Academics

From baseball to biomechanics: Most memorable CU Boulder classes

Anna Tolette — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 22:10:03 +0000

From baseball to biomechanics: Most memorable CU Boulder classes Anna Tolette Wed, 02/04/2026 - 15:10

Sara Muderick

Every Buff has had that class — the one that blew their mind, changed their path or simply made school more fun. We asked: What CU class do you still think about today? And you delivered!

From exploring American culture through the lens of baseball to examining the complexities of the human condition, generations of Buffs chimed in with the classes that made a lasting impact. Somewhere between lecture halls, late-night study sessions and those “aha” moments, students gained new ideas and perspectives that helped shape who they are today.

Across the years and life experiences, Buffs still find themselves looking back on their CU Boulder classes.

Deviance in Society: A campus legend

Across the board, Forever Buffs fondly recalled Deviance in Society, taught by Dr. Patti Adler. The course explored how deviance is socially constructed, how individuals come to adopt a deviant identity and cope with associated stigma, and how deviant acts, lifestyles, relationships and careers are socially organized.

Alumni described it as unforgettable and often the most talked-about class on campus. Sean Makulowich, a 2006 fine art graduate, shared that it was one of his most thought-provoking classes. And Christine Lazette, who graduated in 2000, said: “Such a fascinating class and done so well by Patti. Loved it!”

Emily Rydin, a 2007 English major, remembered just how coveted the course was, adding: “This was such a great class and so hard to get into! I remember all my friends bragging when they finally got into it!”

America Through Baseball: History meets home plate

Another CU Boulder classic course, America Through Baseball, had alumni reminiscing about how it blended history, culture and America’s pastime in unexpected ways. One alum reflected on the class with Professor Tom Zeiler as a valuable and enjoyable break from their regular classes.

Stephen Reamy, from the class of 2006, joked that he tried every single semester to get into the class. Another alum backed him up by adding that their course attendance was perfect, proof that some courses were simply worth the wait.

General Chemistry I: A Nobel introduction to science

Some classes left their marks because of the extraordinary people who taught them.

Debbie Payne Hurst, class of 1994, recalled General Chemistry I with Thomas Cech shortly after he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. “I was in awe of the fact that my entry level chem class was being taught by a Nobel Prize winner,” she shared.

Ecology and Design: Learning in nature’s classroom

One particularly resonant Colorado class was Snow Hydrology, fondly remembered by Adam Dodge, an environmental studies major from the class of 1998, and Evan Tooley, a 2020 economics major.

Another standout was Ecology and Design. Stephen Hofmeir, a 1996 graduate, recalled a self-guided field trip along Boulder Creek as his first assignment, calling it “a great way to learn about ecology in one of nature’s masterpieces.”

Biomechanics: When class changes your career

Biomechanics also proved transformative. Jim Fuchs, a 2002 mechanical engineering graduate, credits the course with changing the direction of his career. “This course opened my eyes to the Med Tech field and fascinated me to think of the body as a machine,” he said.

Michelle Klaren, a 2002 CU Boulder graduate who continued her education at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and is now an orthopedic specialist physical therapist, echoed that sentiment. She recalled how her Biomechanics class even paused for the Olympic torch relay in 2002. Not only was that historic moment memorable, but she still uses the lessons from the course daily to help patients understand how their bodies move.

Astronomy: A lifetime of looking up

Finally, some classes left alumni looking up at the world around them. Astronomy stood out as a lifelong companion for many Forever Buffs. RJ Griscom, who graduated in 1979, reflected that more than 50 years later: “No matter where I am in the world, seeing something familiar in the night sky reminds me where I am on the planet, and that I am home.”

Whether you graduated decades ago or will graduate this spring, CU Boulder classes last a lifetime. Thanks to incredible instructors, fellow Buffs and unforgettable classroom experiences, these courses continue to shape how we think, work and see the world long after we leave CU Boulder.

Top 10 most popular majors at CU Boulder

Anna Tolette — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:18:31 +0000

Top 10 most popular majors at CU Boulder Anna Tolette Mon, 08/11/2025 - 14:18

Julia MacLean

Choosing a major is one of the biggest decisions college students make, and at CU Boulder, certain programs consistently lead the pack. Here are CU Boulder’s Fall 2024 most popular undergraduate majors by enrollment, which shows where students focus their time.

1. Psychology

Provides a fundamental understanding of the principles of human cognition, emotion, behavior, social interactions and mind-brain relationships.

2. Integrative Physiology

Includes the study of organisms as functioning systems of molecules, cells, tissues and organs. Focuses on whole-body function and its applications to human health and disease.

3. Finance

Emphasizes financial management, money and capital markets, investments and derivative securities, and financial institutions.

4. Aerospace Engineering

Teaches how to design, test and operate complex aerospace and related systems. Develops new technologies for use in commercial aviation, defense systems and space exploration.

5. Mechanical Engineering

Encompasses the general areas of design and manufacturing, fluid and solid mechanics, and thermal and materials science.

6. Marketing

Focuses on identifying customer needs and wants, developing products and services to meet those demands, establishing communications to promote products and services, and monitoring transactions and customer responses to guide future activities.

7. Computer Science

Emphasizes knowledge of computing at all levels, including circuits and computer architecture through operating systems, programming languages and large application systems.

8. Management

Focuses on business leadership and technical disciplines like sustainability, supply chains, operations, analytics, strategy and talent management.

9. Strategic Communications

Teaches students to be forward-looking communicators with the analytic, strategic, creative, critical thinking and tactical skills necessary to identify and solve problems.

10. Political Science

Includes how public policy is formulated, how laws are made, and the social and economic impact of those laws and policies.

As alumni, you can make a powerful impact on the success of students through mentoring, career talks or student networking events. Your support helps students in every major reach their fullest potential and navigate their futures with confidence.

Learn about volunteer opportunities

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Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with Amanda Giguere (MThtr'06; PhD'10)

Anna Tolette — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 20:43:16 +0000

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with Amanda Giguere (MThtr'06; PhD'10) Anna Tolette Thu, 07/31/2025 - 14:43

What can one of history’s most famous playwrights teach us about preventing violence? Forever Buff Amanda Giguere’s work as the Director of Outreach at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (CSF) has turned this idea into a mission for change through theatre.

Amanda leads education programs that bring Shakespeare to life for thousands of Colorado students each year, using the power of theater to build empathy, foster dialogue and create safer communities.

Since joining CSF as a graduate student in 2004, Amanda has helped the theatre education program reach more than 300 Colorado schools and nearly 140,000 students. Her latest project, Shakespeare & Violence Prevention: A Practical Handbook for Educators, shares this innovative work with a national audience.

Read more about how Amanda’s time at CU Boulder helped inspire her and how you can help bring the transformative power of Shakespeare to even more communities.

What is your favorite part of your role as the Director of Outreach for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival?

I love the variety of this work. I get many opportunities to interact with people of all ages and varying experience levels with Shakespeare. No matter how many times I encounter the plays, I always learn something new from watching others encounter them. We all bring our unique perspectives to the plays. 

Reflecting on your theatre studies at CU and becoming a full-time staff member, what experiences helped shape the path you’re on now?

I encountered Shakespeare as a child (around 10 or 11) in a Shakespeare camp, and I was hooked.

I began teaching for the same Shakespeare camp when I was in college. After college, I taught for a couple of years in Hong Kong and then felt the pull of graduate school. I wanted to expand my knowledge of theatre, and I applied to one school – CU Boulder – because of its connection to CSF. I knew I wanted to do something with Shakespeare and children, though I didn’t have a clear career path. Even as I pursued my MA and PhD, I never felt the traditional academic path of a tenure-track position was for me. I began working at CSF as a graduate student, and after completing my doctorate, I returned to CSF as a full staff member. I feel lucky to be doing work I’m passionate about and that aligns with my skill set.

Now, when people tell me, “Your job is so cool, I want it!” I smile, thinking, “I agree! This job is VERY cool.”

Thinking about your new book, what part are you most proud of, and what do you hope readers will walk away thinking or feeling?

I wrote the book because, after many years of running a Shakespeare & Violence Prevention program in K-12 schools, I realized that teachers across the country could be doing this work. So many educators already teach Shakespeare. But they may not realize that teaching Shakespeare can also teach violence prevention – I saw an opportunity to share this work beyond the limits of where our CSF van could travel. I hope readers walk away feeling they play a part in preventing violence. Maybe it’s through encountering Shakespeare, or perhaps it’s through connecting with their fellow humans in ways that light them up.

I also hope it debunks the myth that Shakespeare is too hard, too fancy, too far out of our reach to grasp the meaning. These plays have so much to teach us about our world. 

How do you see the arts as an agent for social change? Where do you see potential for more change?

The area of change I think about most frequently is funding for the arts, particularly arts education. We are seeing the impact of federal funding cuts and the increasing difficulty of grants. We at CSF are relying more heavily on philanthropic support.

I see the value of these programs firsthand – exposure to theatre as a child can help build confidence, improve public speaking and heighten a child’s social-emotional competencies. It’s not just about training actors. If more young people had access to arts education, I imagine we’d see an increase in those skills that also prevent violence: empathy, teamwork, connectedness.

That’s why I decided to donate all the royalties from the book sales to the CSF Education Endowment. This fund helps provide operational support to CSF’s education programs. 

How can Forever Buffs support your work?

Please tell a language arts teacher, a Shakespeare fan or a school administrator about this book! Buy them a copy for their classroom.

And support your local arts organizations — see a play, attend a concert. The arts help connect us to our fellow humans in vital ways. 

Support the Colorado Shakespeare Festival

Forever Buff Amanda Giguere’s work as the Director of Outreach at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (CSF) has turned this idea into a mission for change through theatre.

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Academics

From baseball to biomechanics: Most memorable CU Boulder classes

Deviance in Society: A campus legend

America Through Baseball: History meets home plate

General Chemistry I: A Nobel introduction to science

Ecology and Design: Learning in nature’s classroom

Biomechanics: When class changes your career

Astronomy: A lifetime of looking up

Related Articles

Top 10 most popular majors at CU Boulder

1. Psychology

2. Integrative Physiology

3. Finance

4. Aerospace Engineering

5. Mechanical Engineering

6. Marketing

7. Computer Science

8. Management

9. Strategic Communications

10. Political Science

Related Articles

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with Amanda Giguere (MThtr'06; PhD'10)

What is your favorite part of your role as the Director of Outreach for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival?

Reflecting on your theatre studies at CU and becoming a full-time staff member, what experiences helped shape the path you’re on now?

Thinking about your new book, what part are you most proud of, and what do you hope readers will walk away thinking or feeling?

How do you see the arts as an agent for social change? Where do you see potential for more change?

How can Forever Buffs support your work?

Related Articles