Campus

Building Partnerships Across Colorado

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Building Partnerships Across Colorado Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/04/2024 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

What’s In My Phone: Benny Shendo

In fall 2023, Benny Shendo Jr. (OrgMgmt’87) — a proud member of New Mexico’s Jemez Pueblo tribe — began at CU Boulder part-time while he concluded his New Mexico state senator duties. In March, he joined CU full-time as its first associate vice chancellor for Native American affairs. In his role, he conducts outreach to tribal governments and visits tribal leadership to talk through opportunities, concerns and how the university can partner with Colorado’s tribal communities and Native and Indigenous people.

Type and model of phone:
Samsung Android - 2018

How soon after waking up do you look at your phone?
�Թ�� 30–40 minutes after I wake up.

Three of your most-used apps:
I hardly use any apps! (Am I the only person who doesn’t?)

App you wish you had the inner strength to delete:
I haven’t met one yet that I couldn’t delete.

Last person you called:
My mom.

Duration of longest call last week:
10 minutes.

Location and description of last selfie:
I don’t think I’ve ever taken a selfie!

Does anyone else have your passcode?
No.

Oldest photo on your phone:
I have a picture of my Jeep, and it’s just full of mud — I was way out in Navajo territory after a chapter meeting. In the picture, the mud is grayish brown, and it’s just caked on.

What is your lock screen or background image?
I don’t have anything. Just the standard date and time.

What do you use your phone for most?
Business, personal, calls and texts.

Favorite text slang:
LOL: I’ve probably only used it five times ever.

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Photo courtesy Benny Shendo Jr.

Benny Shendo joined CU Boulder full-time as its first associate vice chancellor for Native American affairs.

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Spring 2024

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The Class of 2024: Embracing the Unknown, Becoming Unstoppable

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:00 +0000

The Class of 2024: Embracing the Unknown, Becoming Unstoppable Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/04/2024 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

The class of 2024 is unique — though a more typical campus experience for them might have been easier.

Many of these students arrived on campus in the fall of 2020 at the height of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Some took classes from home on the other side of the world, waking up at 2 a.m. to attend a Boulder-based Zoom class. Others experienced isolation. And some came back to a different world after trying a new experience — the military, an out-of-state school or a gap year.

They adapted to online learning as CU Boulder continued developing new curricula, and complied with weekly virus testing and mask requirements, while the university canceled campus activities. The “college experience” previous generations raved about didn’t exist. But they persisted, pioneering their own college traditions, while adjusting to ever-evolving technology, public health advisories and political divisions.

These students — many of whom were born after 9/11 — saw the rise of TikTok and ChatGPT, global wars and climate-related disasters that completely changed the world in four years. Interviews with 12 of these students revealed a resounding theme: the importance of their Buffs community. From the marching band to the physics lab — friends, peers, advisors, professors and family members motivated them to keep moving forward through it all.

Senior Benjamin Varga (BusAna, InfoMgmt’24) said: “Even though we come from so many different backgrounds, I really can feel a strong sense of community and pride within anyone that I run into who is from CU.”

Benjamin Varga (BusAna, InfoMgmt’24)

Parker, Colorado

“The on-campus professional business fraternity called Alpha Kappa Psi really influenced my time at CU. Meeting the upperclassmen in that fraternity was my first opportunity to make CU a little bit smaller. I made great friendships in the dorms and everything like that, but being pretty intentional about it and having to go through the process and then getting welcomed with open arms and shown a whole new subset culture of CU — that was a super cool way to feel a little bit more niche and find a little bit more of a closer circle, especially early on, which is really important.”

Jessica Valadez Fraire (ElEdu’24)

Boulder, Colorado

“What’s happening in Palestine has been really impactful to me. I’ve seen more of a community effort to educate ourselves about issues that are happening not only in our communities, but outside of them and how they’re all connected. I’ve been part of a lot of circles and community spaces where we’re having critical discussions about injustice, oppression and colonialism, and we’re starting to build a broader community among a lot of different people that are struggling with issues similar to ours. This has taught me to educate myself and pushed me further into learning about the struggles of other communities and the responsibility I have to spread that message, including using my privilege in being a citizen here, the power in that and the responsibility I have to doing more.”

Elijah Parkes (IntlAf’24)

Superior, Colorado

“I initially fell into a leadership role in the College of Arts and Sciences’ student government, and from there, it allowed me to challenge myself as a leader and do things I never would have been able to do otherwise. Being president of a college student government was not something that I would’ve ever predicted for myself, but I now can’t imagine my college career without it. And working, networking and helping other people like my peers be leaders as well has been really, really rewarding.”

Matt Guerrero (Math, Phys’24)

Parker, Colorado

“I struggle a lot with transitioning back into the civilian world after being in the Navy, even now after four or five years. One of my very best friends runs an organization here in physics called COSMOS, the Community of Support for Marginalized and Other Students, which is a diversity-focused group within physics. And because he was one of my best friends and also a veteran, I ended up doing my best to support him in any way I could. And that flipped a switch in me to actively pursue diversity-related issues within STEM, particularly that people who are from underprivileged backgrounds or backgrounds of color don’t generally get the same attention as people who aren’t.

I’m half Filipino, half Ashkenazi Jew, and I’ve never really fit in anywhere. As a veteran who’s joining the civilian community, it’s difficult to find people you trust and can relate to. This group helped me not only recognize that a lot of people might feel like that wherever they come from, but also that it’s possible to relate to people who don’t know exactly what you’ve been through. And through that, I’ve tried to be that person who can do that for others.”

Madison Tallman (Mus’24)

Colorado Springs, Colorado

“COVID was the biggest event that defined my growth the past few years. That’s because of how much it affected music specifically. Music is all about collaboration, so missing that element of it, I did see a lot of people struggle with that. I feel like I really just pushed through because I was like, ‘Once this is back to normal, it’s going to be so rewarding.’ It really was. And one thing it did for me — and in high school too because I had so much time to myself — was really allow me to reflect on what I wanted to do. It was reassuring in a way that, yes, this is what I want to do even though I’m not able to do these things collaboratively. I pushed through it, and I think it made me stronger in the end.”

Hazel Hays (CompSci’24)

Aurora, Colorado

“The fight for LGBT rights, especially to do with transgender rights, is a community issue that has shaped my personal growth while in college. It’s a big topic for me being transgender myself. That’s been the big defining thing lately for me. It’s mainly that they are my rights and so they’re something that I have to fight for.”

Nathan Thompson (Jour’24)

Lafayette, Colorado

“Due to illness in 2020, I couldn’t leave my room for two months. It was a lot of time in forced isolation. That really forced me to develop my inward perspective, become more comfortable with myself as a person and develop my own voice and my own self-confidence too. So that was interesting because my network was really small. It was just me and then maybe three or four friends for a while who were really formative in shaping me into who I am today. And I also think mentors too, and a lot of the photographers and professors that I’ve been fortunate enough to get to know and connect with deeply have really helped me and inspired me to continue to work hard and carve out a space for myself as a self-sufficient photographer.”

Shivank Chadda (Math, Phys’24)

Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

“During COVID, interestingly, there were a lot of bad things that were going on, but one of the good things was witnessing that the internet is a good place to get your education. And coming from islands where I didn’t really have internet for 18 years, and right when I started at CU Boulder, I was very lucky to get the internet right at that particular time. And then in January 2023, my brother and I started a YouTube channel on science, “Doctor Chadha,” where we make physics videos based on dynamics and stuff like that. We were able to get 200,000 views per year and around 1,300 subscribers.”

Megan Finnigan (EngrPhys, MechEngr’24)

Superior, Colorado

“My entire time in my undergraduate career has been shaped a lot by climate-related issues. I’ve been involved with Engineers Without Borders and other environmental organizations on campus, and it’s something that has driven me to continue to study science and learn how I can make a difference. When I was in Rwanda I met this woman who, when I shook her hand, I noticed she had a Ralphie tattoo on her wrist, and we connected over that. It’s really cool to be part of a global community where people are looking out for each other and can unite over these shared experiences.

Two years ago, my family and I were part of the Marshall Fire, and while we didn’t lose our house, I saw a lot of my neighbors lose their homes, and we had extensive smoke damage at our house. And that felt like a very real experience of a natural disaster, largely attributed to the effects of climate change and drought. That further ignited the flame in me to keep pushing and pursuing a career where I can make an impact.”

Brandon Dixon (Soc’24)

Castle Rock, Colorado

“Being locked inside the house around my family 24/7 during a dark time really motivated me and gave me a different perspective on life. Just the uncertainty of it all and being around my loved ones at that time showed me that as long as you are around good people, anything can happen.”

Hassan Almatrood (MechEngr’24)

Saihat, Saudi Arabia

“I was studying at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, and I chose to come to CU Boulder because I always heard from people — especially from my brother because he knew people who graduated from CU Boulder — that there is a good community in Boulder. I heard that the university culture is good and there is a balance between studying and social life, which is something that I would appreciate. So I chose to be here and it was correct. I’m glad that I came here.”

Joy Liu (Chem, PortugSpan’24)

Aurora, Colorado

“COVID definitely made me have a broader outlook on things. I am just more aware of how many different things are tied together. I feel like if I am worried about something, it’s like, ‘Well, it could be me being upset about this, or it could be tons of other things happening,’ and I need to learn how to understand why it’s happening and then learn how to deal with it.”

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Illustrations by Jacqueline Oakley

Interviews with the Class of 2024 give insight into what matters most to them as they prepare to graduate.

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Spring 2024

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Old Main Renovation

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Old Main Renovation Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/10/2023 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

Restoration for CU’s First Building

In the mid-1920s, Old Main — CU Boulder’s three-story, red brick building designed by architect Erastus H. Dimick — was in poor shape after only a half-century of use. Some even called for its destruction, including then-campus architect Charles Klauder, who designed several university buildings in the Tuscan Vernacular style. But high construction costs in the 1920s and a lack of funds to follow Klauder’s original campus design plan saved Old Main. The building went through a major structural renovation instead, solidifying its status as a campus classic. In early 2024, pending Board of Regents approval, work will begin on a new structural restoration project to benefit the building. Old Main’s legacy will live on.

1876

Old main completed; classes began in the building the following year

40,000

Artifacts will be moved to a temporary East Campus location during the restoration

$13M

Approximate cost of the project

CU's first president, Joseph A. Sewall, and family members — his wife and their five children — lived in Old Main when it first opened

The second floor of the building contained a room in 1878 that housed the university’s first library, which held 1,500 books

The third floor of the building is where the CU Medical School began. There were two students, and CU's first president taught classes.

Old Main History

1920s

Major structural rennovation

1984

Old Main building refurbishment completed with improvements to windows and the Old Main Chapel

2020

Structural evaluation begins

2024

New structural restoration project begins

During the renovation of the 1980s, the Old Main Chapel was rotated 90 degrees.

2024 Restoration's Major Components:

Replacing about 10% of the building’s outer brick

Replacing windows

Repairing cracks in bricks and sandstone

Repairing the sandstone foundation

Drainage and landscaping improvements

Roof repair

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Photos courtesy Heritage Center (Sewall, chapel, sketch); Denver Public Library Special Collections, X-11813 (library); Richard Ebert/Encircle Photos (middle photo); AbobeStock/arybickii (bricks)

In early 2024, work will begin on a new structural restoration project to benefit the building.

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Summer 2023

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Migratory Birds at CU

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:00:00 +0000

Migratory Birds at CU Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/06/2023 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

As birds migrate every spring and fall, CU Boulder’s campus makes for a fruitful stopping point for some, pictured above. Last November, four south-migrating warblers — birds not typically spotted in Colorado — were spotted in beech, oak and pine trees near the Regent Building.

“Two of the four (the Northern Parula and the Prothonotary Warbler) stayed for almost two weeks,” said teaching associate professor Nathan Pipelow, faculty sponsor of the CU birding club. “The other two (the Pine Warbler and the Nashville Warbler) were only seen for a single day each.”

Terri Kurtz (ChemEngr’93) picked up birding and photography during the pandemic. Rare bird sightings bring her particular excitement.

“This year in Boulder, I have been lucky enough to find a Blue-Winged Warbler, a Varied Thrush and a juvenile Pacific Loon,” she said. “Once a rare bird is seen, word goes out and the birders ‘flock’ to chase it!”

Northern Parula

Pacific Loon

Prothonotary Warbler

Northern Parula

Pine Warbler

Varied Thrush

Prothonotary Warbler

Northern Parula

Pine Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

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Campus makes for a fruitful stopping point for birds rare to the area.

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Spring 2023

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Editor’s Note — Fall 2022

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Editor’s Note — Fall 2022 Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/07/2022 - 00:00

Maria Kuntz

The buzz around Boulder is seeming more and more like years past. But there are changes — some I’m glad to witness.

The pandemic lifted a veil previously obscuring conversations about mental health and wellness that were shrouded by cultural taboo. In this issue, we’re featuring CU Boulder geneticists, neuroscientists and psychologists who are exploring new methods to diagnose and treat mental illness.

The use of biomarkers and brain scans can contribute to our understanding of interrelated health issues and earlier mental illness identification, while new ways of providing treatment will support the entire person, rather than isolated symptoms.

There are also stories about Colorado’s snowpack, the 75th anniversary of the CU-affiliated Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and, in honor of Veteran’s Day, a story about CU’s Vetsville and an early-1940s photo that may be from an ROTC band. Can you help our archivists learn more about its origins?

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The buzz around Boulder is seeming more and more like years past. But, there are changes — some I’m glad to witness.

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Letters from Forever Buffs

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Letters from Forever Buffs Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/11/2022 - 00:00

Big Green

Imagine our delight at seeing the flowers that my wife, Robin Cantor (Fren’87), and I left at the base of the tree that we have called “Big Green” for over 30 years. We loved that tree, and were sad to see it go. Knowing that it was a Methuselah of its kind and mother to young clones on campus will always be comforting. Kudos to [forestry supervisor] Vince Aquino and his team for taking such good care of our friend all those years.

Evan Cantor (MEdu’93)
Boulder

Humans as the Problem

I always look forward to receiving my Coloradan alumni magazine. I was particularly interested in the article regarding d’Andre Willis, CU Boulder’s architect. Boulder’s campus is certainly an architectural jewel.

In this article, Willis comments on the “negative impacts that buildings have made to climate change.” What we must realize is that buildings don’t use energy … people do! Until such time as we, the humans who inhabit these structures, accept a wider range of indoor temperatures, operable windows, lower electric illumination levels and a reduced use of electronics (remember blackboards — now replaced by electronic white boards) we are ignoring the real problem … us.

Kirk Davis (ArchEngr’72)
Portland, Oregon

CU’s Natural History Museum

“Growing a Museum” on page 12 [Spring 2022] was of personal interest! My mother, Almira Kupka, married Ernst Kemper in Boulder on July 27, 1926, and they rented a place at 750 12th Street while she attended classes, and Ernst pursued a business featuring car ride tours that approached the summits of Pikes Peak and Mount Evans. Almira told me that Hugo Rodeck (BioChem’28; MA’29) knew her family.

During the summer of 1962, my father, my wife, Tricia, and I traveled near Limon, Colorado, to explore a steep-walled arroyo and look for Stone Age tools. Tricia saw a horn projecting from the wall above our heads. The horn was attached to a bison skull buried upside down very close to the eroded clay wall.

The skull was removed and became a valuable part of my father’s collection of artifacts. He died in 1966, and the collection became mine. In 1968 I contacted Hugo to find out if the Henderson Museum would accept the skull as a donation. Hugo drove to Lakewood and took it from our basement. The skull was examined and judged to be a “keeper” because the sinus structure was complete. I assume the skull is still somewhere in the Henderson Building.

Ernst Anton Kemper (ChemEngr’59)
Lakewood, Colorado

Radcliffe Distinction

Thanks for the fine end piece on Joyce Lebra’s life and work. I wish I had known her while studying at CU.

Just a minor correction — she could not have received a degree from the Harvard Radcliffe Institute.

Prior to 1963, women studying at Harvard received their degrees from Radcliffe College; their deans were from Radcliffe while all their professors were from Harvard.

From 1964 through 1977 the women were still admitted by Radcliffe, taught by Harvard and received diplomas from both Harvard and Radcliffe.

In 1977 Radcliffe was merged into Harvard. Radcliffe’s physical assets eventually became the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard �Թ��. It is also known as the Harvard Radcliffe Institute.

Terry Vogt (MBA’75)
San Francisco

Thanks, CU

Great issue for spring. As I was reading, I thought, “I’m really glad I went to CU.” My decision to attend was more a matter of serendipity than rational decision. My parents thought I was too young to go out of state, so I simply went with the largest college around. Now I see how much I benefited from the diversity, the emphasis on excellence and the intellectual atmosphere there. The issue held numerous examples of these qualities. So I’m finally saying, “Thanks, CU.”

Bonnie Fine McCune (Psych’66)
Denver

CU Baseball

Bryan Karlan (RealEst’92) — No. 6 — sent in this 1985 baseball team photo. The baseball team had been cut from CU’s athletic budget, he wrote, and were sponsored by the Student Union. They played several Big 8 universities as well as other schools like the Air Force Academy. “We were a pretty motley crew,” he said.

Tulagi Nights

I enjoyed seeing The Sink and Tulagi signs in your photos. I was manager of Tulagi several years in the mid-1960s. We filled the dance floor weekend nights with dancers to our bands’ music. Monday nights we did nickel beer for an hour, and we would have a line from the front tap at the bar all the way across the dance floor to the bandstand of folks lining up to get their 5-cent beer. At the time, we were the largest-volume draft beer outlet for Coors.

Dave Edstrom (DistSt’67)
Roanoke, Texas

Wow…

I loved this past Coloradan. Wow … it was an incredible overall piece, but specifically, the Marshall Fire story was incredibly honoring of the magnitude of disaster and impact to our community. I read it from cover to cover.

Leah Murphy
Broomfield, Colorado

**Life as the Colorado Daily Photo Editor**

I was the photo editor for the Colorado Daily during some of my years at CU in the early 1970s. I send you a few memories to consider for the Coloradan.

While I was on staff, the offices were in the UMC and the publication darkroom was on the floor below. The photography job worked out well for me because I could work the assignments around classes and I could study in the darkroom while I waited for film to develop and prints to dry. The photo deadline was usually around 10 p.m.

To increase income, I asked to add advertising sales to my job as the commissions were good. I covered parts of Boulder that did not have representation at the time, that is, further away from the campus. It was an easy sell for me as I told prospective clients that about 25% of the Boulder workforce (at the time) were employed by CU and picked up the paper.

Between the two jobs, plus selling cameras part-time at Jones Drug and Camera on The Hill and some periodic cooking jobs at local restaurants and sub shops, I was able to get through the first four years without debt paying out-of-state tuition. Back then, it could be done.

Glen Freiberg (EPOBio’74; MA’76)
Rancho Santa Fe, California

Correction

In the Spring 2022 issue of the Coloradan, we misspelled illustrator Brian Rea’s name in the “7 Ways Work Will Change Forever” feature. We regret the error.

Submit feedback to the editor

Photos by Glenn Asakawa (cottonwood); Ernst Kemper (skull); courtesy Glen Freiberg (concert); Bryan Karlan (baseball); Coloradan archives (The Sink)

Readers react to the spring issue of the Coloradan.

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Top 10 Places to Eat Around CU Boulder

Anonymous — Sat, 19 Mar 2022 23:56:26 +0000

Top 10 Places to Eat Around CU Boulder Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 03/19/2022 - 17:56

Kiara Gelbman

1. The Sink

If you’re looking for a unique dining atmosphere with funky art and amazing food, The Sink is the place for you. Open on The Hill since 1923, The Sink claims to have the best burger and pizza in Boulder. However the menu is far from ordinary as it includes divergent options such as “The Hangover Cure Burger,” “Buff Mac,” build your own pizza and more.

2. Japango

Located on Pearl Street, Japango has some of the best sushi you can find. When you walk in, you’re greeted with a modernly elegant atmosphere by friendly and outgoing staff. Equipped with jellyfish tanks around the room, the incredible ambiance is met by extraordinary and unique food.

3. The Buff

Are you seeking a signature CU Boulder breakfast? Located across from the Twenty Ninth Street Mall, visit The Buff for skillets, benedicts, sweet breakfasts and even some lunch options like burgers and soups. There is also a plethora of coffee options and spiked drinks.

4. West End Tavern

This rustic styled restaurant on Pearl Street serves barbeque unmatched by any other in the area. Their menu is equipped with a “from the smoker” section including brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken and half back ribs. They also have burgers, sandwiches and a variety of starters, including burnt ends.

5. Insomnia Cookies

Are you looking for a sweet snack, dessert or maybe some late night sweets? Try Insomnia Cookies on The Hill. Insomnia Cookies is open from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day. Not only do they serve delicious and unique cookies like snickerdoodle, double chocolate mint and hibiscus berry, they also have the classics — and with ice-cream.

6. Cosmos Pizza

If you’re in the mood for pizza, try this CU Boulder favorite. With multiple locations in Boulder, Cosmos is available to dine-in, pickup and delivery. Try their custom pizzas, calzones and the crowd favorite, their spicy ranch.

7. Oak at 14th

Off 14th street on the Pearl Street Mall, Oak at 14th is a modern, upscale restaurant serving delicious and unique options. Enjoy their shared plates like the 7x wagyu beef tartare, the mushroom tempura and more. Their entree options include oak-roasted potato and Korean barbeque pork shoulder.

8. Pekoe

Located on campus in the ATLAS building, Pekoe has many unique drinks and snacks. Along with the classic coffee options, Pekoe also offers chai teas, iced teas, tea lattes, blended options and boba made fresh every day.

9. Half Fast Subs

On The Hill, right near Insomnia Cookies, Half Fast Subs serves up delicious sandwiches, including cheese steaks, vegetarian subs and seafood options. Check out their daily specials.

10. The Laughing Goat

This cafe offers espresso, coffee and tea within the Norlin Library on campus. Food includes pastries, bagels and other snacks. This is a popular go-to spot for students to fuel up while studying.

If you're looking for somewhere to eat around campus, be sure to check out these ten outstanding options.

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A Conversation with CU Boulder’s Campus Architect

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

A Conversation with CU Boulder’s Campus Architect Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/11/2022 - 00:00

Christie Sounart

Last October, d’Andre Willis began her role as CU Boulder’s campus architect and director of planning. She is the first woman to hold the position. Here she discusses her favorite buildings, sustainable design and why she chose to work at CU Boulder.

What inspired you to become an architect?

I have always had a deep response to buildings — both as objects and as habitable spaces. I remember trips to Chicago as a kid and being wowed by individual buildings that looked cool to me and intrigued by the way the buildings conversed with each other in the city. At that age, I drew a lot of plans for dream homes; most of them had streams running through them and trees growing inside.

Why did you want to work for CU Boulder?

I am passionate about the link between the physical environment and the culture of a place. The focus of my career has been on creating public spaces that have an impact on making communities better, and it’s an honor to be asked to steward a physical campus of CU Boulder's quality in support of the academic mission, culture and people of the university.

What is your favorite building on campus?

Often an architect’s favorite building is their current project, and by that measure I am most passionate about the Hellems Arts and Sciences Building. Hellems is so important to campus — it’s a key part of our historic Norlin Quad, a center for teaching where nearly all undergrads take at least one class and the first building on campus designed by Charles Klauder in the Tuscan Vernacular style. Unfortunately, within the wonderful exterior of Hellems, the classrooms and other spaces for faculty and students aren’t up to the quality that the university needs. Currently we’re in the early design phases of a project that will renew all of Hellems to create a dynamic and welcoming hub for learning while taking care of the historic fabric for the next 100 years of this important building’s life.

What’s your favorite building in the world?

I’d like to take that question in a different direction and tell you about one of my favorite places in the world. I love buildings in their context, particularly cities and campuses, where structures, landscape and public art shape outdoor spaces that are joyful and energetic. Dearborn Street through Chicago’ Loop, for instance, is a place where buildings and sculptures create a string of amazing public spaces.You can start near the south end with wonderful historic structures like the Monadnock Building; then traverse Federal Plaza, which is ringed by Miesvan der Rohe’s Federal Towers, his luminous post office and the historic Marquette Building by Holabird and Roche with its ornate lobby and Calder’s exuberant flamingo sculpture anchoring the center. Continue north to the Chase Bank Plaza with Chagall’s Four Seasons mosaics. Last and not least is Daley Plaza, where the stately columns of the city and county building and the groundbreaking Daley Center tower designed by C.F. Murphy in CORTEN steel shape a plaza enlivened with sculptures by Picasso and Miro.

How does sustainability factor into everyday thoughts about design, especially here in Boulder?

The negative impacts that buildings have made to climate change, habitat loss and other ecological damage is clear: We can do better and we must. CU has been a leader in sustainable design, and I look forward to continuing to push the bar higher on our new construction and renovation projects. Sustainable design works best when it is an integrated effort working simultaneously on many different fronts. These efforts include stewarding our existing buildings so that they can continue to serve the university for years to come, creating buildings that are resilient to natural and human-caused events,decarbonizing through changing fuel sources and reducing energy usage in both new and existing buildings. Also, buildings need to contribute positively to the health and wellness of the people who use them, such as by connecting to the amazing natural environment all around us here in Boulder.

How do you strike a balance between traditional design styles and innovation?

I’m new to campus, but from my first moments here, I’ve been impressed by the reverence in which the Klauder buildings in the historic core are held.These buildings are treasures, and CU is known across the country for their standard of beauty. I’m also excited by the opportunities in East Campus, north of Boulder Creek and Williams Village to explore aesthetic expressions that expand the campus identity and create a sense of neighborhood and community.

What is most different now for someone entering the architecture field today than in the past?

One of the major differences is the understanding that the profession needs to expand to include diverse voices and people from diverse backgrounds. Change is slow, but steady. I’ve seen significant change in the span of my career in the number of women in leadership positions in the profession, and am honored to be the first woman to serve as CU Boulder's campus architect. I am encouraged by the serious efforts underway to create lasting gains for LGBTQ people, and Black, Latinx, Indigenous and other people of color in the profession.

What do you like to do for fun?

My favorite outdoor activities are nature walks, biking and rowing; sculling in single person boats has been a favorite activity enjoyed by my husband and me for many years. I also enjoy playing music, particularly in ensembles with other people. My pandemic creative outlets have been learning to play keyboard and doing weekly watercolor sessions with my two sisters via Zoom.

Anything else we should know about you?

I start my day with the KenKen puzzle in the Daily Camera.

Interview condensed and edited.

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Photo by Matt Tyrie

Last October, d’Andre Willis began her role as CU Boulder’s campus architect and director of planning.

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Turning Over a New Leaf: The Legacy of the Old Main Cottonwood

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Turning Over a New Leaf: The Legacy of the Old Main Cottonwood Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/11/2022 - 00:00

Sarah Kuta

If the towering cottonwood that stood in front of Old Main could have talked, it would have had a lot to say about the last 140 years.

It stood guard on commencement day. It was blanketed with heavy snow, endured windstorms and floods and basked in Boulder’s abundant sunshine. It witnessed romances, heated academic debates and gleeful Norlin Quad shenanigans.

In recent years, the iconic tree began to show its age. In January, crews gently dismantled its limbs and branches using a crane to remove the tree, which was dying off in large sections. As far as CU’s forestry experts can tell, it wasn’t affected by disease or injury — it simply got old.

“The metabolic functions of the tree start to become out of balance and the tree can no longer sustain parts of the canopy,” said campus forestry supervisor Vince Aquino.

Though the tree’s removal marks the end of a CU era, it also signifies new beginnings. In 2014, forestry staff took cuttings from the cottonwood and passed them on to colleagues in the EBIO teaching and research greenhouse, who rooted them in containers. With a little nurturing, the cuttings grew into small trees — exact clones of the Old Main cottonwood that Aquino and his team will plant near the original’s location.

“Everything in life is succession, something replacing something else,” said Tom Lemieux, the assistant greenhouse manager who helped propagate the tree.

The university spent $35 in 1879 to buy 42 plains cottonwoods, hardy trees that live up to 80 years. Few could have predicted the longevity and enormity of the Old Main cottonwood, which grew to 110 feet tall with a 19-foot base circumference.

The Old Main cottonwood was the oldest, tallest tree on campus. On top of stellar genetics, the tree likely benefited from the campus’s historic flood irrigation system, and later a modern sprinkler system and forestry experts like Aquino and his team who cared for it.

And the tree had regular visitors — many attending Aquino’s tree walks.

“Trees really elicit an emotional response in people,” said Aquino. “It can’t be overstated how much trees change what people feel when they’re in a landscape. It happens on a level that people aren’t even aware of.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHMrbJZhsCM]

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Photo by Glenn Asakawa

The Old Main Cottonwood was removed from campus in January. Clones of the tree will be planted nearby.

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Photo of the Week: Boulder Sunset

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 22:24:26 +0000

Photo of the Week: Boulder Sunset Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/04/2022 - 15:24

Kiara Gelbman

As the sun sets over CU Boulder’s campus, we admire the snow-covered rooftops with the Flatirons behind this beautiful sunset photographed by Gavin Crowson (MedPro'25). In January and February, Boulder saw a total of 47.4 inches of snowfall, with more in the forecast as the winter proceeds.

During one snowstorm this January, students took part in a huge snowball fight on Farrand Field. Do you have snow-related memories on campus? We want to hear them. Email us at editor@colorado.edu.

Photo by Gavin Crowson

A beautiful Boulder sunset over the snow-covered campus.

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