College of Arts and Sciences

Grad’s body of work already changing courses

Rachel Sauer — Fri, 02 May 2025 22:19:01 +0000

Grad’s body of work already changing courses Rachel Sauer Fri, 05/02/2025 - 16:19

Tim Grassley

Rachel Suter, who is earning her BA in neuroscience and arts practices, summa cum laude, is named the College of Arts and Science’s outstanding graduate for spring 2025

Fusing her artistic training and scientific understanding, Rachel Suter highlighted the questionable traditions of using cadavers while exploring anatomy through an artistic lens, and in doing so she has helped change how anatomy classes are taught.

Suter, who graduates this month summa cum laude with majors in art practices and neuroscience, has been named the spring 2025 outstanding undergraduate of the ��ý College of Arts and Sciences. Her thesis is titled “Cadaveric ethics in figurative art instruction: Developing a workshop for an anatomical approach.”

In her thesis, Suter explores the history and ethics of body procurement in cadaver labs, as well as the consequential effects of primarily representing white male bodies in these figures. “I was doing anatomy through an artistic lens,” notes Suter.

Rachel Suter, who graduates next week summa cum laude with majors in art practices and neuroscience, has been named the spring 2025 outstanding undergraduate of the ��ý Boulder College of Arts and Sciences. (Photo: Kylie Clarke)

“I created a workshop for artists in the cadaver labs that taught them superficial anatomical structures relevant to figure drawing, and I simultaneously addressed the history of body procurement and dissection to advocate for a more ethical and equitable future.”

Steven Hobbs, who is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology, coordinates the anatomy lab and served as chair for Suter’s honors committee, notes that Suter’s project was excellent in its scope and caused him to reconsider his approach to teaching anatomy.

“Rachel’s honors thesis is the most original undergraduate undertaking I have witnessed in my 20-plus years at ��ý,” says Hobbs. “Her work deftly combines history, art, anatomical sciences and advocacy. Any of these domains would be considered original, masterful and compelling. Together, they form a remarkable whole, born entirely from Rachel’s creative thinking, passion and hard work. Her thesis is the quintessential fusion of ‘arts’ and ‘sciences.’”

While Suter’s bachelor’s degree studies in art practices and neuroscience helped her fuse research techniques and art-making workshops, the project’s interdisciplinarity also offered opportunity to initiate instructional practices that could be incorporated into anatomy labs and figure-drawing workshops right away.

“That was my big goal with the thesis,” says Suter. “It was to put theory into practice and make a tangible change.”

Exploring the ethics of how cadavers are procured, studied and illustrated

Suter began her research intending to learn about the history of how bodies are procured by cadaver labs and medical schools to better understand and critique unethical practices. As she charted the medical history, she discovered that labs commonly obtain “unclaimed bodies,” or cadavers that were not claimed by family or friends for burial or cremation and are then made available for medical education and research by the state.

In her thesis, she argues that knowing this background helps anatomy students see cadavers as more than educational objects—they are people deserving of care and respect.

“Some medical schools still use unclaimed bodies today,” says Suter, “and so my thesis promotes the use of consensually donated bodies in anatomy. I didn't know that my project would also turn into more advocacy and activism for working towards a better future.”

While delving into a cursory history of body-procurement and medical ethics, Suter recognized a relationship between her anatomy classes and art classes. While anatomy is generally taught as a science course, it uses art as one of its primary means of communicating findings about the human body, and a stronger understanding of art-making places figures in context.

As an artist interested in figure drawing, Suter experienced first-hand that her stronger understanding of anatomy helped generate more reliable and variable representations of the human body’s structures.

“I was learning how to figure draw at the same time that I was taking the anatomy lab course, and then I continued to work on my figure drawing while I was simultaneously dissecting bodies in the labs,” reflects Suter. “Having an anatomical knowledge of the human body really supported my representation of bodies in art.”

Rachel Suter organized two figure-drawing workshops in the cadaver lab for artists with the goal of helping them better understand the details they observe on the human body, like musculature and skeletal structures. (Photo: Rachel Suter)

Suter noted a tendency for anatomy textbook images and illustrations to rely on white male bodies as representative of all human bodies. She found that this was a common practice historically among medical illustrators and could create misunderstanding among students analyzing these visual representations.

“Anatomy studies people,” says Suter. “In studying people, you want to ensure that you are representative of all of those groups.”

Suter organized two figure-drawing workshops in the cadaver lab for artists with the goal of helping them better understand the details they observe on the human body, like musculature and skeletal structures.

The workshops also covered ethical considerations when working with cadavers, the importance of wide representation and individuality in artistic anatomy and methods attendees could use to advocate for a more inclusive approach to dissection and figurative art.

While she plans to pursue graduate programs in medical illustration after a gap year that includes a 10-week intensive workshop in Florence, Italy, Suter’s thesis has a more immediate effect on how anatomy will be taught at ��ý Boulder in the future.

“The anatomy labs here have not previously taught an ethical dimension or historical dimension,” says Suter. “Throughout my thesis, I really tried to advocate for transparency and education in these topics in a cadaver lab setting, and I'm really excited because I'm now talking to Dr. Hobbs about adding some of this content into the anatomy lab curriculum for anatomy students.”

The expansiveness of this project and its effect on teaching were the two characteristics of Suter’s nomination that drew the committee’s attention. Notes Hobbs, “As an instructor of human anatomy for nearly 20 years, I was surprised and inspired by how much I learned from Rachel. Her lessons reshaped my perspective on the human form through the lens of illustration. Rachel’s workshops and honors thesis could be the blueprint for a fantastic interdisciplinary semester course at ��ý. Every anatomy program should be so lucky to have a Rachel Suter.”

Suter not only feels honored to be the 2025 A&S outstanding graduate, she is also thrilled that her project leaves a legacy of change made possible through thoughtful, scholarly and artistic work.

“I don't think I've really found the words quite yet,” reflects Suter. “I'm really proud that I was able to make an impact on campus and develop a new educational approach that filled some gaps.”

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Rachel Suter, who is earning her BA in neuroscience and arts practices, summa cum laude, is named the College of Arts and Science’s outstanding graduate for spring 2025.

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Top photo: Kylie Clarke/College of Arts and Sciences

College faculty and staff honored at 2025 recognition ceremony

Kylie Clarke — Thu, 01 May 2025 21:51:26 +0000

College faculty and staff honored at 2025 recognition ceremony Kylie Clarke Thu, 05/01/2025 - 15:51

The annual event recognizes excellence in teaching, scholarship and other work that is a highlight of the College of Arts and Sciences

Faculty and staff from across the ��ý College of Arts and Sciences were honored at the Recognition Reception held Thursday afternoon in the Norlin Library.

Deans of division Irene Blair, Sarah E. Jackson and John-Michael Rivera presented gifts to faculty and staff being recognized for their outstanding achievements during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Awarded recognitions:

College Scholar Awards
Kahn Family Community Teaming Fund
ASCEND Awards
ASSETT Excellence in Teaching with Technology
Award Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction
College Professor of Distinction
��ý Distinguished Professors
A&S Staﬀ Employees of the Year
Promotion to Full Professor
Tenure & Promotion to Associate Professor
Promotion to Teaching Professor
Promotion to Associate Teaching Professor

View the list of recognized faculty and staff

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The annual event recognizes excellence in teaching, scholarship and other work that is a highlight of the College of Arts and Sciences.

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In a whirlwind of change, our core values remain constant

Rachel Sauer — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 18:51:57 +0000

In a whirlwind of change, our core values remain constant Rachel Sauer Thu, 04/17/2025 - 12:51

Daryl Maeda

Higher education is beset by challenges, and ��ý Boulder is not alone in needing to surmount them. While we face today’s difficulties and prepare to meet tomorrow’s, we remain tethered to certain truths, including that a broad university education is more critical than ever to the workforce and to society.

Remaining true to our values is critical as we confront new challenges, and it’s worth noting that overcoming adversity is embedded in the university’s history.

In the 1920s, for instance, the Ku Klux Klan controlled the Colorado Legislature and demanded that then-President George Norlin fire all Catholics and Jews at ��ý. Norlin refused, even though the Klan-dominated Legislature slashed ��ý’s budget to zero.

Daryl Maeda is interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of ethnic studies.

In the 1950s, hysteria over communists and “subversives” gripped the nation, prompting state lawmakers to demand the firing of professors who had once associated with communists. The university protected its tenured professors—though, sadly, dismissed some non-tenured faculty. The extent to which ��ý transcended the moment mirrors the degree to which it adhered to its core values.

Student protests against the Vietnam War in the 1960s drew more legislative fire and pressure to suppress dissent, but the university emerged from this controversial period with its values—academic freedom, free speech and open inquiry—intact.

These episodes hold lessons as we reach a new crossroads. Today, higher education faces broad challenges, including:

Changing demographics. America will likely hit a peak of about 3.5 million high school graduates in 2025, according to some estimates. After that, the pool of prospective college students might shrink by as much as 15% over the next decade. We call this the “enrollment cliff.”
Eroding public opinion. More people question the value of a college degree than at any point in our lifetimes. An increasing number of people believe colleges and universities should focus more on students’ career success. Others question higher education’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Declining public funding. For decades, states have been steadily allocating less funding per student. Since 2000, state support per student has dropped by about 40%. Falling public funding drives rising tuition, which propels more student debt.

While the challenges are irrefutable, the best response is a matter of debate.

Some suggest that post-secondary education should focus more on “marketable” skills, “competency”-based education, “upskilling,” “reskilling” and the like. These are reasonable concerns, and the university is addressing them.

In a host of ways, we help students gain specific skills and specialized knowledge that help them pursue satisfying careers. In addition to majors and minors in a wide array of disciplines, we offer an ever-broader selection of certificates, research opportunities, study-abroad opportunities and internship-placement assistance.

Because we want to help students succeed, we provide advising, coaching, scholarships and other support. Predictive analytics help us intervene when students are at risk of dropping out and help them acquire skills to succeed.

At the same time, we are proud that a liberal arts education—which is the bedrock of the College of Arts and Sciences—imparts a host of foundational skills that drive success in a wide range of careers. Critical thinking and communications prowess remain at or near the top of employers’ most-requested employee attributes.

And this makes sense. As the world changes ever more rapidly, people increasingly need the ability to grasp, analyze and share new knowledge. As society grapples with new and vexing problems, those who broadly understand the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences will be better prepared to help our democracy soar.

We know times are changing, and we are adapting. The college experience of today is not that of our forebears. While we adapt, however, we will not forsake our core values, the first of which is a broad education.

On the library that now bears his name, George Norlin’s words—that anyone who knows only this generation remains “always a child”—are literally etched in stone. In times of blistering change, our dedication to core values remains as solid as bedrock.

Daryl Maeda is interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

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College of Arts and Sciences names 2025 Van Ek Scholars

Kylie Clarke — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 21:38:02 +0000

College of Arts and Sciences names 2025 Van Ek Scholars Kylie Clarke Wed, 04/16/2025 - 15:38

Seventeen students receive one of the college’s most prestigious honors, recognized for their exemplary academic achievement and meaningful contributions to the campus and broader community

The College of Arts and Sciences has awarded the Jacob Van Ek Scholarship—one of the college’s highest honors—to 17 outstanding undergraduates.

Named in honor of Jacob Van Ek (1896–1999), the award commemorates his remarkable contributions to the university. Van Ek joined ��ý Boulder in 1925 as a young assistant professor shortly after earning his doctorate from what is now Iowa State University. Within three years, he rose to the rank of full professor and, by 1929, was appointed dean of the College of Liberal Arts—a role he held until 1959.

Students walking across campus.

The following students are this year’s Jakob Van Ek Scholar Award recipients:

Danya Al Nazal, Neuroscience/Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology
Amaneet Brar, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology
Michaela De Oliveria Olsen, Integrative Physiology
Rachel Suter, Neuroscience/Art Practices
Nikolaas Steele, Integrative Physiology
Ivory Carpenter, Environmental Studies
Karis Lowe, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
Natalie Sesselmann, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences/Psychology
Brooklyn Phillips, Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
Kalen Sieja, Political Science/Evolutionary Biology
Katie Mikell, Evolutionary Biology
Kalvyn Adams, Astrophysics and Planetary Sciences/Physics
Adriana Ripley, Psychology/French/Musical Theatre
Xavier Cisneros, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology/Sociology
Marina Levine, Economics/Psychology
Devayani Ravuri, Physics
Abby Schaller, Political Science

Seventeen students receive one of the college’s most prestigious honors, recognized for their exemplary academic achievement and meaningful contributions to the campus and broader community.

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Abby Hickcox wins 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction

Rachel Sauer — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:08:09 +0000

Abby Hickcox wins 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction Rachel Sauer Tue, 04/15/2025 - 14:08

Hickcox, a ��ý Boulder teaching associate professor of geography, is recognized for empowering students to think of themselves as creators of knowledge

Abby Hickcox, a teaching associate professor of geography and associate director of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program, has been named the 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction winner.

Supported by a generous donation from Craig Cogswell, a three-time alumnus of ��ý Boulder, the award recognizes outstanding instruction in the college, honoring individuals for their inspirational qualities and teaching abilities.

Hickcox, who also is co-principal investigator of the ��ý Boulder Affordable Housing Research Initiative, earned a BA in peace and global studies from Earlham College in 2000. In 2006, she received an MS from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Her master’s research investigated the privatization of common property (the Mexican ejido) in a national protected area in western Mexico. She earned her PhD in geography from the University of Colorado in 2012 and joined the honors faculty that year.

Abby Hickcox (second from right, with faculty colleagues in the Arts and Sciences Honors Program) has won the 2025 Cogswell Award for Inspirational Instruction.

“I am so honored to be selected for the Cogswell Award!” Hickcox says. “Teaching is what I love most about my role in the Honors Program. To be selected for the Cogswell Award, which recognizes inspirational instruction, is heartwarming and affirming. I am honored that my colleagues and peers took the time to nominate me, and I am so grateful for the community I have at ��ý, especially my students.”

In nominating Hickcox for the award, her colleagues and students noted her innovative teaching practices, interdisciplinary focus and genuine care for students.

“(Hickcox) excels at creating an inclusive classroom where students feel safe to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions,” noted Amy Palmer, a professor of biochemistry and the 2024 Cogswell Award winner. “She challenges students to take ownership of their own learning and empowers them to think of themselves as creators of knowledge.”

A former student who took Hickcox’s Environment Society Geography class as a freshman detailed how Hickcox combines an “irresistible passion for geography and learning with an unparalleled care and respect for students and their experiences.”

The student added, “From the first day, Dr. Hickcox had us questioning what can even define the line between nature and the human world, and from this philosophical beginning we extrapolated from questions into frameworks into analysis of lawns and wolves. It rocked.

“Dr. Hickcox’s excitement permeates through the classroom with geographical jokes and contagious interest in people and places. She almost got me; I almost considered changing my major—I might still add a minor. One thing will stick with me forever: a deeper appreciation of our interaction as humans with the world.”

Focusing on human geography

"From the first day, Dr. Hickcox had us questioning what can even define the line between nature and the human world, and from this philosophical beginning we extrapolated from questions into frameworks into analysis of lawns and wolves. It rocked."

Hickcox also is faculty advisor for the Honors Journal, an interdisciplinary, student-run journal published annually by the Arts and Sciences Honors Program. A student who worked on the journal praised the community that Hickcox helped them cultivate as they worked on the journal—“the friendships, memories, creativity and mutual respect that was intentional and significant,” the student noted.

“There is one moment that will last with me for a long time: Towards the end of the semester, we had finished the stressful process of planning the release event for the journal. After we had finished tasks for the day, Dr. Hickcox told us that she wanted to take a moment to talk about what she had observed this semester and what she valued in each of us. I have not felt the same depth of honesty and genuine thoughtfulness from a professor before or since.”

Hickcox teaches five honors courses per year—both lower division and upper division—which include Sustainable Futures (GEOG 1972); Place, Power and Contemporary Culture (GEOG 3742); Environmental Justice (HONR 4075); and Racism in American Culture (HONR 4000). She recently overhauled the Honors Diversity Seminar (HONR 1810) and created a new Advanced Writing Seminar—Honors Journal Section (HONR 3220).

Her research expertise is in human geography and focuses on the relationship between people and the environment. Her areas of research include parks and protected areas, environmentalism, environmental justice, racism, racialization, white racial privilege and the politics of belonging and exclusion. Specifically, through examination of historical and contemporary data, her research addresses the complicated overlap between environmentalism, progressive politics and racism in Boulder.

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Hickcox, a ��ý Boulder teaching associate professor of geography, is recognized for empowering students to think of themselves as creators of knowledge.

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Financial wellness despite the current chaos?

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 22:47:57 +0000

Financial wellness despite the current chaos? Rachel Sauer Mon, 04/07/2025 - 16:47

Expert to discuss letting money work for you in April 15 workshop

A ��ý finance expert will discuss financial independence this month during a Let’s ��ý Well presentation.

Let's ��ý Well

What: Let's ��ý Well: Financial freedom and happiness: Don't work for your money, learn how to make your money work for you, with Diane Hirschhorn

When: 1 p.m., Tuesday, April 15

Where: Zoom, registration is required.

Who: Diane Hirschhorn is a lecturer of finance in the Leeds School of Business and a wealth manager.

The College of Arts and Sciences event, titled “Financial Wellness with Diane Hirschhorn,” is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 15 via Zoom. Attendance is free, but registration is required at this link.

The presentation is designed to inspire and empower ��ý students, staff and faculty and community members on their journey to financial independence.

Led by Diane Hirschhorn, a wealth manager and lecturer of finance at the Leeds School of Business, this hour-long session will revisit powerful strategies to optimize savings and earn more with what you have. Hirschhorn will also discuss the current market swings.

This workshop will approach wellness through a financial lens and aims to help participants feel more secure within the changing financial landscape. The workshop is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

The workshop will be moderated by Erin Cunningham, director of employee wellness and engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The event is presented by the college’s Office for Access and Community Engagement. It is co-presented by the college’s wellness initiative, called Be Well. Let’s ��ý Well is that initiative’s regular series of expert presentations.

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Expert to discuss letting money work for you in April 15 workshop.

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Discovering Boulder County’s tiniest residents

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:10:47 +0000

Discovering Boulder County’s tiniest residents Rachel Sauer Mon, 03/24/2025 - 11:10

Collette Mace

��ý Boulder alum and experienced caver Dave Steinmann recently discovered a new species of pseudoscorpion in Mallory Cave, with a moniker honoring its namesake hometown

When Dave Steinmann (Phys’90) first started classes at the ��ý in 1984, he had never explored a cave before and never really thought much about caves. However, when his new dorm-mate suggested they try his dad’s favorite hobby of caving, what seemed at first like an adventurous new pastime soon turned into a lifestyle for Steinmann—one that he has continued for more than 30 years and leading to his discovery of almost 100 new cave-dwelling species.

Steinmann, now a research associate with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s Zoology Department, most recently discovered a new species of pseudoscorpion named after the city closest to where it was found—none other than ��ý’s hometown of Boulder. Steinmann said that he knew almost immediately that the critter that is now known as Larca boulderica was a new species.

Dave Steinmann (right) with his son, Nathan (left), and wife, Debbie (center), as they get ready to go caving. (Photo: Dave Steinmann)

When he first spotted it in Mallory Cave, one of Boulder’s most well-known cave systems thanks to its role in bat conservation, he immediately noticed its unique, almost lentil-shaped body and adaptations for cave living, such as its pale color. These specimens were later verified as a new species by Mark Harvey, a pseudoscorpion expert at the Western Australian Museum; Harvey and Steinmann recently published details of the discovery in ZooKeys.

Steinmann notes that it’s typically not difficult to discern when a specimen is a new species, as it happens pretty frequently in the ancient cave systems right below our feet.

“I always say that if I want to discover a new species, I just need to visit a new cave,” he says.

Why are caves such a great place to make new discoveries? The answer lies in their role as a sort of refuge from climate change, Steinmann notes. In caves, insects can hide from the effects of temperature, floral and faunal changes that happen more rapidly in the outside world, facilitating isolated evolutionary changes.

Changing cave life

However, even cave life is changing. Lately, the temperature inside of caves, typically very cold, has been observed to be rising on a minuscule scale. Although this may seem trivial, even a few degrees’ difference can have immeasurable effects on the delicate life structures within the caves.

Similarly, outside temperatures affect which species go in and out of the cave systems, most notably bats. With the recent spike in white-nosed syndrome in bat populations, the number of bats in cave systems has decreased dramatically, with disastrous effects on internal cave species such as Larca boulderica, who survive on organic material—most often wood brought into the cave—and guano (bat fecal matter).

These changes are slow to progress, though, and there is still time to save cave ecosystems like that of Mallory Cave, which is closed to the public to protect the bat population inside (although it’s still possible to hike up to the cave entrance, a pleasant and short hike for anyone hoping to get outside).

So, how did Steinmann spot these teeny tiny bugs who live on bat feces? Well, after more than 30 years of experience, he has some tricks up his sleeve. One of the easiest methods he uses to spot tiny critters is simply by turning over rocks or pieces of wood.

When species like pseudoscorpions are disturbed by the movement or sense the carbon dioxide released by human breathing, they tend to skitter in every direction, looking for a new spot to curl up and revel in the damp darkness. When they move around, according to Steinmann, it’s just a game of whether you can catch them quickly enough.

The newly described pseudoscorpion Larca boulderica is about the size of a sesame seed and is only known to live in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo: Dave Steinmann)

To catch samples, Steinmann usually brings simple tools along with him—a painter’s brush and some rubbing alcohol. When the brush is wetted with the alcohol, it’s easy to run it along a surface and pick up all of the tiny things residing there, including minuscule species of bugs like Larca boulderica.

From there, it’s also easier to see what he’s found, as cave species are usually albino due to the lack of melanin— they don’t need pigmentation when there’s no sunlight—and they stand out against the dark ground and hairs of the paintbrush.

Looking for a gold bug

Despite being at it for multiple decades, Steinmann has no plans to slow down his caving career any time soon. He’s even made it a family pastime, and often spends time caving with his wife, Debbie, and his son, Nathan. He keeps an ongoing list of caves he plans to visit in the future and looks forward to making even more discoveries.

“I’d really like to find some kind of gold-colored bug and name it after the university,” he says, “or maybe even Coach Prime!”

He’s also enthusiastic about getting more students involved in caving, including caver and photographer Andres “Andy” Better, who will be a ��ý transfer student next fall. Steinmann emphasized how many different opportunities lie in the caving experience and says students of any background could find a niche interest in the hobby.

He also mentions local groups and clubs for both new and experienced cavers, including the Front Range Grotto and the Colorado Grotto, which meets at the Colorado School of Mines. He says that while anyone is welcome in caving, experienced members of the clubs can sometimes be protective of the places they visit, as human disturbances can harm delicate cave ecosystems, and caving as a hobby can be dangerous in a lot of ways.

However, if you’re looking to learn about caving with curiosity and respect, any of these clubs are great ways to get involved in this adventurous and exciting hobby—just be careful not to step in the bat guano because there could be a new species in there!

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��ý Boulder alum and experienced caver Dave Steinmann recently discovered a new species of pseudoscorpion in Mallory Cave, with a moniker honoring its namesake hometown.

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Creating an inclusive and future-focused Hellems

Rachel Sauer — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 20:44:49 +0000

Creating an inclusive and future-focused Hellems Rachel Sauer Tue, 02/04/2025 - 13:44

Supporters revivify not just the building but also what it fosters and represents

John and Karen McLaren didn’t meet in Hellems—they met in a women’s studies class held in Ketchum—but their son William met his fiancée there.

So, as a family they well understand that a university education extends far beyond successive semesters of classes. It’s also a collection of experiences—bright beads on a string that grow, one after another, into something complete and beautiful.

Where those experiences happen is an important part of them, both in the moment and recalled in memory years later. For the 85% of ��ý undergraduate students who will have taken a class in Hellems Arts and Sciences Building by the time they graduate, the place is a part of the story.

��ý Boulder alumnus Michael Klump (right), with College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Daryl Maeda, gave $2 million to the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging and the Hellems Fund for Fostering Success. “I owe a lot of my success to attending the University of Colorado, where I had the privilege of meeting inspiring individuals and forming lifelong connections across the country,” says Klump. “These experiences have deeply motivated me to give back and set an example.”

“It’s the center of campus,” says Karen McLaren, explaining what inspired her and John, in part, to donate to the ongoing Hellems renovation. While their names will be on a plaque at the entrance of a conference room in honor of their donation, they see it as not only supporting the physical place—the walls and tables and teaching technology—but the broader idea of experience.

Hellems, then, is more than a building; it is also a symbol, one that heralds the liberal arts, signifies a common student experience and fosters student success. In that vein, supporters like the McLarens buttress two funds that advance these ends: the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging and the Hellems Fund for Fostering Success.

These funds have garnered support. For instance, in addition to his $13 million donation to fund the Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate, Klump gave $2 million to the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging and the Hellems Fund for Fostering Success.

The Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging will provide resources for student mental health and well-being, which inspired Klump to include Hellems as part of his recent $15 million gift to ��ý Boulder. His gift of $2 million to name the Hellems south courtyard will help students find support groups through the Hellems Fund for Collective Belonging. “I owe a lot of my success to attending the University of Colorado, where I had the privilege of meeting inspiring individuals and forming lifelong connections across the country,” says Klump. “These experiences have deeply motivated me to give back and set an example.”

Hellems is “one of the most significant contributors to the student experience at ��ý Boulder,” notes designer David Keltner of Hacker Architects, which is working with ��ý Boulder to reimagine Hellems for today and tomorrow. “As such, it is not only one of the most commonly held experiences of the university; it also plays a role in creating those critical first impressions of collegiate life for incoming freshmen.”

Hellems also is the heart of the College of Arts and Sciences and home not only of the beloved Mary Rippon Theatre, but the Colorado Shakespeare Festival—a renowned nexus between the university and the community beyond its borders.

Construction on the 95,000-square-foot building is expected to be complete in 2025. The process of re-envisioning Hellems has been guided not only by administrative, faculty and staff input, but by guidance from students. They suggested not only practical improvements to accessibility, study spaces, classrooms and lighting, but creating spaces of gathering and belonging.

Reimagining Hellems has been a process of not only honoring its more than 100-year history and preserving the integrity of the building but also recreating it as a 21st-century space.

The redesign seeks LEED for New Construction Version 4 Gold Certification as well as reduced energy consumption, aligning with campuswide sustainability goals and aligning with college priorities

A reimagined Hellems will create opportunities for students to gather, linger, connect and succeed in their arts and sciences home on campus. It will be a place for everyone—accessible and inviting, a key part of the college experience.

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Supporters revivify not just the building but also what it fosters and represents.

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Workshop aims to help participants cope and feel better

Rachel Sauer — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:24:43 +0000

Workshop aims to help participants cope and feel better Rachel Sauer Thu, 01/16/2025 - 17:24

Participants will learn how to regulate heart rhythms to immediately address their emotional state in challenging situations.

An expert in heart-rate variability will share research and its application via the HeartMath system in a workshop at the ��ý.

Participants in the workshop, which will be at 1 p.m. Feb. 11 on Zoom, will learn how to use the heart/brain connection to regulate heart rhythms to immediately address their emotional state in challenging situations. The event is open to all, but registration is required.

The workshop will teach participants how to do so while uniting heart, mind and emotion; boosting resilience; decreasing stress; and improving mental and physical performance, notes Erin Cunningham Ritter, who will lead the workshop.

Cunningham Ritter, who is director of wellness and employee engagement for the College of Arts and Sciences, says that the workshop’s aim is to “support our communities with practical, in-the-moment tools for building coherence and capacity for resilience, stress reduction, improved self-regulation, performance and mental and physical health.”

She describes HeartMath as an evidenced-based program that teaches participants to access their hearts’ inner balance to become the best versions of themselves. These tools, which can be applied in the moment, are proven to help participants reduce stress and anxiety while improving coherence, self-security and decision making, Cunningham Ritter says.

HeartMath has developed highly successful programs for self-improvement in mental, emotional and physical balance, according to Cunningham-Ritter. However, HeartMath technology and materials are not intended to replace treatments for medical or psychological conditions by licensed physicians, psychologists or other health care professionals.

The workshop is a presentation of Let’s ��ý Well, an expert-speaker series sponsored by Be Well, the College of Arts and Sciences’ wellness initiative, and ��ý Boulder Health and Wellness Services. For more information or to ask questions, contact Erin Cunningham Ritter.

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Participants will learn how to regulate heart rhythms to immediately address their emotional state in challenging situations.

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Difficult Dialogue focuses on extremism, antisemitism

Rachel Sauer — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 22:18:47 +0000

Difficult Dialogue focuses on extremism, antisemitism Rachel Sauer Mon, 11/11/2024 - 15:18

��ý Boulder’s Center for Humanities & the Arts welcomes German delegation for latest in Difficult Dialogue Series

Late last month, a delegation from Germany joined scholars from the ��ý to discuss extremism, antisemitism and misinformation.

The discussion was organized by the ��ý Boulder Center for Humanties & the Arts (CHA) in collaboration with the Boulder Council for International Visitors and with support from the U.S. State Department. It was the latest of the CHA’s Difficult Dialogue Series.

The six visiting delegates, representing various regions in Germany, asked not to be photographed or quoted but engaged in a structured discussion facilitated by CHA Director Jennifer Ho. Topics spanned antisemitism, media literacy and the global effects of extremism, reflecting the delegates’ interest in the CHA’s approach to fostering meaningful discussions around divisive issues.

The Difficult Dialogue series is designed to emphasize open-mindedness, respectful listening and personal storytelling. This approach enables participants to confront challenging topics and seek mutual understanding without pressure to agree.

During last month’s discussion, participants shared their perspectives on democracy, racial inequities and the historical issues that influence the present-day political landscape, such as what is happening in Gaza. The U.S. and German participants exchanged experiences and strategies for navigating division, demonstrating the CHA’s commitment to conversations that resonate across borders.

Through the Difficult Dialogue series, the CHA aims to connect people from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing that discussing challenging topics is essential to problem-solving and cultural understanding. By hosting this German delegation, the CHA continues to affirm its dedication to promoting respectful dialogue rooted in the humanities, the center stated.

The next event in the Difficult Dialogue series is scheduled for Nov. 13 and is titled “Is that a fact?!” The session will focus on how to find facts in a world filled with misinformation. This community conversation is co-hosted with Colorado Chautauqua and open to the public and will be held at 6 p.m. at the Chautauqua Community House Rocky Mountain Climbers Club room.

For more information, visit Chautauqua’s website: www.chautauqua.com/event/difficult-dialogue-is-that-a-fact/

The ��ý’s Center for Humanities & the Arts (CHA) is known internationally for its Difficult Dialogue series, which fosters meaningful conversations about complex issues.

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��ý Boulder’s Center for Humanities & the Arts welcomes German delegation for latest in Difficult Dialogue Series.

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