Winter 2015
Worldwide Learning & Research
Students, faculty, and alumni take their knowledge to places around the globe, and return with new insight and understanding of the world and our place in it.
Scroll down to see this issue's featured stories
Halo effect: Ross wants more women in video gaming industry
Journalism and Media Communication
Journalism alumna Bonnie Ross credits her overwhelming success to the foundation of technical and communication skills gained from CSU.
Team travels to South Africa to chronicle indigenous art, culture
Art and Art History | LEAP Institute for the Arts
Over the summer three CSU faculty members took a group of students to South Africa to help preserve the art, history and customs of an indigenous community.
CSU student’s wheelchair invention inspired by personal experience
John Morris is an economics alumnus from Fort Collins who has invented a new suspension system for wheelchairs — because he uses one.
Students support community-building work in Fort Morgan
An ethnic studies faculty member and his students have been getting out of the classroom and into a community that has seen its share of struggles in recent years — but a greater number of victories.
Carving history: CSU scholar studies Alaska’s totem pole parks
Assistant professor Emily Moore traveled to Alaska to document the preservation of totem poles and their significance within US history.
CSU archaeologist returning to Honduran jungle
Chris Fisher has traveled the world and battled a flesh-eating virus, all in the name of discovery.
CSU alumnus skydives to celebrate doubling life expectancy
Communication Studies | Journalism and Media Communication
A CSU alumnus living with muscular dystrophy celebrated a birthday he never thought he would have by doing something he never thought he would do: skydive.
Trauma to Triumph
David Bonomo (’17) has seen things no one should ever see, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. It shapes who he is today.
Photographing the truth in combat zones
Journalism and Media Communication
CSU journalism professors discuss their experiences on the front lines of war zones.
CSU-born production company releases trailer for a full-feature documentary
Journalism and Media Communication
“Our goal is to have this make an impact,” Rasmussen said. “We want them to see that we are there not to point fingers at the issue, but to give hope.”
No Limits: CSU football player with Asperger’s did the ‘impossible’
Communications studies senior and defensive lineman Justin Hansen doesn’t believe in barriers.
Colorado State University Students Rally Behind Mizzou
Colorado State University students gathered at the Lory Student Center Plaza on November 16 to show support for the students at the University of Missouri who are taking a stance against racism.
Public Lands History Center effort preserves oral history of 2013 flooding
A CSU team collaborated to capture first-hand accounts of the 2013 Front Range flood.
Annual Holiday Spectacular Concert Celebrates “Goodwill to All”
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
This popular event will take place December 3rd and 5th.
Mark your calendar for the Act Human Rights Film Festival
In April 2016 the Department of Communication Studies will debut the inaugural, week-long Act Human Rights Film Festival.
New name for CSU language department reflects positive shifts
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Colorado State University’s Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures is being revitalized with a new name, new faces and new projects.
CSU retiree donates Native art books to tribe in southern Colorado
A retired CSU faculty member has donated about 700 books on Native American art and culture to the Ute Mountain Ute tribe in southern Colorado.
Spokes-person of the year
The Alliance for Biking and Walking’s 2014 Bike Advocate of the Year believes bikes are much more than transportation or recreation.
Liberal arts faculty investigate disaster resilience
Economics faculty and students are assisting in the development of a federal center dedicated to improved disaster response and resilience.
CSU professor featured on ‘Who do you think you are?’
CSU History professor Ann Little got a trip to Quebec and a chance to show off her French-Canadian knowledge on an episode of “Who Do You Think You Are?”
Helping People Remove Their Masks
Communication Studies | LEAP Institute for the Arts
As the mastermind behind “Remove the Masks,” Kayla Wong has a life mission to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.
English Acts
Students and faculty take their passions and skills beyond the classroom into the community and world, demonstrating the power of English majors taking action.
A Modern Tale for Winter
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
The Winter’s Tale offers audiences an experience not seen in many plays: both a tragedy and comedy in one.
Dance Majors Want Their Audience to Speak, Thrive, and Be Alive
LEAP Institute for the Arts | School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Colorado State University Dance presents the Dance Major Capstone Concert: Speak, Thrive, Be Alive on Friday, Dec. 11 and Saturday, Dec. 12.
Thank You, Dean Ann Gill!
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
At the last home football game of the season, Ann Gill, the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, also had a special day.
Communication Studies Alumni Highlights
Communication studies alumni are actively engaged both on campus and in the community.
Caelia: A pre-Roman beer in the Iberian Peninsula
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
The Celts and Iberos of indigenous Spain may have known about wine, but they grew wheat and barley, and they made beer. Beer and wine form a counterpoint. Wine belongs to the conqueror. Beer, so we are told, pertains to a lower class.
Languages, Literatures and Cultures debuts two new research areas
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Languages, Literatures and Cultures has added two new cutting-edge faculty members, specializing in translation studies and Mexican cultural studies.
New Study Abroad Program: Hike the Camino de Santiago
Languages, Literatures and Cultures
Colorado State University students now have yet another option for studying abroad, and it involves participating in one of the most famous pilgrimages in the world.
Why I love being a Liberal Arts student
International Studies | Languages, Literatures and Cultures
International Studies and French student Hannah Purtymun explains how being a liberal arts major has fueled her diverse passions.
The CSU Marching Band Leads the 9News Parade of Lights
School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
The popular CSU Marching Band will once again kick off the holiday season as they lead the way at the 41st annual 9News Parade of Lights in downtown Denver.
Alumni Spotlight: Krista Martinez
Ethnic studies alumna Krista Martinez describes how a meaningful degree translated to an impactful career.
Sociology alumna receives Distinguished Alumni Employee Award
Blanche Hughes, Vice President for Division of Student Affairs, has been awarded CSU’s 2015 Distinguished Alumni Employee Award.
International development within reach of CSU students
International Studies students had the opportunity to tour and learn more about the Posner Center in Denver.
Jason Downing: professor by day, rockstar by night
Colorado State University sociology professor Jason Downing is actually a rock star.
Student travels to China for business development internship
Anthropology graduate student Sierra Method recently traveled to western China for a business development internship.
Life-Changing: A Liberal Arts student travels to Prague
Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts
One student explains why living in another country is life-changing.
Center for Mountain and Plains Archaeology Field Research
Center for Mountain and Plains Archaeology had an active summer, conducting archaeological research in a variety of ecosystems in central and northern Colorado.
Arts leadership students connect with community
Students in the Arts Leadership program through LEAP Institute for the Arts hosted their 2nd annual Nerdy Derby at the Noco Mini Maker Faire.
Anthropology Students Engage in Local High School Outreach
In an effort to reach out to local high schools, the Department of Anthropology facilitated an Anthropology Day for Fossil Ridge High School students
Three art students named finalists for national NICHE Awards
Three Art and Art History students have been named finalists in a national art competition.
Rams Unplug
Journalism and Media Communication
A group of Journalism & Media Communication students are promoting sustainability on campus.
Finding my way
Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts
One Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts alumna shares her story.
What it means to be an ethnic studies student
“The world is so much more complicated than it appears on the surface and ethnic studies really opened up my mind to the way everything works.”
CSU drawing students participate in 17 hour drawing marathon
Eleven drawing concentration students spent a night in the studio during a 17-hour Bauhaus-inspired drawing marathon.
Digital History students re-creating 1905 Denver in Minecraft
Playing video games is probably not most people’s first thought when the topic of a class project is brought up, but Dr. Robert Jordan is using it to tangibly connect his students to history.
2015 Best Teacher Awards
Faculty in Economics and History were selected as recipients of the 2015 Best Teacher Award.
Communication Studies Graduate Students Make Their Mark
Communication studies graduate students are standing out on campus.
New online Bachelor’s degree in Economics
The online Bachelor of Arts in Economics takes you beyond math and finance to discover how economics affect everyday life.
Faculty Awards, Beginnings, Transitions, and Departures
Communication studies welcomes new faculty members, celebrates a promotion, and announces a retirement.
Arts Leadership program welcomes visiting scholar from Germany
LEAP Institute for the Arts welcomes Visiting Scholar Dr. Gesa Birnkraut from Germany
Comments from your Academic Success Coordinator
Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts
I dwell in Possibility – A fairer House than Prose – More numerous of Windows – Superior – for Doors –
Pulitzer Prize winner selected as the 2015 CLA Honor Alumnus
Award-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa has been selected as the college’s 2015 honored alumnus.
Eddy Hall: home again
English | Ethnic Studies | Philosophy
Walk along Center Avenue Mall in the heart of campus and you’ll notice a striking sight; a revitalized Willard O. Eddy Hall.
Liberal Arts welcomes Director of Development Frank Teplin
Frank Teplin brings over 7 years of fundraising experience across the arts and sciences to the liberal arts team.
Performing and Visual Arts Students Awarded at Graduate Student Showcase
Art and Art History | School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Six students from the School of Music, Theatre and Dance and the Department of Art and Art History gave visual, research, and/or performance presentations, with four students winning top prizes.
Making an impact
Art and Art History | Economics | English | Ethnic Studies | Journalism and Media Communication | LEAP Institute for the Arts
From wheelchair inventions to leading the Halo 5 video game charge, the CSU liberal arts family is making an impact in a variety of ways.
Liberal Arts represents at 2015 Graduate Student Showcase
Anthropology and Geography | Art and Art History | Communication Studies | Economics | English | Ethnic Studies | History | Journalism and Media Communication | School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Over 50 students from the College of Liberal Arts participated in the annual Graduate Student Showcase on November 11th.
