

Peggy Coppom (A&S ex’46) has charmed the entire Buffs nation. After the feature about her in the spring Coloradan was published on social media, dozens of people posted photos of themselves meeting Coppom.

“Meeting her was the highlight of our Buffs event!” declared Brian Varner.

“What a gift to the community she is,” wrote Joell Tori.

At commencement on May 8, Chancellor Justin Schwartz recognized Coppom with the Chancellor’s Impact Award, and Folsom Field roared with delight.

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Photos courtesy (via Facebook) Haley Deese; Shelley Forrest; Brandie Hopek; Joell Tori; Jennifer Schoon Morris; Michael Nate Richardson

Peggy Coppom was honored with the Chancellor’s Impact Award.

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Once a Buff, Always a Buff

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:56:15 +0000

Once a Buff, Always a Buff Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 13:56

Christina Fang

I debated between the mimosa and the bloody mary.

On the morning of our 2021 graduation, my friend Rose and I sat in a tangerine booth at Snooze, dressed in caps and gowns, watching our virtual commencement on my phone. On the walk over, we soaked in applause from strangers as if Pearl Street were our stage.

At CU Boulder, commencement is more than tradition — it’s a ceremonial send-off into life beyond The Hill. It’s when you become not just a Buff, but a Forever Buff. But for us, that ritual was disrupted. Our journey began not with pomp and circumstance, but with pancakes and perseverance.

With no clear path after graduation, I soon found myself back at CU Boulder as a staff member at the Alumni Association. The next graduation season, I was up at 5 a.m. — this time helping set up Alfie, a 20-foot fuzzy inflatable buffalo, on Norlin Quad. I got misty-eyed watching from the steps of Old Main, coffee in hand, as soon-to-be alumni fixed their caps, took selfies with Alfie and snuck shooters up their sleeves.

Even after I stopped working at CU, I still returned for graduation — again up at 5 a.m. — but now as a volunteer. As co-president of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Alumni Chapter, I led AAPI graduation, an event I’d helped revive during my final months at CU. I stood alongside students who looked like me, celebrating a milestone I once dreamed of. I realized being a Buff wasn’t just about what the university gave me — it was about what I could give back.

That spring, Old Main stood fenced off, under restoration. For the first time in years, I wasn’t watching from its steps — I was standing in the crowd. Like the building, I had changed. My exterior had shifted. But underneath it all, the bones remained the same.

As the graduates made their way toward Folsom Field, I stepped across the wet grass in the same black leather boots I bought the summer before I became a Buff. I remember thinking: I need good walking shoes — sturdy enough for a Colorado winter, cute enough for the boys I’ll meet in class.

The boots are creased now, frayed at the edges. But I still move just fine.

What does it mean for something to last forever? Does it stay with us until we pass? Or is it what we leave behind that truly lasts?

I walked across the field, leaving soft footprints in the grass, following the next generation of Forever Buffs into whatever comes next.

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Photo courtesy Christina Fang

The journey as a Forever Buff can be about transformation, community and giving back.

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¿Dónde Está Boulder? The Baca Family's Three Generations of Buffs

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:34:05 +0000

¿Dónde Está Boulder? The Baca Family's Three Generations of Buffs Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:34

Patricia Kaowthumrong

"I don’t know what I would have done if my brother was not recruiting Chicano students to the University of Colorado."

As a teenager growing up in Trinidad, Colorado, during the early 1970s, attending the University of Colorado Boulder seemed out of the question for Bernal Baca (A&S’75). Instead, he planned to follow the advice of his high school guidance counselor and enter an auto mechanics program after graduation. But his older brother Richard Baca (Edu’71) intervened.

Richard, a student at CU Boulder at the time, was back home visiting his former high school. As a United Mexican American Students (UMAS) member, he was recruiting Hispanic students like Bernal to attend the university. Bernal was hesitant, insisting he wanted to become an auto mechanic — but Richard wouldn’t take no for an answer. Bernal heeded his brother's advice and applied to the school, where he was accepted and enrolled.

In retrospect, following in his brother’s footsteps to an education on the Front Range turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to Bernal — and future generations of Baca family members.

“I don’t know what I would have done if my brother was not recruiting Chicano students to the University of Colorado. That signaled to me that we had a chance,” Bernal said. “So I took that chance, and I’m glad.”

Deep Roots

Richard and Bernal earned degrees from CU Boulder and went on to achieve doctoral degrees in psychology and education, respectively. According to Richard, these feats were considered improbable at the time, given the siblings’ humble upbringing.

The Baca family’s history in the United States dates back to the 1600s, when a settlement from Spain’s Oñate Expeditionary Group landed in northern New Mexico. Eventually, the family migrated to the southern Colorado city of Trinidad, whose establishment in the 1870s by Felipe Baca and his wife, Dolores, was a catalyst for Hispanics to settle in the area.

“In essence, [Bacas] have been here for a long time,” Richard said. “We often hear the notion that ‘America came to us’ because our family was here long before the United States was founded.”

The Bacas, a family of farmers, ranchers and entrepreneurs, were influential in southern Colorado. However, after Richard graduated from Trinidad State College in 1969, he thought his only two choices in the rural town were to work in the coal mines or join the military. An unlikely opportunity arose, though: Richard was selected with a cadre of other Latino students to apply to CU Boulder under what was then called the Educational Opportunity Program, which was established in the 1960s to recruit young Latinos who might not have met all the established admissions criteria at the time.

"My brother was the one who showed me the way, and he was able to teach his own son and granddaughter the same thing. I love it."

Without this program, the thought of attending the university would have been as unlikely as eating “frijoles sin tortillas” (beans without tortillas), Richard said. “Formal admission to the university opened an educational dimension immeasurable by traditional means and inexplicable to [my] mother who had all of a third-grade education,” he wrote in a letter about his family to the Coloradan this past August.

Boulder or Bust

When Richard told his mother he was accepted to CU Boulder, she replied, “Ah, que bueno jito. ¿Dónde está Boulder?” which translates to, “That’s good news, my son. Where is Boulder?”

Over the next few years, Boulder evolved from what Richard called “a strange land” into his second home. He credits his success to living of campus with a group of graduate students and to his participation in student groups and campus activities. Richard’s tenure at CU coincided with the Chicano movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

“At that time, the movement was really becoming strong, so I just became involved in campus activities related to Chicano students and learned more about my roots, my heritage and the importance of trying to advance ourselves as a grouping,” Richard said.

"I got my spark at [CU Boulder] because I was mentored by one of the best professors I think I’ve ever met."

As a result of initiatives such as the Educational Opportunity Program that supported Richard, CU Boulder began recruiting hundreds of students from new communities — including Native American, Mexican American, Black/African American and Asian American communities — to attend the university. Some of these students formed organizations inspired by broader civil rights movements, including UMAS.

Bernal also became involved with the Chicano Movement, joined UMAS and studied under Salvador Ramírez — who taught Chicano studies. When Ramírez moved to the Pacific Northwest, Bernal followed to help him establish the first Chicano studies program at ��Ĺ��ý State University. After a long career as a college professor, Bernal now serves as executive director at a nonprofit called Mi Centro, which provides social, cultural and educational services to the Latino community in the greater Tacoma area.

“I got my spark at [CU Boulder] because I was mentored by one of the best professors I think I’ve ever met,” Bernal said. “I feel really honored to be bestowed that university bachelor’s degree because it was the most important degree I have received.”

Passing the Torch

From left: Ryan, Alexandra and Richard Baca.

While Richard is now retired, his career in higher education, mental health, consulting and politics spanned over 40 years. He even ran for University of Colorado regent in 1994 and served as the assistant vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University) in Grand Junction. Richard raised his family on the Western Slope, and his son Ryan (Bus’96) was admitted to CU Boulder in the 1990s, continuing the legacy started by his father and uncle nearly three decades prior.

Ryan’s daughter, Alexandra (Bus’28), is the latest Baca family member to become a Buff. She moved into student housing at CU Boulder’s Cheyenne Arapaho Hall in fall 2024. Like her father, Alexandra was admitted to the Presidents Leadership Class, which Ryan said was key to his success as a student and later as a management professional. The university also offered her scholarships from the Latinx Association and the Business and Engineering Women in Leadership program.

“I don’t know another place I would want to go to for a university experience,” Bernal said. “My brother was the one who showed me the way, and he was able to teach his own son and granddaughter the same thing. I love it.”

While Richard, Ryan and Alexandra each experienced the university in different eras, they’re united by their love for the beautiful campus, Boulder’s ever-evolving cultural scene and their love for Colorado Buffaloes football.

The legacy they continue to nurture is one we know Alexandra’s late abuela would definitely be proud of.

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Have a CU Boulder family legacy to share? Email us at editor@colorado.edu with your story.

CU Boulder is involved in several programs in Trinidad, Colorado. Visit the Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship for more information.

Illustration by Emiliano Ponzi; Photo courtesy Richard Baca

Attending CU Boulder changed Bernal Baca's life and sparked a multi-generational family legacy.

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The Rebuiling of a Family Business

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Kevin Fitzgerald: Vet, Comedian and CU Legend

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Five CU Innovators Changing the World

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Idowu Odeyemi (PhDPhil’27)

Savannah Sellers (Jour’13)

Dania Arayssi (MPolSci’22; PhD’26)

Jun Ye (Physicist, JILA Fellow)

Steve Swanson (EngrPhys’83)

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Celebrating Miss Peggy

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Once a Buff, Always a Buff

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¿Dónde Está Boulder? The Baca Family's Three Generations of Buffs

Deep Roots

Boulder or Bust

Passing the Torch

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