News and Stories from 海角社区 /newsevents/newsroom/2026/will-myers-26-earns-bronze-at-collegiate-road-cycling-nationals.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/will-myers-26-earns-bronze-at-collegiate-road-cycling-nationals.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:49:00 MDT Will Myers ’26 placed third at the 2026 USA Cycling Collegiate Road Championships in the Men’s Club Criterium last month, taking home his first collegiate national medal. “Getting on the podium at nationals felt like the payoff for all the work I’ve put in over these past four years at 海角社区,” says Myers, who majored in History. “It was a little disappointing being so close to winning, but it was great to bring home a medal and get some recognition.” Myers finished the race with a time of 1:18:32, securing his place on the podium among a group of 96 competitors. Myers also competed in the Men’s Club Road Race, finishing 10th out of 94 with a time of 3:29:02. Myers was proud to be the sole representative from 海角社区 and praised 海角社区’s Club Sports staff for their support—especially Campus Recreation Athletic Trainer Christina Lorete and Chris Starr, Director of Recreation and Fitness Center. “The Club Sports staff have been indispensable in helping me continue to progress over the years,” Myers says. “Will has been a driving force behind the success of 海角社区’s Club Cycling team as their captain,” Lorete says. “His dedication and passion for the sport are shown in the way he has fostered student engagement, expanded the club’s presence, and managed the administrative responsibilities required of our Club Sports organizations.” This was Myers’ third time competing at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships, and his most successful by far. Last year, he finished 13th in the Men’s Club Criterium and did not finish in the Men’s Club Road Race following mechanical issues with his bike. In his sophomore year, he placed 29th in the Men’s Club Criterium and 62nd in the Men’s Club Road Race. “I am hugely inspired and proud of Will, but it took an effort because he is so humble—I really struggled to find out how his season was actually going,” says Jim Sellars ’26, who co-captained the 海角社区 Cycling Team with Myers for three years. “It has been amazing to watch him and his leadership over the past years, and so fun to run the team with him.” Myers recently moved home to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and plans to continue racing throughout this year. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/will-myers-sq-podium.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/cc-students-are-expanding-the-bone-marrow-registryone-swab-at-a-time.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/cc-students-are-expanding-the-bone-marrow-registryone-swab-at-a-time.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:24:00 MDT The 海角社区 Chapter of the National Marrow Donor Program (海角社区 NMDP) helped to add over 120 new donors to the national bone marrow registry this past academic year—and for 海角社区 NMDP President Iris Pixler ’27, the work is intensely personal. Pixler’s father was diagnosed with lymphoma before she was born, and when she was 14, he received a bone marrow transplant from an anonymous donor in the United Kingdom. “From that moment, I was really excited about NMDP and their mission,” Pixler says. The nonprofit NMDP operates the national registry matching bone marrow and blood stem cell donors to patients with cancers and blood diseases. Pixler’s father relapsed in 2022 and received another donation from an anonymous donor. He passed away in July 2023, and to honor him, Pixler joined the registry the following week. A few months later, she learned she was a match for a nine-year-old with leukemia. NMDP paid for Pixler and her mom to travel to Arizona to donate. The next summer, Pixler reconnected with NMDP at a recruiting table at Denver Pride, where a staff member encouraged her to start a college chapter at 海角社区. Pixler got right to work—海角社区 NMDP was officially up and running by Fall 2024. 海角社区 NMDP’s main goal is to recruit donors and educate people about stem cell and bone marrow donations. “The exciting thing about this club is that our whole mission is to save lives,” says Mica Hart ’27, the club’s secretary. “Every new member gives a cancer patient or patient with a blood disease a chance of finding a match.” Each year, 18,000 Americans are diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer or blood disorder that may be treated with a stem cell or bone marrow donation. While many hope to use a family donor, about 75% of blood cancer patients can’t find a suitable match within their family. Throughout the year, 海角社区 NMDP attends events to recruit new registry members—with a particular focus on diversifying the pool. Because donors who share a patient’s ethnic background are more likely to be a strong Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) match, the chapter actively works to reach communities underrepresented in a registry that which currently skews heavily toward people of European descent. A strong HLA match is critical because it prevents the donor’s immune cells from attacking the recipient’s body. The closer the match, the more likely the transplant will be successful. Joining the registry from a NMDP tabling event takes about five minutes: a quick eligibility form online, a cheek swab, and NMDP handles the rest. 海角社区 NMDP took their mission to Ball Arena twice this year—to a Denver Nuggets game in January, in partnership with the Nuggets and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, and a Colorado Avalanche game in March. Last fall, the club hosted a winter blanket-making event for Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, where they made and donated handmade blankets while teaching their peers about NMDP. 海角社区 NMDP stands out because “students take full ownership of their work, showing deep commitment to their mission,” says Sarah Elsey, staff advisor and Campus Engagement Program Manager. “This group exemplifies student-driven success.” 海角社区 NMDP also collects financial donations from people who want to support NMDP but don’t fit donor requirements or prefer not to join the registry. Financial costs are the top barrier reported by patients seeking a transplant. NMDP uses financial donations to help cover transportation costs, temporary housing, and clinic co-pays—and since transplant centers are limited, donors often need to travel too. NMDP covers travel and hotel for both the donor and a companion. 海角社区 NMDP hopes to earn the NMDP Chapter Excellence Award this coming academic year by raising $1,000 and getting 150 new donors on the registry. The chapter raised $1,002 and added 122 to the registry this past academic year. Learn more about NMDP (formerly Be The Match) or sign up for the registry on the website. 海角社区 students can complete 海角社区 NMDP’s interest form, join the GroupMe, or visit the chapter’s Instagram. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/nmdp-swab.JPG /newsevents/newsroom/2026/one-scoop-at-a-time-how-a-cc-alum-built-a-colorado-springs-institution.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/one-scoop-at-a-time-how-a-cc-alum-built-a-colorado-springs-institution.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:29:00 MDT Downtown Tejon was a one-way street and Plaza of the Rockies was brand new when Boston native John Krakauer ’85 hit upon the idea that would change Colorado Springs—and his life. Ice cream. “It started when I was walking around downtown when I was a 海角社区 student and recognized that there was something missing,” he says. “It was ice cream like we have back in Boston.” John Krakauer ’85 (left) and Josh Paris in 1986 at the start of Josh & John's. Photo provided by Krakauer. That realization was the spark for Josh & John’s—one of the Springs’ most recognizable small businesses. “I convinced my friend Josh, who was a high school friend of mine, to come out here after we both graduated from college to open up an ice cream store,” recalls Krakauer, co-owner of Josh & John’s. This year, Josh & John’s celebrates 40 years of waffle cones, community gatherings, scoop buses, and flavors with names as memorable as the people who inspired them. What began as a single storefront on Kiowa Street in 1986 has grown into seven locations across Colorado, a wholesale operation, mobile scoop buses, and a centralized production facility known as the “Churn Barn.” After four decades, Krakauer highlights the company’s 海角社区 foundations—and the influence of the Block Plan. “I chose 海角社区 because of the Block Plan actually,” he says. “I do very well when I can focus on one thing. “When you open up an ice cream store, it’s all about the focus that you have to put into one thing. I think I was really able to do that—I still do to this day. That’s how I operate, and I learned that skill while I was at 海角社区.” And Krakauer’s 海角社区 experience went way beyond academics. A singer throughout his college years, he immersed himself in the campus music scene, performing as a tenor soloist and building lifelong friendships. “I have very, very fond memories,” he says. “The people at 海角社区, my friends who I still keep in touch with, the Block Plan, the classes, the professors—I just loved it.” Those relationships shaped the philosophy behind Josh & John’s. Ro海角社区y and John Krakauer ’85, co-owner of Josh & John’s at the downtown Colorado Springs location celebrating 40 years of Josh & John's. Photo by Khloe Haney/海角社区. “The thing that I learned at 海角社区 and really learned as I was opening up the ice cream store is that things can’t be done alone,” Krakauer says. “You really need people.” Gathering with classmates to study and problem-solve taught him the importance of collaboration, he says. “The whole idea of community—that’s what I take away from my experience at 海角社区. And it’s what has made Josh & John’s popular and successful.” With community connection still at its heart, Josh & John’s regularly partners with the College, sponsors 海角社区 Hockey, and brings the Scoop Bus to campus events. “海角社区 is actually one of our biggest customers today,” Krakauer says. “The Scoop Bus comes, and the students come, and they buy little cups of ice cream and it’s very, very popular.” Sometimes, “we even have Ro海角社区y on the Scoop Bus handing out ice cream,” he says. Today, Krakauer lives within blocks of 海角社区—and acknowledges that he never really left. He’s watched the city evolve over four decades, and Josh & John’s has grown alongside it. “Today, I am a big fan of Colorado Springs,” Krakauer says. “It’s changed a lot, and I’m proud of the fact that I think I have a lot to do with the change that’s occurred.” Some of his favorite memories are deeply personal. Krakauer married his wife, Lindsay, underneath the giant ice cream cone at one of the stores—among customers and business-as-usual. Lindsay Keller and John Krakauer ’85, co-owner of Josh & John’s, celebrate their wedding in 2011. Photo provided by Krakauer. “At the time, I refused to close the store,” he says, laughing. “We have a picture of our wedding party, and there are people in there that we don’t know because there were just random customers that had come in for the day.” That same joy and spontaneity even shows up in the shop’s flavors—Krakauer says he creates the names before developing the actual ice cream. “We even have a 海角社区 Tiger Stripe ice cream,” he says. “It’s very popular at the 海角社区 games.” One flavor remains especially meaningful: Malted Mazel Tov. “It was the flavor that I made for Lindsay and I when we got married,” Krakauer says. “It was so popular that it’s still out today as a regular flavor.” Josh & John’s enjoys close ties to generations of 海角社区 students and alumni. Krakauer recalls one of the company’s earliest employees: Hollywood voice actor Dee Bradley Baker ’86, 海角社区’s 2026 Commencement speaker and the voice of Perry the Platypus in Phineas and Ferb, among other favorites. John’s Favorite Flavors Malted Mazel Tov Mocha Java Jolt Almond Joy By the Numbers 40 years 7 stores 4 mobile units 1 Churn Barn Thousands of employees served “We knew each other at 海角社区 because we were both singers” who performed together as undergrads, Krakauer says. “He was the baritone and I was the tenor.” Another College connection: Josh & John’s original logo was designed by Amy Davis, a 海角社区 student at the time. Krakauer says the real accomplishment lies in the people who helped shape the company—employees, 海角社区 students, customers, and the Springs community. “We are very big on community,” he says. “We are very proud of the thousands of youth that we have taught and employed.” After four decades downtown, Krakauer sees that mission enduring. “It’s been a pleasure,” he says, “and it’s been an honor to serve Colorado Springs.” /newsevents/newsroom/_images/JoshandJohns_sq.jpg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/kaviya-chidambaram-27-wins-davis-project-for-peace.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/kaviya-chidambaram-27-wins-davis-project-for-peace.html Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:51:00 MDT Kaviya Chidambaram ’27 is helping fisherwomen in Chennai, India, fight climate displacement, funded by a $10,000 Davis Project for Peace award. “The Davis Project for Peace grant allows me to bring something meaningful to a community partner and catalyze a shared vision for our community,” Chidambaram says. “I am so grateful to the Kathryn W. Davis Foundation and 海角社区 for investing in student leadership.” Chidambaram’s project aims to empower single fisherwomen on the coast of Tamil Nadu to be heard in the fishermen policymaking process. Fisherwomen in Chennai, Tamil Nadu’s capital, are the traditional stewards of mangroves, protecting coastal ecosystems from erosion. Often the sole providers for their families, they sell fish in informal hawking zones, where they can face discrimination, Chidambaram says. Many are widowed, which adds another layer of cultural ostracization and makes it harder for them to access social safety nets they are legally promised, she says. “Peace is not the absence of conflict but community cohesion with justice at the forefront,” Chidambaram wrote in her initial project proposal. “Power is sustained by strength in coalition. When fisherwomen know that they are not alone, they can better stand for their rights and collectively organize when their rights are not respected.” For her project, Chidambaram is collaborating with the Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation (HRF) to host a three-day conference with 50 single fisherwomen, female community organizers, and advocates from all 14 coastal districts across Tamil Nadu. Attendees will share their lived experiences, develop their demands for the new state government coastal budget, and draft an amendment to the Fisher Rights Act that protects coastal communities. The conference will be an opportunity to build grassroots power in community, strengthening solidarity across each district’s Single Women’s Action Network (SWAN) chapters. Chidambaram, who was also named a 2025-26 Newman Civic Fellow, is passionate about empowering local leadership. In India, Chidambaram is also helping to develop a living People’s Archive, collecting and archiving the histories of fishing communities on their traditional land across the Tamil Nadu coast. An International Political Economy major and Environmental Studies minor, Chidambaram is an Overseas Citizen of India—a form of permanent residency that allows her to live and work in India indefinitely. She has spent a lot of time in Chennai, where her parents lived before emigrating. Chidambaram is a heritage Tamil speaker and looks forward to improving her command of Tamil and better understanding the policymaking process in Tamil Nadu. She traveled to Chennai in June and will return to the U.S. in July. Chidambaram is grateful for 海角社区’s avis Project for Peace review committee’s guidance and support, adding that 海角社区’s Projects for Peace Campus Liaisons Sarah Elsey and Laura Hines “helped me make a crazy idea into a reality through many one-on-one meetings and revisions.” “I am so lucky to have a strong support system that believes in the promise of student ideas.” Chidambaram is “devoted to uplifting the voices of minority communities and advocating for more equitable and inclusive leadership practices,” Elsey says. “We have no doubt her project will be a success.” The global Kathryn W. Davis Projects for Peace program encourages young adults to develop community-centered solutions to pressing issues in the world. Each year, about 125 student leaders are awarded $10,000 to implement their Project for Peace. Since its founding in 2007 by Kathryn W. Davis, the program has funded over 2,200 projects in over 150 countries. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/chidambaram-kaviya.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/colorado-college-climbers-medal-at-collegiate-nationals.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/colorado-college-climbers-medal-at-collegiate-nationals.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:18:00 MDT Six students competed at the USA Climbing 2026 Collegiate Climbing Nationals in late May, earning three medals and making a name for themselves. Despite being a small team, 海角社区 placed fifth out of 99 at the competition, with a score of 3843.5, and also won the Team Speed event. They placed 31st in the Lead Team event and fourth in Boulder Team. Over 350 students from 105 colleges and universities across the country traveled to Kennesaw, Georgia, to compete in Boulder, Lead, and Speed climbing, both individually and in collegiate teams. In her Nationals debut, Naomi Lahaie ’29 won the Women’s Advanced Boulder with a score of 84.0—almost ten points higher than the silver medalist. She placed sixth in Women’s Advanced Speed. Sonia Gutierrez ’27 earned the silver medal in Women’s Speed with a time of 9.51, and placed seventh in Women’s Advanced Boulder. Lahaie and Gutierrez also competed in Women’s Advanced Lead. “I love this sport and it feels like such a privilege to continually get to compete at this level,” says Gutierrez, a Mathematics and Computer Science double major. “I’ve spent the past few years balancing a handful of part-time jobs alongside academics and training, and it feels very rewarding to keep managing to succeed at the national level.” Gutierrez has also been on the USA Climbing National Team for four years: the 2023 Speed Youth; the 2024 Speed Collegiate; the 2025 Speed and Boulder Collegiate; and now the 2026 Speed Collegiate National Team. Benn Wheeler ’27, Max Goode ’29, and Oliver Siegal ’29 competed in the Men’s Advanced Boulder event, placing 18th, 24th, and 62nd respectively. In their Nationals debuts, Goode and Siegal also competed in Men’s Advanced Speed, placing 15th and 16th respectively. Wheeler has qualified for every Collegiate Climbing Nationals since 2024 and has made the Boulder finals each time. This was the first year Georgia Emmanuel ’27 qualified for the Nationals, where she finished 56th in Women’s Advanced Boulder. “Competing this year has gotten me so psyched to train harder for next year,” says Emmanuel, an English and Film & Media Studies double major. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to climb for 海角社区 with such an incredible group of people.” Team scores are calculated by combining the top three female and top three male scores from each school. Because 海角社区 sent three male and three female climbers, all six contributed to 海角社区’s score and overall fifth place. “Placing fifth overall was very exciting, especially with such a small team,” Gutierrez says, adding that they’re already aiming to secure a top-three banner next year. The team was especially proud to take first place in Team Speed. For the past two years, only Gutierrez competed in Speed Climbing, but this past year, she convinced Lahaie, Goode, and Siegal to join her. “It was really cool to see them climb so well at their first speed competition,” Gutierrez says, “and it was just enough for us to take the win!” 海角社区’s team primarily trains at Springs Climbing Center (S海角社区), a bouldering gym near campus with resources for serious climbers. But since S海角社区 does not have a regulation speed wall, Gutierrez, Lahaie, Goode, and Siegal made several trips to use the one at Movement Centennial before nationals. “I think the camaraderie we gained in the car rides up to Centennial to train on a speed wall were a major factor in our teams result,” says Goode, a Mathematics major and Physics minor. Goode hopes to qualify for next year’s Nationals in all three disciplines, and credits this year’s success to “the people who supported me, including Chris Starr with her amazing management of all the teams here at 海角社区.” “I am so proud of their individual and team accomplishments on the national level, especially given that they competed against colleges and universities that have enrollments that are ten times that of 海角社区,” says Starr, Director of Recreation and Fitness Center. “It’s also exciting as a set-up for next year’s National Championships, which is a qualifier for Collegiate Worlds.” The climbers focus on keeping a positive team environment. “At 海角社区, the most support definitely comes from my fellow teammates—we don’t have a coach, but train and spend time together all the time,” says Gutierrez, who has captained the team for two years. “We’re also particularly grateful for the Club Sports staff, who continually support us attending competitions and team trips throughout the year.” /newsevents/newsroom/_images/climbing-nationals-1.JPG /newsevents/newsroom/2026/from-india-to-mongolia-alum-pursues-social-enterprise-career.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/from-india-to-mongolia-alum-pursues-social-enterprise-career.html Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:01:00 MDT Ben Murphy ’24 is set to spend a year in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, working in the Management and Research Department for telecommunications company MobiCom, after earning a Princeton in Asia (PiA) Fellowship. The fellowship brings him a step closer to the goal he’s pursued since his first day at 海角社区—a career combining his passion for development work and entrepreneurship. And Murphy credits his “unique” education at 海角社区, describing the Block Plan as “an opportunity to push yourself outside of your comfort zone.” “In a way, the PiA Fellowship feels like an extra-long block,” he says, “an opportunity to immerse myself deeply in a place, subject, and culture, uninterrupted and undistracted by other responsibilities.” The fellowship will offer valuable exposure to the international business world, Murphy says. He aims to work in social enterprise, which he says requires understanding both the nonprofit and business worlds. At 海角社区, Murphy worked on projects supporting economic development across Colorado. As a junior, he was named a 2023 Newman Civic Fellow for his project on turning parking garages into community spaces in Colorado Springs. Across every project, Murphy is guided by his belief that a good business must have a purpose beyond profit. After graduating with a degree in Business, Economics, and Society, Murphy moved to Kenya to work with the Western Organization for People Living with HIV/AIDS (WOPLAH). He supported livelihood initiatives focused on kitchen gardens and community banking, among others. In Kotdwar, India, he is currently working on the American India Foundation’s Support Adolescent Health, Education & Livelihood Initiative (SAHELI) through a Banyan Impact Fellowship. He’s teaching digital literacy and STEM, which he says are fundamental to long-term economic opportunities. Since arriving in India in September 2025, Murphy has helped develop a digital market linkage for rural artisans to increase their income and access to new markets, and helped to redesign a digital literacy and English curriculum to boost student engagement. His work in India continues until June 30, when he will return to the United States to prepare for his move to Mongolia’s vibrant capital. While many PiA Fellowship applicants have distinct reasons for their top-choice country placements, Murphy does not. If someone asked him a year ago why he picked India, he says, he wouldn’t have had an answer. Immersing himself in a community and culture that he knew little about was transformative, he says—and he can’t wait to do it again. “Over the past six months, I have found my ‘why’ in the schools I support every day, my coworkers who have become friends, the friendly people I meet walking through the city every day, and the diversity of languages and cultures that seem to change every 10km I drive,” Murphy explains. “For Mongolia, my lack of knowledge of the culture, places, and people within its borders is exactly why I want to go. I don't have a why, but I can’t wait to find it.” Students interested in learning more and applying for a Princeton Fellowship can reach out to Princeton Fellowship advisor Chelsea Walter, Ph.D., at cwalter@coloradocollege.edu. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/ben-murphy-24-headshot.jpg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/zoe-williamson-26-wins-fulbright-to-teach-in-botswana.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/zoe-williamson-26-wins-fulbright-to-teach-in-botswana.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:02:00 MDT Zoe Williamson ’26 has won a 2026 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award to Botswana, where she will spend nine months teaching secondary school students. “I am thrilled to be able to grow as an educator in Botswana,” Williamson says. “I am also really excited to build a community there.”  Williamson also won a position as an Assistant Language Teacher with the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, but the programs overlapped, and, after much deliberation, she chose the Fulbright. Williamson’s appreciation for cultural connection began when she spent the fall semester of her junior year studying abroad in Tunis, Tunisia. A History-Political Science major with a focus on American social movements, she designed and completed an independent research project on youth voting patterns in the 2024 Tunisian Presidential Election. She also spent three weeks working in Italy with NGOs supporting migrants. “Zoe is the quintessential 海角社区 student—deeply devoted to her academic endeavors and avidly involved in the life of the College outside of the classroom,” says her advisor, Associate Professor of Political Science Elizabeth Coggins. “Zoe was a master at connecting ideas across readings and concepts and days of the block, providing an illuminating perspective from which everyone benefited.” Williamson has always been passionate about working with young people and focuses on combining academic work with community-based justice efforts. She worked as an AmeriCorps Teaching Fellow last summer, learning from professional teachers and teaching law and fitness to middle school students. Williamson also worked at 海角社区’s Cheryl Schlessman Bennett Children’s Center from sophomore through senior year—another experience she will draw upon in Botswana. Williamson is “a natural with children, and a steady presence in the classroom,” says Kim Foster, Children’s Center Director. “She has big things ahead of her and will definitely make a difference in the lives of children who will benefit from her influence.” Williamson says she is grateful for the support of her mentors at the Children’s Center and AmeriCorps Generation Teach, her Political Science and History professors, and Fulbright Advisor Roy Jo Sartin. “Zoe will make a terrific ETA and cultural ambassador to Botswana,” Sartin says. “She has experience working with and teaching students of all ages, but more importantly she is personable, enthusiastic, and genuinely excited to learn more about the people and culture of Botswana.” /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Zoe-Williamson-Headshot.JPG /newsevents/newsroom/2026/students-earn-gilman-scholarships-to-study-abroad.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/students-earn-gilman-scholarships-to-study-abroad.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:56:00 MDT Chloe Agenor ’27 is headed to Germany and Kevin Menendez Mejia ’28 is Africa-bound, thanks to the Gilman Program. Since 2001, the U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program has provided merit-based scholarships to over 45,000 U.S. undergraduate students, to participate in global internships and study abroad programs. Agenor will use her Gilman funding to participate in 海角社区’s Summer Block Away in Berlin, taking the Hidden Spaces, Hidden Narratives Block B class with David & Lucile Packard Professor Heidi R. Lewis. The class will study the experiences of marginalized people in Germany through the perspectives of Black feminism, transnational feminism, and critical race theory. Agenor, a Feminist & Gender Studies and Environmental Studies double major, says the scholarship gives her “the opportunity to study abroad in a program that I have dreamed of participating in since I arrived at 海角社区.” She is excited to explore how feminist ethics of care and collective action “complicate relationships of power by pursuing justice in conditions of injustice,” using Berlin’s Afro-German feminist organizing and liberation movements as a compelling example for study. “As a key site of environmental justice, Berlin activists utilize intersectional approaches to climate justice and ecology, centering Germans’ lived experiences in the environment,” Agenor says. Kevin Menendez Mejia '28 has received the U.S. Department of State's Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and will spend the Fall 2026 semester studying endangered species in Africa. Menendez Mejia’s award allows him to join the School for Field Studies (SFS) Kenya for the Fall 2026 semester, studying endangered species in Africa. With his peers, he will track savanna elephants in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park to create detailed behavioral ethograms, observe endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda, and conduct directed research—developing a shareholder-driven question, collecting field data, and presenting actionable findings to local partners. Menendez Mejia, an Organismal Biology & Ecology major, says he’s “excited to learn more about the region’s culture, language, history, and global perspectives through direct experience.” “I’ve always wanted to work closely with animals across the world,” he says, “and by studying endangered species in Kenya, I’ll be able to get firsthand experience on how ecological processes work and see how human impacts play a role in loss of biodiversity to develop solutions on how to preserve the life on Earth.” Once Gilman Award recipients return to the U.S., they complete a Follow-on Service Project to share what they learned abroad and build awareness about the program. For her Follow-on Service Project, Agenor will lead a Gilman Scholarship presentation for her network of Delta Mu sisters. “My entire college career has been dedicated to uplifting women, particularly women of color, and increasing accessibility to resources, whether it be art or academic opportunities,” Agenor says. “I am at [海角社区] today because of the QuestBridge scholarship I received, and I want others to know that their potential should not be determined by their circumstances.” Menendez Mejia will provide bilingual presentations and outreach for first-generation and BIPOC student organizations at Colorado Springs high schools, to “highlight the value of studying abroad, and encourage other students to study abroad if possible,” he says. Heather Powell Browne, Associate Director of Global Education and Gilman Program campus advisor, says Gilman scholars have access to ongoing opportunities and career development support after their study abroad, “so this honor is bigger than just the check.” Agenor and Menendez Mejia “will continue to be engaged with the Gilman Program and their cohort, to help their fellow students, which is part of what makes this competitive award so impactful,” Powell Browne says. The March 2026 Gilman Award cycle drew over 12,200 applicants—the highest in the program’s 25-year history—with 2,100 earning awards. Recipients come from all 50 states and will study and intern abroad in more than 100 countries between May 2026 and May 2027. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Chloe-Agenor-27-.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/student-charity-brand-highlights-community-of-changemakers.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/student-charity-brand-highlights-community-of-changemakers.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:05:00 MDT 海角社区 students make a difference in the world, often starting in their local communities—and their collaborative spirit changed the work of Hyungyu Kim ’27 from the moment he stepped on campus. During his gap year between high school and 海角社区, Kim founded a clothing brand to raise money for charitable causes. Kim, who was interested in graphic design, grew up in a low-income household and wanted to give back to others the way people had helped his family. Inspired by conversations with his friend Noble Haskell, an athlete who experienced quadriplegia after a car accident, Kim realized he could use his art to help people. Drawing on his experience making shirts for a church program, he created WITHUS, a brand grounded in “the power of togetherness” and fueled by Kim’s desire “to be with those that were in hardship and uplift them.” The proceeds from sales of WITHUS hoodies would support a range of important causes—starting with Haskell and his family. When he moved on campus for his first semester, Kim was struck by the changemaking drive of the 海角社区 community, and quickly recruited eager fellow students to help with his project. Despite barely knowing each other, dozens of students jumped in to help Kim with research, photography, videography.  Videographers Torin Schulte ’27 and Sean Lam ’27 helped Kim share the WITHUS vision, and the team invited Haskell to campus to create a video to raise awareness around his story. After a steep learning curve on manufacturing, design, websites, and taxes, Kim was finally able to launch WITHUS in December 2023. He sold 120 hoodies and donated half the proceeds to Haskell to help with medical bills. “I was so grateful and hopeful that it worked and the impact we were able to make with the 海角社区 community,” says Kim, adding that he’s grateful his first-year roommates were so understanding when big boxes of hoodies crowded their Loomis triplet. Kim continued WITHUS as he began his sophomore year, adjusting as he gained insights and experience. He wasn’t sure which cause to support next—until last fall, when he met Lydia Vassallo ’27 in Structures of Organic Molecules class. Vassallo’s brother Johnny passed away from epilepsy and for a final project, Vassallo created a painting connecting Johnny’s epilepsy story with class topics. Deeply moved by the project, Kim approached Vassallo with the idea of donating WITHUS proceeds to children with epilepsy. Associate Professor of Chemistry Amy Dounay, who taught Kim and Vassallo, says it’s an inspiring story that “really captures the spirit of our 海角社区 students who make connections in classes and build on those connections to do amazing, creative, and generous things in the world.” Vassallo was thrilled with the opportunity to share her brother’s story and build awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). “I was lucky enough to be involved in the whole process,” she says, “and we even did an interview where I spoke in detail about Ring 20 epilepsy and how it affected Johnny and my family, but also how it shaped us as people.” Kim and Vassallo worked with filmmaker Reed Haymons ’27 to create a post sharing Vassallo’s story, which totaled over 90,000 views on social media. Kim recruited other 海角社区 students for a photoshoot at IKEA and pop-up shops and awareness sessions on campus. Kim sold dozens of hoodies and will donate half the proceeds to Danny Did Foundation, dedicated to preventing deaths from seizures. Despite several obstacles, including major manufacturing changes, Kim is determined to continue—secure in the knowledge he’s surrounded by a campus full of thoughtful, creative students, always ready to pitch in. “I am not scared to try new things anymore because the 海角社区 community roots for me,” Kim says. “I am happy to carry on with this mission and I am so grateful to 海角社区 and everything the community has done for me.” /newsevents/newsroom/_images/holding-hoodies-at-WITHUS_sq.jpg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/first-year-students-pilot-marketing-program-with-local-businesses.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/first-year-students-pilot-marketing-program-with-local-businesses.html Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:40:00 MDT Seeing a need to connect 海角社区 students with local businesses, Kyle Kihlberg ’29 and Nick Brashear ’29 created PeakAssist—a student-led program that links Colorado Springs businesses with 海角社区 students through structured marketing internships. “The benefit to the Colorado Springs community and students at 海角社区 is at the heart of what we're building,” Kihlberg says. “PeakAssist creates a direct bridge between 海角社区 students and local businesses. We want 海角社区 to feel genuinely connected to the city around it, not just a campus that exists inside it.” Through the platform, students get hands-on marketing experiences and local businesses get authentic, student-driven marketing. The idea came from a gap Kihlberg and Brashear noticed: First-year students often want hands-on experience, but it’s hard to find opportunities where they can directly contribute and see immediate results. Many traditional internship pathways are geared towards juniors and seniors or run too long to manage with the Block Plan’s intensity.   PeakAssist was their solution—“a more accessible, local starting point, where students can take ownership of real marketing efforts and directly impact a business, whether that’s driving traffic, testing promotions, or engaging students on campus,” Kihlberg says. They also noticed many smaller companies “want to reach college students but don’t have the time or structure to work through more formal channels, so we’re trying to make that connection more direct and practical.” Brashear and Kihlberg start by connecting with a local business to understand what they need from a student intern, then match them with 海角社区 students interested in marketing. Each internship roughly aligns with a 海角社区 block. PeakAssist can help strengthen the connection between 海角社区 and the local community in a tangible way, Brashear says. “Students aren’t just working in a classroom setting—they’re actually engaging with local businesses, understanding how they operate, and contributing to their growth,” he says. “Over time, we hope this creates a stronger relationship where students are more engaged with local spots, and businesses feel more connected to campus.” Brashear and Kihlberg focused on marketing internships specifically because it’s an area where undergraduate students can contribute immediately and businesses can quickly see clear, measurable outcomes for businesses. They’re piloting PeakAssist with Springs coffee shop Humble Coffee, connecting them with Abigail Hill ’29 and Skye Pratt ’29, who are creating social media content, designing flyers and graphics, and promoting and planning events alongside Humble’s marketing manager. “With how competitive the internship search has become, working with PeakAssist gave me an opportunity to connect with an internship that will help me build my resume while also gaining real-world experience,” Pratt says. In the first week, Pratt and Hill met with one of the company’s marketing leads to sample their drinks, learn the brand and its goals, and discuss the projects they want completed. “Abigail and I have since brainstormed several ideas, including digital marketing strategies, poster concepts, and key tasks for the upcoming week,” Pratt says. “We recently met and were able to begin turning those ideas into tangible work!” Owner Ben Campeau said Humble Coffee decided to work with PeakAssist because Brashear and Kihlberg “are building something that actually solves a real problem for small businesses.” “Even though we’re early in the process, it’s been great working with them so far,” he says. “They’ve been responsive, thoughtful, and genuinely interested in understanding our business.” Campeau says understanding his business really matters, because every coffee shop operates differently. “What we’re hoping to get out of this is simple: better efficiency, clearer insights, and ultimately a better experience for our customers,” Campeau says. “If PeakAssist can help us do that, it’s a win not just for us, but for the community we serve.” What has stood out most since launching PeakAssist, Kihlberg and Brashear say, is the support from the 海角社区 community—especially faculty and staff. Brashear says Collaborative for Community Engagement (海角社区E) and Career Center staff members offered helpful guidance and resources. “Since starting PeakAssist, we’ve had multiple people reach out after hearing about what we’re building,” Brashear says. “That kind of response says a lot about the culture at 海角社区. There’s a real willingness from faculty and staff to support students who are trying to build something on their own.” Brashear says they’ve met with excitement from peers and friends and have even been able to bring some of them on as interns. “It’s made the whole process feel collaborative,” he says, “and reinforces that 海角社区 is a place where people are willing to take initiative and support each other in doing it.” PeakAssist is moving quickly, and Kihlberg and Brashear have finalized partnerships with Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub & Restaurant and Renew Coffee Cart. Students interested in joining PeakAssist can reach out via email or Instagram.   /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Nick-and-Kyle1.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/bernadette-latham-27-wins-goldwater-scholarship.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/bernadette-latham-27-wins-goldwater-scholarship.html Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:05:00 MDT Bernadette Latham ’27 is one of only 454 students across the United States to be awarded a 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship. “It’s incredibly empowering to be identified as a part of 'the nation’s next generation of research leaders,'” says Latham, a Neuroscience major and Global Health and Human Biology and Kinesiology double minor. “Winning this award has strengthened my motivation to continue pursuing research and reaffirmed my commitment to women’s brain research.” Latham earned the scholarship for her research essay, “Exploring the Use of Longitudinal Hyperscanning Designs in Dyadic Neural Synchrony Research,” which focused on her brain imaging research, targeting social impact and methodological advancement.  Latham plans to earn a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and pursue a career in women’s brain research, aiming to inform health policy and improve women’s health. The Goldwater Scholarship Program provides financial support and connects Latham with a national community of researchers. “I’m so inspired, not only by my cohort, but by Goldwater scholars at all stages of their careers,” Latham says. “I’m honored to be a part of this community and look forward to the learning and collaboration it entails.” Latham has been part of the Developmental Affective Neuroscience, Culture, and Environment (DANCE) Lab at the University of Minnesota and conducted research alongside Ka Ip, Assistant Professor and Director of DANCE Lab, since May 2025. She has contributed to a variety of projects, helping to design studies, collect neuroimaging data using fNIRS, analyze data, and complete manuscripts. Last fall, Latham also volunteered as a research assistant for Weaver on a study investigating sexual dynamics in relationships, helping to finalize the study protocol and begin data collection.  Both research experiences were part of her Goldwater application. “Winning this scholarship is a testament to not only how far I've come as a researcher but to all the support I have received along the way,” Latham says. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the mentorship and opportunities I have received at both 海角社区 and the University of Minnesota.” The Goldwater Scholarship Program is open to college sophomores and juniors pursuing a career in science, engineering, or math, and covers the cost of tuition, books, and room and board up to $7,500 a year. Honoring Senator Barry Goldwater, the program has awarded a total of 11,616 scholarships since its founding in 1986. This year, 1,485 students were nominated by 482 institutions. Latham expressed gratitude to Lori Driscoll ’94, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, Jason Weaver, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Minho Kim, Goldwater Campus Representative and Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, for support throughout the scholarship process. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Bernie-Latham-27-1.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/recent-alum-wins-princeton-in-asia-fellowship-in-a-full-circle-moment.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/recent-alum-wins-princeton-in-asia-fellowship-in-a-full-circle-moment.html Thu, 28 May 2026 14:06:00 MDT For Mary Reinbold ’25, earning a Princeton in Asia (PiA) Fellowship to teach in Japan before starting medical school marks a return to her early influences. Growing up in Alaska, Reinbold received an unconventional education in the Anchorage School District Japanese Immersion Program, where she spent half her days learning core subjects—like math and history—entirely in Japanese. “I am so excited to be a PiA Fellow in Japan because of how full circle this experience feels,” she says. “My Japanese teachers were all from Japan, and I feel honored to now be teaching English there and giving back to the opportunity that shaped me.” In Yakage, a historic town in rural Japan, Reinbold will spend a year teaching preschoolers, “fostering excitement about learning a new language, and sharing what it was like to grow up in Alaska.” “I hope to share with my students even a small part of what was given to me through my immersion education, and to continue fostering dialogue and exchange between the U.S. and Japan.” Reinbold, who majored in Organismal Biology & Ecology with a minor in German Studies, says she’s “incredibly grateful” to be a PiA Fellow. “This year is a pivotal time in my life to explore other cultures and reflect on my place in the world before dedicating myself to a career in medicine.” After medical school, Reinbold hopes to return to Alaska as a physician, caring for the community that raised her. She is currently an ophthalmic assistant at the Alaska Native Medical Center, an Indigenous nonprofit hospital, where she works to reduce barriers to healthcare access, and travels to remote communities to provide eye care. “I see teaching and medicine as deeply interconnected,” she says, “and I hope to continue to gain the skills to communicate effectively with people of different ages and cultural backgrounds.” The prestigious PiA Fellowship supports cultural immersion and cross-cultural understanding between the United States and Asia. Reinbold was one of about 60 people to be offered a fellowship this year. Reinbold says Chelsea Walter, director of the Office of Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education, and Andrea Culp, director of the Public Interest Fellowship Program, were instrumental in helping her earn the award, and her 海角社区 experience helped her win the fellowship. For example, starting in her sophomore year, Reinbold tutored peers in German—developing creative approaches to fostering a passion for language learning. “海角社区 prepares students to be highly adaptable,” she says, “and I found that the Block Plan and the travel grants I received made it possible for me to learn new subjects quickly and build community wherever I go.”  Students interested in learning more and applying for a Princeton Fellowship can reach out to Princeton Fellowship Advisor Chelsea Walter, Ph.D., at cwalter@coloradocollege.edu. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/mary-reinbold-25.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/colorado-college-receives-1.5m-grant-to-explore-language-and-artificial-intelligence.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/colorado-college-receives-1.5m-grant-to-explore-language-and-artificial-intelligence.html Tue, 26 May 2026 10:09:00 MDT 海角社区 has received a $1.5 million Mellon Foundation Humanities for All Times grant to launch a three-year curricular initiative named Generative Futures: Critical Language Inquiry in the Age of Artificial Intelligence that aims to examine the shifting role of language in shaping knowledge, identity and the ways in which we understand the world in an era where the influence of AI is increasingly pervasive. “This grant allows us to engage what is perhaps the central question facing educators—facing all of us—today,” said Ryan Banagale, Director of the Crown Center for Teaching and Assistant Dean of the Faculty, who is the faculty lead on this interdisciplinary team project. “Language and technology are intertwined irrevocably in today’s world. Our goal is to help students slow down and ask how meaning takes shape in such a deeply mediated world.” Grounded in the liberal arts principle that meaning emerges through particular acts of interpretation, the goal of the Generative Futures grant is to examine how language systems—spoken, written, visual, computational, and symbolic—shape how people think, create, communicate and create. “The Humanities have always been a crucial engine of critical inquiry,” said Steve Hayward, Professor of English, “and they are going to be more essential than ever in the age of AI.” Two separate but interconnected frameworks shape this work. The first is Critical Language Inquiry which explores and interrogates the many ways in which language reflects and reinforces systems of inclusion and exclusion and the impact the advent of AI is having on them across historical and cultural contexts. “A focus on language is something we all share at the college,” says Ane Steckenbiller, Associate Professor, and Chair of Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, & Russian Studies. “It underlies everything we do, whether that is the learning of languages in the plural or thinking about music or film or any other discipline as a kind of language—language is an embodied experience that requires nuance and care and cannot be replaced by AI and its promise of efficiency and productivity.” The second framework is Critical AI Literacy which investigates the design, implementation, and social consequences of artificial intelligence, asking how bias, inequality, labor, environmental impact, and ethics are embedded in AI systems and how these tools influence human thought and knowledge creation. “Part of this work is a clear understanding of the capabilities of AI, and in particular, what aspects of learning AI cannot replace,” added Cory Scott, Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Computer Science. This initiative will work across college curricula, where AI is increasingly impacting student experiences of knowledge, to examine what AI amplifies, what it flattens, and how liberal arts inquiry can help foster more just, inclusive, and responsible uses of these technologies. There will be multiple ways for students, staff and faculty to participate, including workshops, course development grants, student-faculty summer research projects, and lectures—all of which will be free and open to the public—that will bring some of the leading voices on this issue to campus. “One of the aspects of the grant that I am most excited about is the opportunity to develop new courses that allow both students and faculty to engage more deeply into the urgent and evolving conversations about language AI, and the future of knowledge,” said Nene Diop, Associate Professor of French & Francophone Studies. “Our college and the U.S. are also multilingual,” reminds Professor Steckenbiller, “which is another important aspect we want to center with this grant.” 海角社区 last received a $1.25 million Mellon Foundation grant in 2022 to support the development of a social-justice-oriented humanities curricula to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to make the world a more just and equitable place. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Drone-campus-shot.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/felix-battle-26-wins-fulbright-english-teaching-assistant-award-to-germany.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/felix-battle-26-wins-fulbright-english-teaching-assistant-award-to-germany.html Tue, 19 May 2026 15:42:00 MDT Felix Battle ’26 has been awarded the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award and will spend a year in Germany working as an assistant teacher in a German public school. “I’m really excited for the opportunity to both teach and learn in Germany,” says Battle, who double majored in History-Political Science and German Studies. “Spending a year in Germany will be a great addition to the learning that I have done at 海角社区 and abroad. I’m excited to be working with German faculty and to share my experiences with German students in the classroom.” Battle wants to further his understanding of Germany’s culture and language, so he is also excited for the cultural immersion. “Back in Fall 2025, Felix was the only senior in my Haunted Histories: Colonialism, Imperialism, and the Politics of Memory class, which he navigated with such ease, engaging patiently with others’ ideas and taking on an informal mentorship role during small group work,” says Associate Professor of German Studies and Chair Christiane Steckenbiller. “I can see him thrive in his new role as a teacher and know that his new colleagues will appreciate having him as part of their community. I couldn’t be more excited for Felix as he embarks on this new adventure.” Battle says he was inspired to teach others after having such incredible professors at 海角社区.  “Felix is a diligent student who centers curiosity and compassion for others in his work,” says Assistant Professor of Political Science Maria Sanchez. “It is no surprise that he won this prestigious award. I am excited for him to start this new journey as a Fulbright educator and am sure he will make a positive impact!” In addition to his professors, Battle is grateful for the help and support from Fulbright Advisor Roy Jo Sartin. 海角社区 has had Fulbright winners every year since 2011. Five of 海角社区’s 11 Fulbright applicants advanced to the semifinalist status for this application cycle. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Felix-Battle-26.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/you-leave-here-today-with-a-toolkit-for-navigating-time-baker-tells-class-of-2026.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/you-leave-here-today-with-a-toolkit-for-navigating-time-baker-tells-class-of-2026.html Sun, 17 May 2026 15:43:00 MDT Dee Bradley Baker ’86, a self-proclaimed “time traveling” alumnus from 海角社区’s Class of 1986, gave this year’s 569 graduates a funny, somewhat prophetic look at life beyond the hallowed halls of 海角社区. A renowned voice actor, Baker infused his Commencement speech with character, voicing quips and wisdom as Daffy Duck in Space Jam, Captain Rex the clone trooper in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Perry the Platypus in Phineas and Ferb, among others—much to the delight of the Generation Z graduates who grew up watching these shows. “You may have a well-considered plan, but 40 years of time travel has shown me that your plan is going to be wrong,” said Baker. “It’s going to be completely and utterly, gloriously, maddeningly wrong—because life is indifferent to such plans...It is going to be different—wonderfully, sometimes harrowingly, different—from anything you’re currently picturing.” Baker told the graduates he had “precisely zero idea” of what he was going to do with a BA in Philosophy when he graduated in 1986—so he just kept doing the things he’d done at 海角社区. “I followed my curiosity. I followed my weird and my fun,” he said. “And my weird and my fun led me somewhere extraordinarily well-tailored to who I am.” It led to a 30-year career as a versatile, sought-after Hollywood voice actor in television, film, and video games. Baker has worked on hundreds of animated shows for Nickelodeon (SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly Odd Parents, Avatar: The Last Airbender), Disney (Lilo & Stitch, Higgly Town Heroes, Project WITCH), Cartoon Network (Codename: Kids Next Door, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy), Warner Bros. (Teen Titans, ¡Mucha Lucha!), Fox network (Klaus the German goldfish in American Dad!), as well as characters in the video games Halo, Destiny, and Overwatch. “I realized that Hollywood needed creatures and monsters,” Baker said. “Cartoons and video games and films were full of animals and aliens and beasts that needed voices. And I—with my lifelong fascination with animals, my memory of sitting in Invertebrate Biology at 海角社区 delighted by things with too many legs, my years of live theater and improv, my deep love of monster movies and my apparently inexhaustible willingness to make strange sounds and appear idiotic—was precisely the person for this kind of job.” His golden advice? Do what you love and what you’re good at. “When those two things overlap,” he said, “you’ve found something worth building your life around.” Toward the end of his address, Baker shared his “invisible toolkit” with the graduates: Have a flexible, energized mind Know who you are Know what you care about Know what you love to do Know who you love to work with See yourself as a charged battery (“Walk into every room ready to power whatever the room needs.”) Make a habit of doing what you love "I learned at 海角社区 that creativity is not a gift. It is a habit. Keep making things. Keep feeding your mind. Keep collaborating. Finish the job, take your bow, strike the set, and show up ready and curious for whatever comes next,” Baker concluded. 海角社区 President Manya Whitaker conveyed a more serious message, linking the milestone of graduation with America’s 250th birthday, telling graduates: “The choices your generation makes in the next decade, even in the next year, will determine what history records about this era, what we valued, what we defended, where we stumbled, and what we let go.” She told graduates they each have “a distinct and necessary voice” to use for change. “In our lifetimes, every one of us will be asked to use our voice and find our power to change the world—to speak out with conviction,” she said. “Claim your space. Your diploma is not a period. It’s the first word of a very long sentence, of a remarkable chapter,” she said. “I have faith in you. This is your time. Raise your voice. Our democracy is listening.” Board of Trustees Chair Kyle Samuel ’92 told the 552 BA candidates and 17 MAT candidates to lean into responsibility, service, and purpose. “Don’t run from the ideas that make you uncomfortable. Run toward them,” Samuel said. “You have to risk failure to accomplish something. You have to risk being wrong, in order to keep learning.” Alumnus Chris Benoit ’03 received an honorary degree for his work as an attorney defending communities facing human rights challenges. Faculty retirees were also acknowledged for their years of service and dedication to the college: Lynne Fitzhugh (Senior Lecturer, Education), Rick Furtak (Associate Professor, Philosophy), Claire Oberon Garcia (Professor, English), Eve Grace (Associate Professor, Political Science), Hong Jiang (Professor, Chinese), Jonathan Lee (Professor, Philosophy), Carol Neel (Professor, History), Shawn Womack (Professor, Theatre & Dance), and Tricia Waters (Professor, Psychology). Dwanna McKay, Associate Professor Emerita of Race, Ethnicity, & Migration Studies was remembered for her service to the College in memoriam. Watch the full Commencement Ceremony. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Cap-Toss.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/four-alumni-win-national-science-foundation-fellowships.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/four-alumni-win-national-science-foundation-fellowships.html Thu, 14 May 2026 15:12:00 MDT Zachary Ginn '23 | Jordan Cosgrove '24 | Owen Rask ’24 | Heather Rolph ’21 Four recent alumni have been named 2026 winners of the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. “The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship is a prestigious, highly competitive award that enables graduate students to focus more deeply on their studies,” says Rachel Jabaily, Associate Professor and Chair of Organismal Biology & Ecology (OBE). “A committee of scientists has evaluated their approach to science and plans for their projects and has deemed these recipients worthy of full support. We should be proud to have four recipients this year from 海角社区, but we shouldn’t be surprised because our students learned how to focus, hone and communicate their original ideas through the myriad classes they excelled in on the Block Plan while they were with us.” The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) supports graduate students who are pursuing master or doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math fields. The National Science Foundation (NSF) established the GRFP in 1952 to recruit and support people who have demonstrated the potential to make contributions to STEM fields, STEM education, or scientific innovation. Of almost 14,000 applicants, fewer than 2,600 people were named to the 2026-27 GRFP cohort. “The NSF GRFP is the gold standard for recognizing graduate-level scientific research of high creativity, intellectual merit, and widespread impact,” says Writing Center Specialist Roy Jo Sartin, who specializes in helping students with graduate school, fellowship, and grant applications. “For 海角社区 to produce multiple scientists of this caliber — not just this year, but most years — is a testament both to their talents and to the mentorship they received at the College."   Zachary Ginn ’23 Life Sciences – Ecology Zach Ginn '23 at Un Poco del Chocó Biological Station in Northwestern Ecuador in March 2024. This photo was taken towards the end of a three month research traineeship where he learned how to band birds. Photo provided by Ginn. Zachary Ginn ’23 is a field ecologist with a background in avian and pollination ecology, and after graduating with a degree in OBE, began pursuing seasonal field research positions across the United States and in Ecuador, Panama, and Honduras. This fall, Ginn will begin a PhD program in the Graduate Group in Ecology (GGE) at the University of California, Davis, where he will seek to untangle the drivers of elevational range shifts in montane birds in Central and South America. Ginn was inspired to begin researching birds after taking Ornithology with OBE Professor Brian Linkhart during his junior year. “On our extended field trip to remote mountains in southern Arizona, Zach was an Eveready Bunny, just as eager to hunt down hummingbirds at sunrise, work on field projects with other students for hours during the day or go on hunting expeditions to capture owls at night,” Linkhart says. Ginn is grateful for the OBE faculty who inspired and prepared him for his ecology career as well as for their help in applying for the GRFP. “Many of my upper-level classes involved mock grant proposals as midterm or final projects, which significantly helped in learning concise scientific writing and in thinking about independent research,” Ginn shares. “Along with this practice, my mentors from 海角社区, mainly Dr. Roxaneh Khorsand, helped me brainstorm and revise my proposal.” Ginn spent Summer 2022 and 2023 at Toolik Field Station in Alaska, conducting research for Khorsand. He returned for two weeks last summer as well, tasked with training current 海角社区 students. Ginn worked with Khorsand and Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Flavia Sancier-Barbosa on research documenting temporal patterns of plant-insect interactions in different tundra plant communities, and published their research in September 2025. While his work on plants isn’t directly related to Ginn’s current research, it helped to inspire it. “Both the work in Alaska and my current research with birds fits under the umbrella of global change ecology- thinking about how species respond to anthropogenic change,” Ginn says. “My research in Alaska was also great training in field work, experimental design, analysis, and writing.”   Ginn is interested in applied bird conservation in Central and South America and hopes that his research can inform conservation strategies in montane habitats by working with local researchers, universities, and communities. He also hopes to pursue a career as a professor at a school like 海角社区. “I hope to help other students find a love for field research like I have, and the close professor-student mentorship at 海角社区 played a huge part in my career trajectory,” Ginn adds.   Jordan Cosgrove ’24 Life Sciences – Ecology Jordan Cosgrove '24 at Garden of the Gods in May 2022. Photo provided by Cosgrove. “Being awarded the NSF GRFP is a huge honor,” says Jordan Cosgrove ’24, who majored in Environmental Science and now works as a paraprofessional in that department. “It will not only allow me to focus on research in graduate school, instead of TAing my way through, but it provides enough financial support to pursue a PhD right out of the gate, which has always been my long-term goal. I am incredibly excited to be a student again, dive into research, and find my niche in the field of ecology.” Cosgrove will pursue a PhD in Systems Ecology at the University of Montana, where she will be studying tree ecophysiology, forest carbon cycling, and optical remote sensing. She will use flux towers equipped with optical sensors and instruments that measure atmospheric gas exchange in the Lubrecht Experimental Forest to study how different forest management applications affect forest-wide carbon cycling. She eventually plans to scale up this work to incorporate satellite-based remote sensing, using field measurements as ground truthing for large scale carbon cycling models. Cosgrove conducted research with Professor and Co-Chair of the Environmental Program Miro Kummel during her senior year, where they studied the shift from homogenous to patterned vegetation cover in its early stages of development in South Central Colorado due to a decrease in annual precipitation. They presented their research at the Colorado Springs Undergraduate Research Forum (CSURF) in April 2024. “Jordan has always been exceptionally sharp and imaginative, but she also always had a keen sense of agency --- sense that if she puts her mind to it, she can do things, she can do anything,” Kummel says. “I could not be prouder of a student mentee. I am also proud of 海角社区, as an institution, that it gives us faculty space and resources to support these extraordinary young scientists to ‘grow up’ as scholars and do absolutely amazing things.” Prior to starting her work with Kummel, Cosgrove had originally planned to do a small independent study on the connection between microtopography and micro hydrology that underlines spatial patterning of the prairie. “The first week was not even over yet when she told me that this was so much fun that she wanted to significantly scale it up and work on it for a thesis,” Kummel shares. “The thesis writing then turned into a second manuscript-writing block. Then came a series of conference presentations including CSURF, but more importantly, a professional presentation at the Ecological Society of America.” Cosgrove spent the year after graduating working as a Student Services Contractor for the U.S. Geological Survey, where she studied the impact of land use change and sea level rise on critical wetland habitats. Cosgrove says this was a really formative role that gave her incredible experience working as a support scientist in a research setting. After returning to campus to serve as the Environmental Sciences paraprofessional, Kummel and Cosgrove submitted her thesis to an ecology journal, where the manuscript is currently under peer review. Cosgrove’s GRFP builds on the research she had done for her thesis and manuscript.   Owen Rask ’24 Social Sciences – Economics Owen Rask '24 on one of his first days as a Pre-Doctoral Researcher at the Tobin Center for Economic Policy at Yale University in Summer 2024. Photo taken by Tobin Center for Economic Policy Pre-Doctoral Fellows Program Coordinator Olivia Micca. Owen Rask ’24 is pursuing a PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. He spent the past few years conducting research on how U.S. agricultural and conservation policy, specifically the Conservation Reserve Program, shapes the land use decisions of American farmers, and was awarded the GRFP for his proposed extension on that research project. “Being awarded the NSF GRFP signals to me that my research on U.S. agricultural and conservation policy is compelling and important enough for both the federal government and experts in the field to generously fund its continuation, and that my prior work and accomplishments in economics research are strong enough that the NSF is willing to invest in my career,” says Rask, who majored in Economics and double minored in Mathematics and Political Science. “It also means that, much as my experience as a Boettcher Scholar instilled a commitment to giving back to the state of Colorado, I will use the knowledge and expertise this fellowship supports to give back to the U.S. government for its investment in my education and career.” Rask spent the past two years working as a Pre-Doctoral Researcher at the Tobin Center for Economic Policy at Yale University, studying the economics of higher education, specifically the impact of education on the historical development of the gender wage gap. During his senior year, Rask was awarded a Faculty Student Collaborative Grant for his research on the influence of education and gender on intergenerational mobility in the United States. Rask and Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science Minho Kim researched the impact of female employment on the daughters’ upward mobility. This research became Rask’s senior thesis, and he was awarded the Ray O. Werner Thesis Award for it in 2024. “Working with Owen was a true joy and reminded me how lucky I am to teach at 海角社区, especially when I get to work closely with students like him,” Kim says. “Owen consistently brought strong analytical skills and careful attention to detail, along with a willingness to ask thoughtful questions and really engage with the material. He never settled for surface-level understanding—instead, he pushed himself to think more deeply about the data and what it might be telling us.” Economics and Business Professor Dan Johnson says he has been lucky enough to encounter Rask in a few of his courses, so it doesn’t surprise him that a prestigious national fellowship also recognized his excellence. “He has the hallmarks of a great scholar: curiosity, persistence, and a drive to improve himself and his skills until each challenge is solved,” says Johnson, who served as Rask’s thesis and major advisor.   Heather Rolph ’21 Life Sciences - Ecology Heather Rolph '21 uses tree climbing gear to set up a remote camera at a wolverine monitoring station near Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State in October 2022. Photo provided by Rolph. Heather Rolph ’21, who has worked as a Biological Science Technician in Yosemite National Park since 2024, wrote her GRFP application during the federal shutdown in Fall 2025, when she, a federal employee, was unable to work. "In the five years since I graduated 海角社区, I've spent a lot of time becoming intimately acquainted with many different ecosystems," Rolph says. "I spend nearly every day outside hiking, bushwacking, snowshoeing, and skiing to track down and understand how threatened and endangered animal populations are doing, what they're eating and how they're moving through habitats, and how anthropogenic changes might affect them. The federal shutdown provided this perfect opportunity to take a step back and think about all the questions I've built up while working in the field, and how I might use my field expertise to lead a project on something I'm really interested in."   Rolph plans to begin graduate school at the University of Washington this fall, where she will study the habitat and diet selection of Cascade red fox. Rolph decided she wanted a career researching the natural world during her Ecology class with Linkhart, where she learned how to tell spruce trees from firs, how to identify birds, how to find tracks in the snow, and how to ask questions about the natural world and then design studies to determine the answers. “I wanted all those superpowers, which prompted me to begin working in wildlife ecology,” says Rolph, who majored in OBE and minored in Journalism. “It was clear to me how much Heather loved being immersed in field study, whether we were studying forest succession while snowshoeing in subalpine forests in winter, sampling fish populations in the Yampa River, or observing bull elk bugling behavior in Rocky Mountain National Park,” Linkhart says. “Heather also was an individual with a lot of grit, as evidenced during the pandemic when she conducted an independent research project in which she estimated the abundance of flying squirrels by poring through thousands of photographs taken by remote camera traps throughout Mount Rainier National Park.” During Summer 2020, Rolph started her first paid job in wildlife ecology, where she worked for Cascades Carnivore Project (海角社区P), a research and conservation nonprofit. She spent the summer hiking in the North Cascades and collecting Canada lynx scat to inform population estimates. She enjoyed the position so much that instead of returning to 海角社区 for her senior year, she took a semester off to continue working for 海角社区P, this time deploying wolverine monitoring stations.  Rolph continued working seasonal wildlife ecology jobs after graduating from 海角社区 in 2021. In 2024, she began her current position at Yosemite National Park, where she studies how Pacific fishers adjust to changing fire regimes. A common theme in her research has been montane carnivores, which were the focus of her GRFP proposal. “I'm totally fascinated by montane carnivores -- which are often challenging to study, poorly understood, and under threat -- and a desire to develop and lead montane carnivore research is what led me to apply to graduate school and the GRFP,” Rolph says.  海角社区 has had students or alumni named GRFP recipients every year for the past several years. Nine 海角社区 alumni were named GRFP recipients in 2023. The naming of these alumni GRFP recipient comes as a time when 海角社区 is becoming more and more known for its robust STEM education and strong research programs. Last year, 海角社区 was recognized with Carnegie Classification’s new Research Colleges and Universities (RCU) designation, which demonstrates the important research 海角社区 students and faculty do. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/NSF-generic-photo.jpg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/cc-participates-in-national-day-of-theatre-readings-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-relatives.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/cc-participates-in-national-day-of-theatre-readings-for-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-and-relatives.html Mon, 11 May 2026 15:52:00 MDT 海角社区 was among theatres across the country to host a National Day of Theater Readings for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. This nationwide event was coordinated by the Native Performing Arts Network (NPAN) and corresponds with the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). May 5 has been designated as a National Day of Awareness for MMIW since 2017, in response to the rape and murder of Hanna Harris of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, as well as the murders of other Indigenous women across the United States and Canada. This event is part of the movement to raise awareness of the violence that Indigenous people in North America face. There are several acronyms that refer to this movement, including MMIR, MMIW, and MMIWR. “The event was designed to inform the 海角社区 campus and community about this crisis which disproportionally affects Indian country,” says 海角社区’s Elder-in-Residence Debbie Howell. “With the display and film screening, we hoped to raise awareness about MMIWR and that action is being taken by communities to help improve legislation, data collection, and justice. We hope those in our audience learned this is a major crisis within urban and reservation areas, and hope they will continue to stay up to date with this issue and be a vocal and supportive ally.” In collaboration with the screening and readings, the Fine Arts Center hosted an educational display about the movement from May 1 through 8. On May 5, theatres across the United States hosted staged readings of works by Indigenous playwrights, as well as offered educational displays and conversations. In Colorado Springs, community members gathered on campus to watch a film screening of Somebody’s Daughter, as well as participate in companion events to the screening, including performances, readings, and talks by visiting artists, members of the Indigenous community, and 海角社区’s Native American Student Union (NASU). Attendees saw a stage reading of Marcie Rendon's Say Their Names, a monologue by Amber K. Ball, virtual artist in residence, and Jeff Barehand and Jaisey Bates' Never Be Afraid, and watched performances by visiting Indigenous, Native American, and Latinx artists, including W. Fran Astorga, R. Réal Vargas Alanis, Ixtlán, and Angela Hernandez.  “The purpose of these events is to honor the Indigenous Women and relatives who have been lost and raise awareness for this epidemic of missing loved ones,” says Assistant Professor of Theatre & Dance Shannon R. Davis. “It's a call to action. But in order to act, one has to feel compelled. These theatre readings that I helped to put on raise awareness that can lead to empathy and action.” Davis directed Say Their Names, and students in her class were among the students who participated in readings. “A lot of what inspired our performance was community,” says Nelson Knoche ’29, one of the students who did a reading. “It was, and still is, Indigenous women and their communities who started the MMIW movement, so we really wanted to highlight that in our performances.” To do that, Knoche and his classmates utilized group readings and movements to put an emphasis on working together and making sure people are not alone in their struggles. “The best way we can make a positive change around this issue is if we work together,” Knoche adds. “Because of that, there was only one monologue performed solo; everything else was based on community and performing together.” Ella Boyd Brocker ’27 was the assistant producer and choreographer for Say Their Names. “Being part of a national movement of artists, storytellers, and performers who are raising awareness around the ongoing legacies of settler colonial, genocidal ideologies, policies and complacency is deeply important,” Brocker says. “Nothing we do is not political, in that everything we do impacts others. I want to pay attention to how I can use my gifts, my work, my relationships with others to move people into greater awareness of themselves as a part of a whole.” Lincoln Brewer ’29, who read Voice Seven in Say Their Names, says getting to tell stories that are often ignored was a powerful opportunity. “I hope campus and community members truly feel more informed on the atrocities that plague this country and know that to make change; action is imperative,” Brewer says. 海角社区’s film screening event was sponsored by NASU, Debbie Howell, Institutional Equity and Belonging, and the Indigenous community at 海角社区. The theatre readings were sponsored by the Cultural Events Fund, and partnered with the HEC, the Fine Arts Center, Theatre & Dance, and Indigenous artists and faculty members. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Photo-14.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/students-recognized-for-individual-accomplishments-at-honors-convocation.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/students-recognized-for-individual-accomplishments-at-honors-convocation.html Wed, 06 May 2026 16:24:00 MDT 海角社区 recognized the exceptional achievements of its senior class and others at the 2026 Honors Convocation this week, an annual celebration of academic excellence, leadership, and contributions to campus life and beyond. The ceremony highlighted the breadth of accomplishment across the College community. Students were recognized with awards spanning nearly every academic department, alongside all-college honors, presidential awards, and distinctions presented by the 海角社区 Student Government Association (海角社区SGA). Together, the awards reflect not only scholarly achievement but also the intellectual curiosity, service, and leadership that define the 海角社区 experience. Among the highlights of this year’s Presidential Awards, the Dreamkeeper Award was presented to Alyna Trúc Đào ’27. The award honors Đào for demonstrating an active commitment to improving the quality of campus life for historically oppressed communities.  Đào was recognized by the Office of Residential Life for her leadership as a resident advisor. In an all-women’s residential community, Đào has worked to foster “a supportive, inclusive, and empowering environment for all residents,” exemplifying the spirit of care and advocacy the award celebrates, President Manya Whitaker said, in presenting in the award. The J. Juan Reid Award, given annually to a senior who best combines scholastic excellence with meaningful involvement in extracurricular life, was awarded to Royce Hinojosa ’26. Hinojosa has pursued leadership with intention at 海角社区, serving as 海角社区SGA president and a Priddy Leadership Program participant. “He has prioritized building a strong 海角社区SGA Team, focusing on activities and initiatives that help members build connections, feel pride in their work, create lasting legacies, and support the success of future 海角社区SGA leaders,” said Whitaker. The Van Diest Award recognized excellence in athletics, scholarship and character, and was presented this year to two outstanding male athletes, Rabbit Barnes ‘26 and Kaidan Mbereko ‘26. Selected by the Department of Athletics, the award honors student-athletes who embody integrity, achievement, and citizenship. “Rabbit is one of the most decorated student-athletes in 海角社区 Track and Cross Country history. A national runner-up and multiple All-American, Rabbit has achieved success at the highest levels of NCAA competition,” said Whitaker. “He holds numerous school records, individual conference championships and honors including SCAC Track Athlete of the Year.” In addition to his athletic success, Barnes has excelled academically as a Neuroscience major, earning repeated Dean’s List honors, while serving as a multi-year team captain and engaging in community service. Kaidan Mbereko has similarly distinguished himself as one of the top goaltenders in 海角社区 hockey history and among the best in the nation. Whitaker adds, “An All-American, unanimous NCHC Goaltender of the Year, he ranks among the all-time leaders in games played, save percentages, and career wins.” Beyond the ice, Mbereko is recognized as a scholar-athlete and campus leader, serving as a team captain and contributing to the broader college community. The Honors Convocation serves as a powerful reminder of the dedication and impact of 海角社区 students. From academic inquiry and creative work to leadership and service, this year’s honorees represent the many ways 海角社区 students shape and strengthen their community. Watch the full ceremony to see all of the award recipients. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Students-Await-Awards-in-Audience.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/cc-and-ppsc-form-historic-partnership-creating-new-educational-opportunities-for-coloradans.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/cc-and-ppsc-form-historic-partnership-creating-new-educational-opportunities-for-coloradans.html Fri, 01 May 2026 15:59:00 MDT An idea three years in the making is finally a reality, thanks to dedicated educators working behind the scenes to make it happen—and students in the Pikes Peak region will benefit. 海角社区 and Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) have established a new partnership that creates a dedicated transfer pathway for PPSC students to continue their education at 海角社区, strengthening access to a liberal arts degree for students in the Pikes Peak region. 海角社区 President Manya Whitaker and PPSC President Lance Bolton signed the formal agreement at a ceremony at 海角社区’s Gaylord Hall on Thursday, April 30. On hand to witness the historic initiative take flight were area educators, leadership from both colleges, civic leaders, staff, and members of the media. “Pathways to 海角社区” is the newly named initiative, and “Pikes Peak State College Transfer Pathway” is its inaugural transfer pathway. The first cohort is slated to begin at 海角社区 in the fall of 2026. Through the partnership, 海角社区 will guarantee enrollment of up to two transfer students from PPSC each year. The program is designed to support students from early planning through enrollment, including pre-application advising on admission, financial aid, and transfer credit evaluation from both PPSC and 海角社区 staff. “At 海角社区, we think a lot about pathways—how students find their way to college, how they navigate their education, and how they go on contribute to their communities,” says Tony Cabasco, 海角社区 Vice President for Enrollment. “Of course, those pathways are not always straightforward—and that’s why we are here today.”  “This partnership reflects a shared commitment to expanding educational opportunity in our community,” says Whitaker. “By creating a clear and supportive pathway, we aim to ensure that talented students from Pikes Peak State College can access the distinctive academic experience offered at 海角社区.” Under the agreement, PPSC students who earn an associate degree with a GPA of 3.3 or higher will be eligible for admission consideration at 海角社区, subject to standard review by 海角社区’s Admission Committee. Admitted students who complete required financial aid applications will be considered for all available need-based and merit-based financial aid, including the newly-expanded Four Corners Pledge. 海角社区 remains one of only 84 colleges and universities nationally that meet full demonstrated financial need for admitted students. Sami Koller ’27 is a PPSC to 海角社区 transfer student who was admitted this academic year and represents the kind of student ideally geared for this transfer pathway. She earned her associate degree in Geology at PPSC in 2025, transferred to 海角社区 last fall, and plans to earn her BA in Geology in 2027. “I was convinced 海角社区 was out of my reach,” Koller told the audience at the partnership signing ceremony. “I was a nontraditional student, attending a then-community college, and I was certain I was not the kind of student private institutions were looking for. I had accepted that I was not smart enough to apply.” Koller says she studied hard at PPSC and made the Dean’s List and President’s List nearly every semester, and submitted her application to 海角社区. Once she was admitted, it came down to how she was going to pay for it. “I’m an independent student without financial support from either of my parents, so how could I possibly be able to pay for that?” Koller says. She says she learned 海角社区 meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for students. “By taking advantage of 海角社区’s amazing financial aid program, my tuition is almost completely covered. Don’t let financial insecurity stop you from applying to 海角社区. The staff in financial aid are so helpful, understanding, and will work with you regardless of your financial situation.” It was a sentiment echoed by Bolton, who praised 海角社区 for providing a pathway for access to local students who may have never had the rigorous liberal arts college on their educational radar. “We’re grateful to 海角社区 for their partnership and for their commitment to students across our community,” he says. “This agreement reflects what’s possible when educators come together with a shared purpose. Our students are talented, driven, and ready for what’s next. This creates a meaningful pathway for them to continue their education and contribute to our region.” “What I love about this collaboration,” Cabasco adds, “is that it’s proof that institutions with different missions and distinct strengths can work together to support students in intentional ways.”   Key features of the PPSC to 海角社区 transfer pathway include: Academic Advising Support: 海角社区 will provide advising to prospective transfer students on academic programs, transfer credits, and course planning. Students are encouraged to begin the process during the fall term prior to graduation. Transfer Credit Policy: Up to 64 approved semester hours from PPSC may be transferred, in accordance with 海角社区’s transfer credit guidelines. Graduation Requirements: Transfer students must complete a minimum of 16 units at 海角社区 and meet all institutional graduation requirements. Undergraduate Opportunities: Eligible students may participate in 海角社区-affiliated grants, summer institutes and projects, as well as study abroad programs, depending on their academic course of study. The partnership underscores both institutions’ commitment to student success and to building stronger educational connections within the region. “We also know that students who begin their journeys at community colleges bring valuable perspectives and experiences that enhance liberal arts education for everyone,” Cabasco says. “They enrich classrooms, strengthen campus communities, and go on to contribute meaningfully to their fields and to civic life.”  “I am so grateful to be a Tiger,” Koller says. “I hope my story can inspire others in our community to never give up on your dreams, and to always believe in you.” In their Own Words Hear more about the impact this educational opportunity will have on students in the Pikes Peak region and the community at large from 海角社区 President Manya Whitaker, PPSC President Lance Bolton, and PPSC to 海角社区 transfer student Sami Koller '27. Video by Julia Fuller / 海角社区. /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Presidents-holding-certificate.jpeg /newsevents/newsroom/2026/tigers-and-asu-to-play-for-ed-robson-cup-beginning-in-2026-27.html https://cctigers.com/news/2026/4/28/mens-ice-hockey-tigers-and-asu-to-play-for-ed-robson-cup-beginning-in-2026-27.aspx Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:18:00 MDT https://cctigers.com/news/2026/4/28/mens-ice-hockey-tigers-and-asu-to-play-for-ed-robson-cup-beginning-in-2026-27.aspx /newsevents/newsroom/_images/hockey_april-26_resize_1600x1600.webp /newsevents/newsroom/2026/students-meet-with-japanese-american-veteran-descendants.html /newsevents/newsroom/2026/students-meet-with-japanese-american-veteran-descendants.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:30:00 MDT 海角社区 is known for experiential learning, so when students were studying the impact of World War II on Japanese Americans in Hawaii, it is no surprise that they ended up in Hawaii, having intimate conversations with descendants of Americans of Japanese Ancestry (AJA) World War II veterans. Before traveling to Hawaii, students in From Pearl Harbor to Honouliuli learned about Pearl Harbor and examined the different hardships Japanese Americans faced during WWII. They analyzed the role of the military in Hawaii, discussed the legacy of WWII in present time, and learned how to ask questions. Once on the island, the class had lunch with descendants of WWII Hawaii AJA veterans, which students say was an incredible experience. The connection with the AJA veterans was made possible by Gordon Aoyagi ’67. Kole Petersen ’27 met with Ken Inouye, whose father Lieutenant and Senator Daniel K. Inouye served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and received a Medal of Honor, as well as became the first Japanese American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Talking with Ken gave me incredible insight on the role of Japanese cultural values on Daniel's political virtues and parenting practices, as well as how these values have been passed down and reinterpreted across generations,” Petersen says. A major theme of the course was on humanizing history. Class instructor and Associate Professor of Psychology Jason Weaver says that instead of thinking about, “here’s what happened to Japanese Americans,” the class talked about how a particular person may have experienced events and how in present day a particular person is affected by high-level policy, as well as that person’s relationship with their neighbors and everything else in the world. “In order to do that, we have to think about people in all of their messiness,” Weaver explains. “Sometimes we want to choose a side, and that side is made up of a whole bunch of messy people who are problematic and imperfect. But getting to know them as individual people is an important part of thinking about how we relate to history as well as politics.” This lesson resonated with students, especially after they were able to speak with AJA descendants directly. “Our experiences with descendants of Nikkei who were interned, as well as working with archives of specific individuals, helped me humanize a history that has largely been ignored,” Petersen says. “Rather than assuming all Nikkei experienced World War II in the same way, the humanization of history afforded from this class helped expand our understanding of how communities form, diverge, and unite during tough periods.” Another significant part of the course was visiting the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii (J海角社区H). “Visiting the J海角社区H was an amazing opportunity to see the concepts we had been learning across the class in a much different lens,” Petersen says. “We had read books and first-person accounts compiled from resources at the J海角社区H, but combing through the archives myself was a much different experience. Reading report cards, legal documents, letters, and other personal documents from Japanese Americans interned at camps gave me a more comprehensive understanding of their experiences and how they perceived their incarceration.” Ellison Namba ’28 says getting to do archival research at the J海角社区H was her favorite part of the class because she was able to learn about the Japanese Internment camps from primary sources. “A couple of years ago, I was able to visit Camp Amache, a Japanese Internment camp in Colorado,” Namba says. “However, most of the buildings have been destroyed. This archival research allowed me to get a better idea of what the camps actually looked like and what it was like to be interned in camp.” Students say their visit to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial was enlightening and something that will stick with them. “I learned a lot about how the ways in which narratives are constructed can shape how we perceive an event,” Petersen says. “This experience gave me the chance to reflect on my own positionalities and recognize the difficulties in telling an objective history, especially about such a sensitive topic.”  /newsevents/newsroom/_images/Hawaii-State-Boat.jpeg